Good Law Project campaigners lose child council accommodation case

Derby City Council said it aspired to provide every child in care with "the best possible local placement"

Campaigners have lost a High Court case over children in council care being placed in outside their home area.

The Good Law Project had taken legal action against four local authorities - Cambridgeshire, Essex and West Sussex County Councils and Derby City Council.

Its lawyers said statutory duties to provide sufficient "in-area" accommodation were not being met.

But at the hearing in London Mr Justice Choudhury concluded the organisation did not have an arguable case.

The Good Law Project said in 2020 nearly four out of every 10 children in care were placed outside their local authority area.

Lawyers representing the councils, and the government, had disputed the claim.

Under the Children Act 1989, councils are obliged to find placements for looked-after children in accommodation "within the local authority's area" unless that is "not reasonably practicable".

A House of Commons report found more than 30,000 children entering the care system were placed outside of their local authority area, about 40% of the total number.