Cafcass figures show Wolverhampton had highest care application rate in 2013/14

Wolverhampton had the highest rate of care applications in England during 2013/14, figures released by Cafcass reveal.

The West Midlands council made 24.7 care applications per 10,000 children in 2013/14 compared to a national average of 9.2 per 10,000 children.

The Isles of Scilly made the least with no applications at all in 2013/14. The next fewest care applications were made by the London Borough of Richmond, which made 3.5 applications per 10,000 children.

Cafcass has also revealed that the number of care applications made in May 2014 are 13% lower than in May 2013.

The organisation received 857 care applications in May 2014, compared to 983 the previous May.

This is the seventh month in a row that care applications have been lower than in the same month of the previous year.