Children in Care
(asked on 8th February 2016) - View Source
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many children aged up to three years old were taken into care in the last five years; and what assessment she has made of the reasons why those children were taken into care.
The number of children aged 0-3 years, that started to be looked after in the last five years ending 31 March, and the main reason why they entered care, is shown in the table below. This information is for England only.
Category of need | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 |
Abuse or neglect | 6,880 | 7,350 | 7,430 | 7,380 | 7,270 |
Child's disability | 50 | 50 | 60 | 50 | 50 |
Parents illness or disability | 520 | 550 | 480 | 500 | 460 |
Family in acute stress | 690 | 710 | 740 | 740 | 670 |
Family dysfunction | 1,460 | 1,560 | 1,710 | 1,840 | 1,730 |
Socially unacceptable behaviour | 50 | 40 | 70 | 70 | 60 |
Low income | 20 | 20 | 10 | 20 | 20 |
Absent parenting | 260 | 210 | 190 | 150 | 160 |
Total number of looked after children aged 0-3 years, in England | 9,910 | 10,500 | 10,690 | 10,740 | 10,420 |
Source: SSDA903
- Numbers have been rounded to the nearest 10.
- Only the first occasion on which a child was taken into care in the year has been counted.