HC Deb 20 November 2003 vol 413 cc1465-6W
Mr. Liddell-Grainger

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many inspectors of homes that care for children were carried out in Somerset in(a) 2001–02 and (b) 2002–03. [136550]

Margaret Hodge

145 inspections of children's homes were carried out in Somerset during the year ended 31 March 2002. The number of homes due to be inspected in that year was 77, each home would expect to have both an announced (i.e. with prior notice) and an unannounced (i.e. without prior notice) inspection each year.

In 2002–03, NCSC Inspectors carried out 60 announced inspections and 30 unannounced inspections of children's homes in Somerset.

It is expected that the NCSC will perform two inspections per year (one announced and one unannounced). However, as 2002–03 was the first year in which the NCSC was operational it should be taken into account that a large proportion of homes would not have been registered until the latter part of that year. Therefore the second inspection although within the time frame might not fall until the following year 2003–04.

Mr. Liddell-Grainger

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills where homes in Somerset which are used to have children in care are located. [136551]

Margaret Hodge

The information requested is not collected centrally. Information about de-registered children's homes prior to April 2002 is most likely to be kept by the local authority in which the home was registered.

Mr. Liddell-Grainger

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will list the private companies which look after children in care in Somerset. [136553]

Margaret Hodge

As of 3 November 2003 the private companies, not voluntary organisations, charities or local authority providers, that have registered with the National Care Standards Commission to look after children in care in Somerset are:

  • Families Care Ltd.
  • Safe Haven Residential and Respite Care
  • On Track (South West) Care Ltd.
  • Sedgemoor
  • New Horizon Centre Ltd.
  • Crossways
  • Sedgemoor College Ltd.
  • Plus One Residential and Foster Care Ltd.

Mr. Liddell-Grainger

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children are in care in Somerset; and which counties they come from. [136554]

Margaret Hodge

Number of children looked after by Somerset CC, Bath and North East Somerset.

UA and North Somerset UA at 31 March 20021,2
Local Authority Total number of looked after children Number of children placed inside local authority boundary Number of children placed outside local authority boundary
Somerset CC 335 325 5
Bath and North East Somerset UA 145 105 40
North Somerset UA 150 140 10
1All figures are rounded to the nearest 5. Numbers may not add-up to totals due to rounding.
2 Figures in this table exclude children looked after under a series of short term placements.