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.
The number and proportion of children ‘looked after’ away from home with foster carers or kinship carers.
| Year | Number | Proportion |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 7, 782 | 67% |
| 2023 | 8, 038 | 66% |
| 2022 | 8, 341 | 67% |
| 2021 | 8, 856 | 67% |
| 2020 | 9, 200 | 64% |
| 2019 | 8, 973 | 63% |
Notes
Reporting period: 31 July 2024
Last updated: October 2025
Next Update due: October 2026
Expanded Content
The proportion of children living in kinship or foster care made up around two thirds of all children experiencing care in 31 July 2024, a proportion which has increased by 4 percentage points since 31 July 2019.