Vision statement one: Where children are in their families and feel loved, they must stay – and families must be given support together to nurture that love and overcome the difficulties which get in the way.
The rate of children entering care decreases. For those that do need to enter care, a higher proportion are able to stay living at home with parents, or in a family setting.
Number and percentage of children who are living in foster care each year
| Year | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 3, 683 | 32.0% |
| 2023 | 3, 890 | 32.0% |
| 2022 | 4, 115 | 33.0% |
| 2021 | 4, 446 | 34.0% |
| 2020 | 4, 744 | 33.0% |
| 2019 | 4, 798 | 34.0% |
Notes
Reporting period: 31 July 2024
Last updated: April 2025
Next Update due: April 2026
Expanded Content
The proportion of “looked after” children living with foster carers has consistently remained at around a third (32%-34%) since 2019.The overall number of children living in foster care has fallen by almost a quarter (23%) between 2019 and 2024.