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The latest national statistics on Children Looked After by Local Authorities produced by the Department for Children, Schools and Families were released on 13th October 2009 according to the arrangements approved by the UK Statistics AuthorityUK Statistics Authority

DCSF: Children Looked After in England (including adoption and care leavers) year ending 31 March 2009

DescriptionThis Statistical First Release (SFR) provides information about looked after children in England for the year ending 31 March 2009. The figures are based on data from the SSDA903 return collected from all local authorities.

This release reports progress on seven National Indicators (NI), two of which also contribute to PSA 16 "To increase the proportion of socially excluded adults in settled accommodation and employment, education or training".

Key Points:
  • There were 60,900 looked after children at 31 March 2009, 2 per cent more than last year's figure of 59,400 and relatively unchanged compared to 2005 (61,000).
  • There were 25,400 children who started to be looked after during the year ending 31 March 2009, an increase of 9 per cent from the previous year's figure of 23,300 and an increase of 2 per cent from the 2004-05 figure of 25,000.
  • There were 24,700 children who ceased to be looked after during the year ending 31 March 2009, an increase of 1 per cent from the previous year's figure of 24,400 and a decrease of 5 per cent from the 2004-05 figure of 26,000.
  • 3,300 looked after children were adopted during the year ending 31 March 2009. This represents a 3 per cent increase from the previous year's figure of 3,200 and a 13 per cent decrease from the 2004-05 figure of 3,800.
  • In the past 5 years the percentage of former care leavers, with whom the local authorities were in touch and who were in education, employment or training around the time of their nineteenth birthday, had increased from 58.4 per cent in 2005 to 64.9 per cent in 2008. However, in 2009 the percentage dropped to 63.0 per cent.
Looked after children data user group:
This is a new group which aims to seek feedback on whether these statistics are meeting users' requirements and to consult on any future changes to this data collection and the timing and format of our outputs. If you would like to participate in this group then please register your interest via email.
Download Formats PDF (180Kb) | Explain formats
Additional informationEXCEL (Contents page - this file contains a list of each table within this publication and states its location)
Additional informationEXCEL (England Summary tables, included within PDF file. The percentages in the Activity section for the years 2007/2008 in table G1 were amended on 4 November 2009)
Additional informationEXCEL (Tables containing National indicators (NI 58, NI 61, NI 62, NI 63, NI 66, NI 147, NI 148), at Local Authority level. The NI58 table for 2009 was amended on 24 November 2009)
Additional informationEXCEL (First set of additional tables (National tables A6:G4) (Local Authority tables LAA1:LAD7). The rates per 10,000 children aged under 18 years for Newcastle, North East Lincolnshire, Norfolk and Newham for the years 2005 to 2009 in table LAA1 were amended on 6 November 2009.)
Additional informationEXCEL (Second set of additional tables - Local Authority tables LAA5:LAE2)
Additional informationEXCEL (Third set of additional tables - Local Authority tables LAA11:LAG4)
Reference IDSFR25/2009
Coverage Country England
Date Released13 October 2009
Main Category Health, well-being and Care
Sub CategoryCare    Click on subcategory link to see if there is later information
TypeStatistical First Release
ContactChildren and Early Years Data Unit  cla.stats@education.gsi.gov.uk   
PreRelease AccessClick here
 Publication includes individual Local Authority informationPublication includes individual Local Authority information

To access this publication click on the links next to "Download Formats" above