Looked-after children and young people

In 2005, 77,000 children and young people under the age of 18 were in the care of local authorities in England.

(Source: Social Trends, No. 37, 2007).

At 31 March 2007, 60,000 children were looked after, broadly the same as the previous year’s figure of 60,300 and a decrease of 2 per cent from 2003 (61,200).

In 2007 8,000 young people aged 16 or over left care, a decrease from 8,200 in 2006.

At 31 March 2007, 44,700 (74%) of looked after children were of White British origin.

(Source: Children looked after in England (including adoption and care leavers) year ending 31 March 2007, Department for Children, Schools and Families, 2007)

In 2004, 80% of looked after children and young people in England were white; mixed origin and black or black British children and young people each accounted for 8% of those in care. These figures include the 2,800 unaccompanied asylum seeking children.

Over three-quarters (78%) of children in short-term placements are disabled; nearly two-thirds (63%) are male.

Just 1% of care leavers go to university compared with 37% of young people living with their birth parents.

At least 1 in 7 young women leaving the care system is pregnant or already a mother.

(Source: Working with Children 2006-7, NCH/SocietyGuardian, 2005)

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