Information on the number of places in local authority residential homes in part (a) has been provided by Ofsted. There are 745 active local authority residential homes registered in England, consisting of boarding schools, children's homes, further education colleges and residential special schools, collectively offering a maximum of 9,235 registered places. Table A provides a breakdown of the maximum number of registered places according to their provision type.
Provision Type Number of providers Maximum number of places1 Boarding School 26 2,550 Children's Home 596 3,978 Further Education College 11 591 Residential Special School 112 2,116 Total 745 9,235 1 The maximum number of registered places is calculated from figures held by Ofsted. Where these data are missing, the number of places has been estimated based on the national average for the provision type and sector at that point in time. Here there were 21 out of the 745 providers where places were estimated (2.8 per cent. of total places). Of these, 20 providers (378 places) were from Residential Special Schools (17.9 per cent. of RSS), with one provider (seven places) from a Children's Home (0.2 per cent. of CH). Where a provider's sector is unknown, the maximum number of places is estimated using only the national average for that provision type. Note: All data have been extracted from the Regulatory Support Application (RSA) database taken on 1 of April 2009.
Information on the number of foster homes places in part (b) is not held centrally by the Department.
Information on the number of places approved in local authority secure children's homes, requested in part (c) can be found in our publication 'Children Accommodated in Secure Children's Homes at 31 March 2008: England and Wales', which is available on the Department's website via the following link:
http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000802/index.shtml
At 31 March 2008, there were 340 approved places in the 19 secure children's homes open in England and Wales.
Information on the number of places in Home Office secure accommodation in part (d) has been provided by the Joint Youth Justice Unit and consists of 3,007 places in Young Offender Institutions and 301 places in Secure Training Centres.