INFO

Okay, let's talk facts. Here's some stats. And rights and links to other sites. All about care. Oh yeah.

RSS Twitter Email Facebook

Statistics for 2003

The main findings for children looked after in England in 2003 are as follows:

Children Looked After at 31 March 2003

  • estimated number - 60,800 children, 2% higher than at 31 March 2002 (59,700) and 23% higher than in 1993-94 (49,300) - see graph
  • legal status - 65% under care orders, 31% under single voluntary agreements
  • placement - 68% in foster placements, 13% in children's homes and residential schools, 10% placed with parents
  • 15% had experienced 3 or more placements during the year (indicator A1 of the Performance Assessment Framework)

Children Looked After at Any Time During the Year Ending 31 March 2003

  • estimated total number - 94,300 (85 per 10,000 children aged under 18)
  • of these 12,300 (13%) were looked after under one or more series of short term placements

Days of Care Provided During the Year Ending 31 March 2003

  • social service departments in England provided a total of 22 million days of care to looked after children, 11% more than during 1998-99

Children Adopted from Care During the Year Ending 31 March 2003

  • of those placements for adoption that ceased during 2002-03, 94% ended in adoption
  • number adopted - 3,500 (compared with 3,400 in 2001-02) or 6% of children looked after at 31 March 2003. This is a 30% increase on 1999-00
  • 81% of looked after children who were adopted in the year ending 31 March 2003 were placed for adoption within 12 months of the best interest decision.

Care Leavers Aged 16 or Over During the Year Ending 31 March 2003

  • the number of 16 year old care leavers - 2,000 (compared with 2,100 in 2001-02); the number leaving care on their 18th birthday - 3,200 (the same as in 2001-02)
  • 2,800 (43%) of care leavers aged 16 or over gained at least 1 GCSE or GNVQ
  • 380 (6%) of care leavers aged 16 or over gained 5 or more GSCEs at grades A* to C
  • councils were in touch with 4,000 (80%) of care leavers on or near their 19th birthdays and 2,400 (49%) were either in education, training or employment

More Statistics

« Statistics for 2004Statistics for 2002 »

Notes

This is a summary of statistics about young people from care from the DfE Research and Statistics Gateway. Stats from other years are available in the menu below.

Website: Research and Statistics Gateway

ALL STATS

Back to Top