A FREEDOM of Information (FOI) request has revealed the number of children in care in Devon that are placed outside of Devon County Council’s (DCC) boundary.

As of April 17, 2025, DCC has 851 children in care, 261 of whom are placed outside of its local authority boundary.

The number is somewhat misleading, for the highest number of those placed outside of Devon County Council’s area of responsibility are placed in Torbay.

Torbay Council is independent from Devon County Council as it is a unitary authority, so it technically counts as ‘outside’ of Devon.

Cornwall, Somerset and Plymouth have the next highest number, as one might expect.

But some children are placed as far away as Birmingham, Croydon, Cherwell, Coventry, Luton, Barnet, Bridgend, Colchester, Monmouthshire, Redbridge, Seven Oaks and Stratford on Avon.

Under the Children Act 1989, accommodation provided by local authorities for looked after children must be ‘within the local authority's area’ unless this is ‘not reasonably practicable.’

There is, however, no provision in legislation that prohibits a local authority from placing a child out of its area.