Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what information her Department holds on changes to the level of children (a) known to social services and (b) taken into care.
The Department for Education collects annual data from local authorities on children who are referred to social care through the children in need census and on children who start to be looked after through the looked after children collection.
Figures for each are published in the Characteristics of children in need: 2016 to 2017 statistical release at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/characteristics-of-children-in-need-2016-to-2017 and in the Children looked after in England including adoption: 2016 to 2017 statistical release at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/children-looked-after-in-england-including-adoption-2016-to-2017.