Key points from Department of Education Statistical First Release Looked After Children. For more information go to http://www.education.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000960/index.shtml

KEY POINTS

  • There were 64,400 looked after young people as at 31 March 2010, an increase of 6 % from 2009 and an increase of 7 % since 2006.
  • Of the 64,400 LAC, 73% were in foster placements, 4% were placed for adoption, 6% were placed with parents, 4% were placed in the community, 10% were placed in secure units, young people’s homes and hostels, 2% were in other residential settings and 2% were in residential schools.
  • Of all young people who started to be looked after in the year ending 31 March 2010, 61% first engaged with social services because of abuse or neglect, 12% because of family dysfunction, 9% because of family in acute stress, 8% because of absent parenting, 4% because of parents illness or disability, 3 % because of child’s disability and 2% because of socially unacceptable behaviour
  • 3,200 looked after young people were adopted during the year ending 31 March 2010. This represents a 4% decrease from the previous year’s figure of 3,300 and a 14 % decrease from the 2006 figure of 3,700.
  • Of the 64,600 LAC 76% were white, 7% Black or Black British, 5% Asian or Asian British and 8% mixed backgrounds.
  • There were 3,400 UASC (Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Young people) who were looked after at 31 March 2010, a decrease of 12 % from 2009. The proportion of male UASC has continued to increase each year rising from 70 % in 2006 to 89% in 2010. The majority of UASC are aged 16 years or over; 71 % are in this age group in 2010, an increase from 66 % in 2006.
  • During the year ending 31 March 2010 there were 25,100 who ceased to be looked after. Of those there were 2,400 who moved to independent living
  • During the year ending 31 March 2010 there were 9,100 young people over the age of 16 who ceased to be looked after

Young people now aged 19 years who were looked after on 1 April 2007 then aged 16 years

  • The number of young people now aged 19 years who were looked after on 1 April 2007 then aged 16 years is 6,200. This is an increase on the number of young people aged 19 in 2006 who were looked after on 1 April 2003 then aged 16 years (5,300).
  • Over the past 5 years, the number of young people now aged 19 years who were in higher education increased from 340 in 2006 to 460 in 2010. This represents 7 % of all 19 year olds who were looked after on 1 April 2007. The percentage of young people now aged 19 years who were in education other than higher education increased from 22 % in 2006 to 30 % in 2010.
  • The percentage of these young people who were in training or employment decreased from 34 % to 25 % between 2006 and 2010. The number of looked after young people not in education, employment or training was 2,000, this represents 33 % of these young people. For 290 of these young people this was due to illness or disability, for 1,700 young people this was due to other reasons. The number of young people now aged 19 not in education, employment or training has increased by 5 % since 2009 and by 26 % since 2006.
  • The number of young people who were not in touch with the local authorities was 350 in 2010, which is similar to the 2006 figure.
  • Most young people now aged 19 years who were looked after on 1 April 2007 then aged 16 years are accommodated in independent living (42 %). This percentage has remained fairly stable over the last 5 years.