Following years of continual increases the latest Government statistics for England suggest the number of children entering care may be starting to stabilise, yet the figures remain very high and number of adoptions per year continues to fall.

Introduction

As children’s social care continues to evolve, the latest statistics offer a fresh look at the landscape of the care system across the UK. While improvements have been made in certain areas, the data shows significant challenges facing the sector, highlighting the need for continued reforms and support for care experienced children.

The Scale of Children Entering Care

Over the last decade there has been 17% increase in the number of children in care across the UK.¹ England has seen a 19% increase of children in care (83,630 children) since 2014,² though encouragingly the upward trend appears to be stabilising with the latest figures showing a slight decrease (0.5%) from the previous year.³ Wales has seen a 26% increase in the number of children in care (7,208 children),⁴ while Northern Ireland, with 3,999 children in care has had the largest increase (33%) over the last decade.⁵ Encouragingly, Scotland is showing a different trend: in recent years there has been a 12% decrease in the number of children growing up away from their family falling by 1,168 since 2013.⁶

Children Waiting for Adoption Remains High

During 2023-24, just 2,980 children were adopted in England⁷ marking the 9^th year of continual decreases in the number of adoptions⁸ since a peak in 2015. Some children wait much longer for an adoptive family, particularly those who are part of sibling groups, are older, have additional needs, or come from Black or ethnic minority backgrounds.⁹

While the number of children adopted in Wales has also steadily declined over the past decade, falling from 285 in 2014 to 243 in 2024,¹⁰ a different story is unfolding elsewhere in the UK. In Scotland, adoptions have actually risen by 6% over the same period,¹¹ and Northern Ireland has seen a 9% increase.¹²

An Increase in Care Needs for Older Age Groups

The statistics also point to an increase in older children, particularly those in their teenage years, entering the care system. In England, a notable 65% of children in care are aged 10 and above, reflecting a trend seen across the UK.¹³ In Northern Ireland, 42% of children in care are over the age of 12.¹⁴ Scotland is also seeing similar trends, with 39% of children in care aged 12 and above,¹⁵ while in Wales, the figure is even starker, with 59% of children in care aged 10 and above.¹⁶ This means, that across the UK, caring for teenagers is a significant challenge and emphasises a demand for a tailored approach to meet the specific needs of older children.

Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking Children

There are currently 7,380 unaccompanied asylum-seeking children in England, a similar statistic to the previous year,¹⁷ but a 42% increase since 2019.¹⁸ Unaccompanied asylum-seeking children are a cohort who are typically older, male and have unique placement needs due to their life experience prior to entering care. This statistic paints a clear picture: children’s social care must continue to adapt to a diverse and evolving population of children in the system.

Care Leavers and Care Experienced Young People

When looking at care experienced young people who are ‘Not in Education, Employment or Training’ (NEET) across the UK, the numbers reveal a challenging landscape, though there are some signs of progress.

In England, for 19 to 21 year olds, 27% were in education, 27% were in training, employment or an apprenticeship; 39% were NEET, compared to an estimated 13% of all young people aged 19-21 years old.¹⁹

Scotland has seen encouraging progression in educational achievements for care experienced young people. In 2009/10, only 13.2% of looked-after school leavers achieved at least one qualification at SCQF Level 5 or higher, but by 2022/23, this figure had risen to an encouraging 42.3%.²⁰

Northern Ireland also made strides for young people leaving care, with 75% of care leavers aged 16-18 engaged in full-time or part-time education, training, or employment. However, the remaining 25% face huge obstacles with 16% unemployed and 9% economically inactive because of caring responsibilities or illness/disabilities.²¹

Care experienced young people in Wales are more likely to be NEET than those who haven’t been in care. In 2019-20, nearly half of care leavers in Wales were NEET, a contrast to just 17% of all 19-24-year-olds in Wales.²²

Interestingly, although care-experienced young people are less likely to enter higher education, those who do are 179% more likely than their peers to apply for degrees in health and social care, and 50% more likely to pursue nursing and midwifery, showing a dedication to make a difference in the lives of other children and young people.²³

Conclusion

The latest children’s social care statistics across the UK reveal significant challenges facing a system struggling to cope. While there are some signs of improvements, such as the rise in educational achievements and the reduction in the number of children looked after away from home in Scotland, the data also highlights the need for greater investment and targeted reforms to reduce the number of children entering care and improve the outcomes of those growing up in the care system.

References

1. Department for Education. 2024. Children looked after in England including Adoption. Available online. [Accessed 14 November 2024]
2. Department for Education. 2014. Children looked after in England (including Adoption and Care Leavers). Available online. [Accessed 14 November 2024]
3. Department for Education. 2024. Children looked after in England including Adoption. Available online. [Accessed 14 November 2024]
4. Welsh Government. 2024. Children looked after by local authorities: April 2022 to March 2023. Available online. [Accessed 14 November 2024].
5. The Department of Health. 2024. Children’s social care statistics for Northern Ireland 2023/24. Available online. [Accessed 14 November 2024]
6. Scottish Government. 2024. Children’s Social Work Statistics Scotland, 2022-23 – Looked After Children. Available online. [Accessed 14 November 2024]
7. Department for Education. 2024. Children looked after in England including Adoption. Available online. [Accessed 14 November 2024]
8. Ibid.
9. Department for Health and Social Care. 2024. Adopted and looked-after children. Available online. [Accessed 14 November 2024]
10. Welsh Government. 2024. Children looked after by local authorities: April 2022 to March 2023. Available online. [Accessed 01 October 2024].
11. Scottish Government. 2024. Children’s Social Work Statistics Scotland, 2022-23 – Looked After Children. Available online. [Accessed 14 November 2024]
12. The Department of Health. 2024. Children’s social care statistics for Northern Ireland 2023/24. Available online. [Accessed 14 November 2024]
13. Department for Education. 2024. Children looked after in England including Adoption. Available online. [Accessed 14 November 2024]
14. The Department of Health. 2024. Children’s social care statistics for Northern Ireland 2023/24. Available online. [Accessed 14 November 2024]
15. Scottish Government. 2024. Children’s Social Work Statistics Scotland, 2022-23 – Looked After Children. Available online. [Accessed 14 November 2024]
16. Welsh Government. 2024. Children looked after by local authorities: April 2022 to March 2023. Available online. [Accessed 14 November 2024]
17. Department of Home Office. 2024. Immigration system statistics, year ending June 2024. Available online. [Accessed 14 November 2024]
18. Ibid
19. Department for Education. 2024. Children looked after in England including Adoption. Available online. [Accessed 14 November 2024]
20. Scottish Government. 2024. Children’s Social Work Statistics Scotland, 2022-23 – Looked After Children. Available online. [Accessed 14 November 2024]
21. The Department of Health. 2024. Children’s social care statistics for Northern Ireland 2023/24. Available online. [Accessed 14 November 2024]
22. Welsh Government. 2020. Quantitative social services performance measures - Children and Care Leavers. Available online. [Accessed 14 November 2024]
23. The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). 2022. Next Steps: What is the experience of students from a care background in education? Available online. [Accessed 14 November 2024].