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<p>Where local authorities are placing a young person out of area, there are clear
statutory requirements in place to safeguard young people. These require the placing
authority to inform the host authority before confirming the placement, and to check
whether the host authority is aware of any concerns about the setting.</p><p> </p><p>The
statutory responsibilities for looked after children remain with the placing local
authority, and Directors of Children’s Services must approve all distant placements.</p><p>
</p><p>As a lack of sufficient placements to meet young people’s needs can lead to
children being placed out of area, we are investing part of our £200 million Children’s
Social Care Innovation Programme in projects in London, where demand for placements
outstrips supply. This would also help to increase councils’ capacity so that fewer
children are placed far away from home.</p><p>Where there is a dispute between local
authorities about who should have responsibility for a looked after child, the ordinary
residence determination process provides a mechanism to resolve this.</p><p> </p><p>The
department has also launched the Boarding School Partnerships (BSP) to encourage boarding
school placements for children in care and those on the edge of care, where it was
in the best interests of the child. The BSP has been working with the boarding schools
sector to provide a supply of places to local authorities supported by bursaries.</p>
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