Children in care three times more likely to commit offences

Looked after children are three times more likely to commit an
offence than children not in care, according to the latest
department of heath statistics, writes Clare
Jerrom.

Ten per cent of children aged 10 or over were cautioned or
convicted of an offence in the year ending September 2001 –
three times the rate for all children of this age, the report
found.

There were 43,400 children looked after by English local
authorities, who had been looked after continuously for at least 12
months. This compared to 42,200 the previous year in September
2000.

Of those looked after children, 33,800 were of school age.
Twenty six per cent had special educational needs, 12 per cent
missed at least 25 days of school and 1 per cent had received a
permanent exclusion.

Whereas 95 per cent of all school children obtained at least one
GCSE or GNVQ, in school year 11, only 50 per cent of children in
care gained one qualification. Of looked after children, 8 per cent
obtained five GCSE’s at grades A to C, compared with 48 per
cent of all children.

After GCSE examinations, 72 per cent of school leavers and 53
per cent of children in care remained in full time education.

The statistics are available from www.doh.gov.uk/public/oi2001.htm