To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what information her Department holds on the average level of profit made by (a) private and (b) local authority-managed residential homes for looked-after children in the latest period for which data is available.

The department does not hold or collect data on the profit levels of children’s social care providers. However, the Competition and Markets Authority detailed in their 2022 report that the largest fifteen providers made, on average, 19.4% profit on fostering provision, 22.6% on children’s home provision, and 35.5% on supported accommodation provision. The full report can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/childrens-social-care-market-study-final-report/final-report.