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The latest national statistics on Children Looked After by Local Authorities produced by the Department for Education were released on 30th September 2010 according to the arrangements approved by the UK Statistics AuthorityUK Statistics Authority

DfE: Children Looked After by Local Authorities in England (including adoption and care leavers) - year ending 31 March 2010

DescriptionThis Statistical First Release (SFR) provides information about looked after children in England for the year ending 31 March 2010. The figures are based on data from the SSDA903 return collected from all local authorities.

This release reports progress on seven Local Authority indicators (National Indicators under the previous government's targets).

Key Points:
  • There were 64,400 looked after children as at 31 March 2010, an increase of 6 per cent from 2009 and an increase of 7 per cent since 2006.
  • 27,800 children started to be looked after during the year ending 31 March 2010. This is an increase of 8 per cent from the year ending 31 March 2009 and 13 per cent from the year ending 31 March 2006. Of these children 9,500 are classed as being taken into care (see Technical Note 12).
  • 25,100 children ceased to be looked after during the year ending 31 March 2010. This is similar to last year's figure of 25,000.
  • Overall, the main reason why social care services first engaged with children who started to be looked after during the year was because of abuse or neglect (52 per cent). This percentage has increased since 2009.
  • 73 per cent of children who were looked after at 31 March 2010 were in a foster placement. This is an increase from 69 per cent in 2006. There were 2,300 children placed for adoption at 31 March 2010.
  • There were 3,400 Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children (UASC) who were looked after at 31 March 2010. This is a decrease of 12 per cent from 2009.
  • There were 350 mothers aged 12 and over who were looked after at 31 March 2010. This is the same as the previous year and an increase of 18 per cent from the 2006 figure.
Note that these are replacement PDF and Excel files to correct the percentage of children who ceased to be looked after due to adoption during the year ending 31 March 2006.

The additional tables for this SFR have been arranged into eight key themes:
  • Children looked after at 31 March
  • Children looked after during the year ending 31 March
  • Children who started to be looked after during the year ending 31 March
  • Looked after children adopted during the year ending 31 March
  • Children looked after who were adopted during the year ending 31 March
  • Children who ceased to be looked after aged 16 and over during the years ending 31 March (care leavers)
  • Children now aged 19 years who were looked after on 1 April then aged 16 (former care leavers)
  • Long term trends for children looked after at 31 March, and children who started, ceased and were adopted during the years ending 31 March
As part of a Government drive for data transparency in official publications we have included supporting data for this publication as additional tables. Underlying data for this publication was made available on 28 October 2010.

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.

UK comparability of children looked after statistics
Statistics on social services for children are collected and published by the following government departments:
  • The UK Government's Department for Education (for England)
  • The Scottish Government's Education Analytical Services Division
  • The Welsh Assembly Government's Statistical Directorate
  • The Northern Ireland Executive's Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety.
In each area of social services, there are similarities between the collections in the different countries, but also differences. These may be due to different legislation, the differing history of data collections and differences in the requirements for monitoring policy. To fulfil the UKSA requirement to document these differences, a report has been produced comparing the legislative provisions in each country, describing the range of statistics produced and providing a set of statistics for English regions, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Download Formats PDF (141Kb) | Explain formats
Additional informationEXCEL (Publication schedule - this file contains a list of each table within this publication and states its publication date)
Additional informationEXCEL (England Summary tables)
Additional informationEXCEL (Tables containing Local Authority indicators, at Local Authority level)
Additional informationEXCEL (Tables A6 to A9 and LAA1 to LAA11 - Children looked after at 31 March. Please note that table LAA10 has been replaced and now includes further information on data quality - UPDATED 07/10/11)
Additional informationEXCEL (Tables B2, B3 and LAB1 to LAB3 - Children looked after during the year ending 31 March)
Additional informationEXCEL (Tables LAC1 to LAC5 - Children who started to be looked after during the year ending 31 March)
Additional informationEXCEL (Tables D3 to D6 and LAD1 to LAD3 - Children who ceased to be looked after during the year ending 31 March)
Additional informationEXCEL (Tables E3, E4, LAE1 and LAE2 - Looked after children adopted during the year ending 31 March)
Additional informationEXCEL (Table LAF1 - Care leavers - Children who ceased to be looked after aged 16 and over during the years ending 31 March)
Additional informationEXCEL (Tables G2 to G4, LAG1 and LAG2 - Former care leavers - Children now aged 19 years who were looked after on 1 April then aged 16)
Additional informationEXCEL (Table H1 - Long term trends)
Additional informationPDF (UK report on LAC data and definitions.)
Publication’s Underlying Data
Additional informationZip Archive 
Reference IDSFR27/2010
Coverage Country England
Date Released30 September 2010
Main Category Health, well-being and Care
Sub CategoryCare    Click on subcategory link to see if there is later information
TypeStatistical First Release
ContactNatalie Masters  natalie.masters@education.gsi.gov.uk  tel: 0114 274 2195
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