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 rate of children in the ‘care system’ in Scotland during the year
| Year | Number | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 12206 | 12.1 |
| 2020 | 14458 | 14.1 |
Source:
Notes
Reporting period: 1 August 2022 - 31 July 2023
Expanded Content
The number of children in Scotland’s ‘care system’ each year is decreasing and is the lowest this figure has been since 2005/06. Despite a decreasing overall number of 0-17 year olds in Scotland over the same period, the rate of children who are ‘looked after’ in every 1,000 children has also fallen.