Peter Bone (Wellingborough, Conservative)

To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what recent representations he has received from local authorities on the physical security of vulnerable people in local authority care; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo (Minister of State, Department for Children, Schools and Families; Bristol South, Labour)

holding answer 7 July 2009

All children's homes must comply with regulations and national minimum standards. These require that premises must be fit and suitable for achieving the home's statement of purpose. Every home must be secure from unauthorised access. This could include, for example, using electronic surveillance to monitor those who enter and leave the premises or having ground floor windows that can be opened only part way.

Where a local authority looks after a child, including those that have been trafficked, then they are responsible for identifying a placement that will be appropriate to meeting their needs, including their need to be kept safe from any likely harm.

On 1 July 2009, we published new "Statutory Guidance on children who run away and go missing from home or care". This sets out the measures local authorities must take whenever a child that they look after goes missing from their care placement and includes specific information about managing support for especially vulnerable groups of looked after children—such as those asylum seeking children who may have been trafficked into the UK.