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 of children (0-17 years) entering the ‘care system’ during the year
| Year | Number |
|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 3, 105 |
| 2022/23 | 3, 133 |
| 2021/22 | 3, 037 |
| 2020/21 | 2, 876 |
| 2019/20 | 3, 490 |
| 2018/19 | 3, 824 |
Notes
Reporting period: 1 August 2023 - 31 July 2024
Last updated: April 2025
Next Update due: April 2026
Expanded Content
During 2023-24, 3,105 children started to be “looked after” – down 1% since 2022-23 (3,133) and 19% since 2018-19 (3,824).The number of children entering care fell by 25% between 2018-19 and 2020-21. While it has been broadly increasing since, the number has not returned to pre-pandemic levels.