Key facts

Despite the efforts of Government, local authorities and voluntary organisations to improve the life chances of children in care and care leavers, these young people are still among the groups most likely to be socially excluded. The below information is taken from the Department for Children, School and Families (unless otherwise stated).

Numbers in care

• There are around 60,000 children in care at any one time, around 0.5% of all children. However, during the course of a year as many as 85,000 children will spend time in care.  
• Around 8,000 young people will be leaving care at any one time.

Education, training and employment

• 11% of children in care gained 5 good GCSEs in 2005, compared to 56% of all children.
• At age 19, 19% of care leavers are in further education and 6% are in higher education. This compares to 38% of all young people in one form of education at age 19.
• Over 30% of care leavers are not in education, training or employment at age 19, compared to 13% of all young people.
• The proportion of care leavers known to be participating in education, training or employment at age 19 has increased by 8% since the Children (Leaving Care) Act 2000 came into effect. But rates haven't increased as quickly as for young people as a whole.

Placements

• 68% of children in care are in foster care; 13% are in residential care; around 9% are placed with their families. The remainder are placed for adoption or in more specialist placements.

Leaving Care

• In 2007, 25% of those leaving care were aged 16. Those in residential care were most likely to leave at 16. This compares to an average age of leaving care of 24 for all young people.

Groups of care leavers

• Young women age 15 to 17 who have been in care are 3 times more likely to become teenage mothers than others of their age.
• Research suggests that around 27% of adult prisoners have spent time in care. (Source: Social Exclusion Unit 2002)
• Black and mixed race children are over-represented among children in care (3% of children but 8% of children in care) and Asian children are under-represented (6% of children and 3% of children in care).
• There are around 3,000 unaccompanied asylum seeking children looked after by local authorities at any one time.