Rate of care applications falls for first time since Baby P scandal

The annual national rate of care applications fell for the first time since since the Baby P scandal, Cafcass has revealed.

The service’s latest figures show that there were 9.2 care applications per 10,000 children in 2013/14, representing a total of 10,606 applications.

The figure is 5% lower than the 9.7 care applications per 10,000 children made in 2012/13.

Despite the reduction the rate remains well above the 5.9 applications per 10,000 children in 2008/09, the year in which the government ordered an inquiry into Haringey Council’s handling of the Peter Connelly case, and is above the 9 applications per 10,000 children made in 2011/12.

Cafcass chief executive Anthony Douglas said: “After year-on-year rises in applications it is not surprising to see that the rates have steadied – a cohort of children that were at risk have now been protected through the action of local authorities in bringing care proceedings.

“These children have also seen swifter justice, with remarkable reductions in the duration of these proceedings across the country.”

But the figures also show wide variation in the number of care applications being made by England’s local authorities.

While 59% of councils saw a fall in the number of care applications per 10,000 children between 2012/13 and 2013/14, 38% saw an increase.

Some 22% of local authorities have seen the number of care applications per 10,000 children rise for two years in a row, while 17% have seen the number fall for two consecutive years.

“Statistics alone will never tell us the full picture of what is happening to children and families in a local area,” said Alison O’Sullivan, vice president of the Association of Directors of Children’s Services.

“We must also remember that care proceedings are a necessary and positive step for some children and our decisions must always be focused on the needs of the children.”

Douglas added: “We will continue to meet with family justice colleagues to understand the differences in rates, to identify the best pockets of practice and ensure that social work practice is developed to provide a sharp service that meets the needs of each individual child.”

The five authorities with the highest rates of care applications in 2013/14 were:

1. Wolverhampton – 24.7 applications per 10,000 children
2. Torbay – 23.1 applications per 10,000 children
3. Blackpool – 22.2 applications per 10,000 children
4. Southampton – 21.6 applications per 10,000 children
5. North East Lincolnshire – 20.7 applications per 10,000 children

The five authorities with the lowest rates of care applications in 2013/14 were:

1. Isles of Scilly – 0.0 applications per 10,000 children
2. Richmond, London – 3.5 applications per 10,000 children
3. Dorset – 3.7 applications per 10,000 children
4. Enfield – 3.9 applications per 10,000 children
5. Essex – 4.0 applications per 10,000 children

Click here to access the Excel spreadsheet with the full results for each local authority.

Cafcass has also published the annual figures for the number of private law cases in 2013/14.

In 2013/14 there were 46,495 new private law cases, up 2% on 2012/13.