HC Deb 17 July 2000 vol 354 cc73-6W
Dr. Cable

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what standard procedures exist to initiate police investigations and search operations in cases where children go missing from children's homes. [129765]

Mr. Hutton

Part III of the Children's Homes Regulations 1991 requires the authority responsible for children's homes to draw up written procedures to be followed when children go missing from children's homes.

In order to improve practice in this area, in January 1998 the Local Government Association and the Association of Chief Police Officers issued guidance to local authorities on procedures and good practice when children go missing from care. Social services and police forces were advised to develop locally agreed protocols to cover the circumstances in which initial reports should be made to the police and to act on any report of a child going missing from care immediately. The Department was represented on the working party which produced this guidance. We intend to publish further good practice guidance later this year aimed at helping statutory and voluntary sector staff identify potential runaways and will suggest preventative measures which they can take. The guidance will reiterate the need for inter-agency planning and provision of services for runaways.

Dr. Cable

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what protection exists for children in care in relation to corporal punishment. [129778]

Mr. Hutton

Corporal punishment is prohibited for all children looked after by local authorities, under the Children Act 1989 and associated regulations.

Dr. Cable

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the capacity of children's homes was in each year from 1992–93 to 1998–99; and what the average percentage utilisation of these homes was in each year. [129776]

Mr. Hutton

The information for 31 March 1996 and 31 March 1997 (the only years for which data on the capacity of children's homes are available) is given in the table.

Capacity and number of looked after children accommodated in children's homes in England—31 March 1996 and 1997
1996 1997
Total capacity of homes (places) 10,892 10,869
Number of children 6,600 6,400
Average occupancy rate 61% 58%

In addition, a further 3,800 and 4,000 children were accommodated in children's homes during the years ending 31 March 1996 and 1997 respectively, under a series of short-term placements. It is not possible to estimate how many of these were in residence at the end of the year.

Dr. Cable

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what provisions exist for the protection of privacy in children's care homes, with particular reference to uncensored mail. [129767]

Mr. Hutton

The Children's Homes Regulations 1991, made under the Children Act 1989, provide that children's homes should have appropriate facilities for children to meet privately with parents, relatives, friends and others, and for children to be able to make and receive phone calls in private. The Children Act guidance on residential care makes it clear that homes should recognise the need for privacy. There are no particular provisions in respect of uncensored mail.

Dr. Cable

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps are being taken to ensure that qualified former residents of children's homes are fully represented on the short lists for the post of Children's Rights Director on the National Care Standards Commission and among the Director's staff. [129775]

Mr. Hutton

The appointment of staff to the National Care Standards Commission will be a matter for the Commission itself once legally established in 2001. The Department will, however, define the role of the Children's Rights Director and suggest a model structure for their Directorate.

Dr. Cable

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to ensure that victims of abuse in children's residential homes receive(a) an official apology and (b) compensation. [129809]

Mr. Hutton

I refer the hon. Member to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales on 15 February 2000,Official Report, column 784–87, when he presented Sir Ronald Waterhouse's report "Lost in Care" to Parliament. Our response to "Lost in Care", published on 29 June 2000, acknowledges that the awful events in North Wales are not unique and that the abuse of children in the public care system across the United Kingdom has been a source of shame for all.

Anyone who has been the victim of a criminal act is entitled to seek compensation. For victims of child abuse, we realise that this can be a particularly difficult process to see through. However, it must be for individual people to decide if they wish to seek redress through the Courts or the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority. Each case will need to be judged on its own merits.

Dr. Cable

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many residents of children's homes were officially recorded as missing in the period 1992–93 to 1998–99; and how many of these have subsequently been traced. [129777]

Mr. Hutton

Data supplied by local authorities show that during the period 1 April 1992 to 31 March 1999 there were an estimated 1,700 occasions when children being looked after in children's homes in England absconded for more than one week. In 1,500 of these cases, the child concerned subsequently had a further period of care with the same local authority. Where no further period of care with the same authority is recorded these children may have been traced but not subsequently looked after or the responsibility for the care may have transferred to another authority.