The government’s latest care figures have been published. Likely to startle a few service directors, they reveal the highest number of looked-after children since 1997 and a 12% rise in the number of children adopted from care.
There were 3,450 looked-after children adopted in the year ending 31 March 2012 – the highest figure since 2007 – and 28,220 children who became looked-after in the same period – the highest figure for 15 years and a 21% rise since 2008.
Adoptions for next year are expected to fall, however, because although more adoption orders were made by courts last year, the number of children placed to live with adoptive families fell.
The overall number of children in care (67,050) has risen by 13% since 2008 and the majority (75%) are in foster placements. You can find the full data set here.
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