Care order applications at all-time high in 2015/16

Applications for care orders hit an all-time high in 2015/16, Cafcass figures reveal.

Statistics released by Cafcass show that 12,741 care applications involving 21,666 children were made between April 2015 and March 2016.

These figures are the highest ever recorded by the organisation and represent a 14% increase on the 11,159 applications for 19,420 children made in 2014/15.

The data also suggests there is little sign of slowdown in the growth in care applications. In March this year, Cafcass received 1,221 care applications – up 14% on March 2015 and the highest number ever received in that month.

The rising level of care applications has been attributed to several factors, including the outcomes of local authority reviews of section 20 voluntary care cases in the wake of the Re N judgement.