Statistics on looked after children
March 2012
A collation of statistics on looked after children, one of the NSPCC's priorities.
- There were over 89,000 looked after children in the UK in 2011.
- Over half of looked after children in England and Wales became looked after because of abuse or neglect in 2010/11.
How many children are looked after in the UK?
- There were over 89,000 looked after children in the UK in 2011.
It is not possible to give an exact figure for the number of children looked after in the UK because each of the UK's four nations differ in the way they collect and publish their statistics. They differ in both the date on which these figures are collected and in the definition of looked after.
For instance, children under a supervision requirement order in Scotland are considered to be in the care of the local authority whilst in the rest of the UK they are not, so children in the criminal justice system will be included in the Scottish figures.
For a fuller discussion of the differences please read:
A review of the comparability of statistics of children looked after by local authorities in the different countries of the United Kingdom (PDF). Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (DHSSPS), 2010
The figures for each of the nations are given below:
- England - 65,520 children were looked after on 31 March 2011
- Northern Ireland - 2,511 children were looked after on 31 March 2011
- Scotland - 16,171 children were looked after on 31 July 2011
- Wales - 5,415 children were looked after on 31 March 2011
Sources: England: Glenndennin, Julie (2011) Children looked after in England (including adoption and care leavers) year ending 31 March 2011 (PDF) . London: Department for Education (DFE).
Northern Ireland: Waugh, Iain (2012) Children order statistical tables for Northern Ireland (2010/11) (PDF) . Belfast: Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (DHSSPS).
Scotland: Scottish Government (2012) Children's social work statistics Scotland: no.1: 2012 edition (PDF) . [Edinburgh]: Scottish Government.
Wales: Welsh Assembly Government (2011) Report 024382: Children looked after by local authorities, by age and gender, at 31st March 2011 . [Cardiff]: StatsWales.
How many children are looked after because of abuse or neglect?
England
- 27,310 children started to be looked after in England during the year 1 April 2010 to 31 March 2011.
- 14,790 of these children started to be looked after because of abuse or neglect.
- 54% of the children who started to be looked after in England during the year 1 April 2010 to 31 March 2011 became looked after because of abuse or neglect.
Source: Table C1 in: Department of Education (2010) Children looked after in England (including adoption and care leavers) year ending 31 March 2010 (PDF) . London: Department of Education.
Wales- 1,880 children started to be looked after in Wales during the year 1 April 2010 to 31 March 2011
- 1,115 of these children started to be looked after because of abuse or neglect.
- 59% of the children who started to be looked after in Wales during the year 1 April 2010 to 31 March 2011 became looked after because of abuse or neglect.
Source: Welsh Assembly Government (2011) Report no: 024424. Children starting to be looked after by local authorities, by need for care, year ending 31st March. [Cardiff]: StatsWales. Figures are not available for Northern Ireland or Scotland.
Is the number of looked after children decreasing or increasing?
- Following a significant fall in the number of children in care over the past 30 years, numbers rose in the UK between 2008 and 2011 from 81,315 to 89,620.
Following the inquiry into the death of baby Peter Connolly there was a significant increase in the number of care proceedings in England.
Source: CAFCASS (2011) Annual report and accounts 2010-11 (PDF). Norwich: The Stationery Office (TSO). - Some children are remaining in care for longer periods with 13% staying in the care system for more than five years.
Source: House of Commons. Children, Schools and Families Committee (2009) Looked-after children: third report of session 2008–09. Volume I: report, together with formal minutes (PDF) . London: The Stationery Office (TSO).
How many looked after children die or are seriously injured?
- An analysis of serious case reviews in England show that 10% (2003-05) and 13% (2005-07) relate to a child in care.
Sources: Brandon, Marian, Bailey, Sue and Belderson, Pippa (2010) Building on the learning from serious case reviews: a two-year analysis of child protection database notifications 2007-2009 (PDF) . London: Department of Education.
Brandon, Marian, Bailey, Sue, Belderson, Pippa, Gardner, Ruth, Sidebotham, Peter, Dodsworth, Jane, Warren, Catherine and Black, Jane (2009) Understanding serious case reviews and their impact: a biennial analysis of serious case reviews 2005-2007 (PDF) . [London]: Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF).
- There have been 33 child deaths in youth custody since 1990.
Source: Inquest (2012) Child deaths in penal custody (England and Wales) 1990-date (PDF) . London: Inquest
How many looked after children contact ChildLine?
- ChildLine counselled 3,196 children and young people in 2009/10 about problems related to being looked after, equating to one in 26 of all looked after children in the UK.
Based on an analysis of the calls made to ChildLine between April 2009 and March 2010.
Source: NSPCC (2011) Looked after children talking to ChildLine . London: NSPCC.
Contact the NSPCC Information Service for further information on looked after children or any child protection topic
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