Vision statement two: Scotland must limit the number of moves that children experience and support carers to continue to care
Where living with their family is not possible, there must be sufficient availability of carers who can provide stable loving homes for children and young people.
Number of registered foster care households per 1,000 0–17-year-olds in Scotland, and relative to number of children in the ‘care system’
| Year | Number |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 2, 828 |
| 2023 | 2, 998 |
| 2022 | 3, 261 |
| 2021 | 3, 426 |
| 2020 | 3, 540 |
| 2019 | 3, 617 |
Notes
Reporting period: 1 January 2024 - 31 December 2024
Last updated: October 2025
Next Update due: October 2026
Expanded Content
The statistics show the reported number at 31 December each year.There were 170(5.7%) fewer foster care households in 2024 (2,828) than in 2023 (2,998). Looking back to 2019, the number of registered households has decreased by just over a fifth (21.8%).