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Publication date November 2024
Children in care: statistics briefing

How many children are in care?

In 2022/23, there were approximately 107,000 looked after children in the UK. In the last five years the population of looked after children in the UK has increased by 8%. However, it is important to note that this UK-wide trend is not reflected in all four nations.

This briefing looks at what data and statistics are available about children in care to help professionals, and the organisations they work for, make evidence-based decisions.

Children in care: statistics briefing
Download the briefing (PDF)

Key findings from the data

  • Certain groups of children are more likely to be in care than others.
  • Abuse and neglect are the main reasons that children are taken into care.
  • Foster care is the most common placement type.
  • The most common reason for a child to leave care is to return to their family.
  • A number of looked after children experience multiple care placements in a year.
  • Children in care have below average outcomes across a range of measures, although they make better progress in some areas than children in need, a closer comparison group.

Statistics briefings series

Statistics can help people and the organisations they work for make evidence-based decisions about how best to meet the needs of children. Our series of briefings looks at what available data can tell us about child abuse and neglect.

Find out more

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