Vision statement four: Where living with their family is not possible, children must stay with their brothers and sisters where safe to do so and belong to a loving home, staying there for as long as needed.
The number of children and young people who cannot live with their family, living in a family setting, increases.
Number of children 'placed' in secure care at 31st July by Scottish local authorities, and as proportion of all children who are ‘looked after’.
| Year | Number | Proportion |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 46 | 0.4% |
| 2023 | 47 | 0.4% |
| 2022 | 47 | 0.4% |
| 2021 | 38 | 0.3% |
| 2020 | 59 | 0.4% |
| 2019 | 63 | 0.0% |
Notes
Reporting period: 31 July 2024
Last updated: April 2025
Next Update due: April 2026
Expanded Content
Since 2019, the number of children living in secure care has been below 1% each year.Between 20190 and 2021, the number of “looked after” children living in secure care on 31 July fell from 63 to 38. This number rose to 47 the year after on 31 July 2022, and has remained broadly at that level since.