§ Mr. Forresterasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many children were maintained in homes supported by local authorities and voluntary organisations at the latest convenient date and what is the estimated cost of maintaining a child in a local authority home.
§ Mr. MoyleOn 31 March 1977, 36,100 children in care were accommodated in local authority community homes and voluntary homes and hostels in England, and 1,700 mentally handicapped children were accommodated in homes supported by local authorities or voluntary organisations. Statistics on the number of children accommodated in local authority social services accommodation for physically disabled are not held centrally. The average weekly costs to local authorities during 1976–77 of maintaining a child in a community home and in a home for the mentally handicapped were £81 and £91 respectively. These figures exclude administration and field social work costs which cannot be allocated to specific services, and no deductions have been made in respect of parental contributions.