Looked-after children placements

Request data on children in care by placement type, location, and cost.

Looked-after children may be placed in foster care, residential homes, or other settings. Placement type matters for the child’s wellbeing and makes a big difference to cost.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information as at [DATE e.g. 31 March 2025]: 1. The total number of looked-after children. 2. A breakdown by placement type (council foster care, independent agency foster care, council residential home, independent residential provider, kinship care, other). 3. The number of children placed outside the council area. 4. The average weekly cost per child for each placement type in [FINANCIAL YEAR e.g. 2024-25]. I would prefer to receive this as a spreadsheet or CSV if possible. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]
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Who to send it to#

Your local council’s children’s services department. Find your council on the Commissioner’s directory of Scottish public authorities. You can also send your request through WhatDoTheyKnow, which publishes responses online.

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Tips#

  • The Scottish Government publishes annual statistics on looked-after children. Check what is already available before making your request.
  • Costs vary a lot between council-run and independent placements. Asking for costs by type lets you see the difference.
  • If the council says this would exceed the cost limit, drop item 4 (costs) and request placement numbers only.
  • Small numbers may be suppressed to protect children’s identities. The council should explain if it does this.