Foster Care
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department is aware of any cases in the last five years where a child was placed in the primary care of an individual who is a registered sex offender.
Answered by Josh MacAlister
The department does not collect data on children placed in households where an individual is a registered sex offender.
We collect data on children’s serious incidents that involve death or serious harm to a child where abuse or neglect is known or suspected and any death of a looked after child. At the notification stage, the data collection system does not include an option to record whether a child was placed with a registered sex offender, and information provided at this point may not clearly identify the perpetrator. More detailed and verified information regarding abuse or neglect incidents, is established through subsequent rapid reviews. The Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel, which oversees these reviews, may hold such information.
Regulation 26 of the Fostering Services (England) Regulations 2011 requires providers to obtain specified information about applicants and adult household members. This includes an enhanced criminal record certificate under section 113B of the Police Act 1997, which contains suitability information relating to children.
For fostering, an enhanced criminal record certificate with a check of the children’s barred list is mandatory. If a person is on the children’s barred list, they are legally prohibited from working in regulated activity with children and would commit a criminal offence if they did so.
Enhanced certificates may also include relevant local police information, such as allegations or investigations. In addition, services must consider the outcomes of any previous fostering or adoption applications involving the applicant or household members.
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