DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH 98/039
Figures showing the numbers and types of children''s homes in each local authority area in England were published today.
The publication covers local authority community homes, voluntary homes, private registered homes and other homes accommodating children. The figures which run to 31 March 1997 show:
- There were 1,232 local authority or registered homes in England that accommodated children compared with 1,200 a year earlier. Of these 810 were local authority maintained or controlled community homes, 221 were private registered homes, 98 were registered residential care homes, 62 were registered voluntary children''s homes, 28 were assisted community homes and 13 were dual registered schools;
- The total number of places in all local authority and registered homes in England was 10,900 at 31 March 1997, an average of 8.8 places per home;
- The most common size of home had six places (253 homes). Only 46 homes had the capacity to accommodate more than 20 children;
- 36 per cent of all homes had provision for respite care, the same proportion as a year earlier. This provision was mainly offered by maintained homes (44 per cent of these) and registered care homes (45 per cent);
- As well as the above homes, local authorities made use of 89 small homes not requiring registration to accommodate children during the year to 31 March 1997.
NOTES TO EDITORS
1. Press copies of the publication are available from Department of Health press office on 0171 210 5221. Other copies are available from Department of Health, SD3A, 451C Skipton House, 80 London Road, Elephant and Castle, London SE1 6LW.
2. The 1997 children''s homes figures are the third in the series which the Department has hitherto produced annually. In future this report will be published every 3 years. The figures were compiled from information on each home submitted either to the Department of Health by local authorities, on form CH1 or obtained from information provided directly to the Department by voluntary and assisted homes.
3. Types of home covered on form CH1 - statistical information was sought on the following:
- local authority maintained homes - homes controlled by local authorities - private children''s homes registered under Part VIII of the Children Act 1989 - residential care homes accommodating children and registered under the Registered Homes Act 1984 - schools dual registered under Section 63 of the Children Act 1989 and under the Education Act, 1944 or 1993
Information was also collected on small unregisterable homes used by the authority during the year to 31 March (irrespective of their location). Voluntary and assisted homes provided information directly to the Department. All other types of establishment accommodating children and young people away from their families were excluded from the scope of the collection.
4. Type of information collected:
Information was collected on the location of homes, type of home, registration status and registering authority (where appropriate), facilities provided, age criterion for admission and accommodation and maximum number of children that can be accommodated. No information was sought about the number or characteristics of children currently in the home.
[ENDS]
