ENGLAND

The figures presented below are taken from statistical reports gathered and published by government departments and bodies. Details of sources are provided at the foot of this page.

On this page:

Looked After Children
  Ethnicity
  Placements
  Foster Placements
  Legal Status
Adoption
  Adoptions from Care
  Awaiting Adoption
  Waiting Times
  Ethnicity
  Adopter Characteristics
Special Guardianship
  Ethnicity
Children's Social Workers
  Ethnicity
  Organisation Role by Ethnicity
Sources

 

LOOKED AFTER CHILDREN

On 31 March 2023:

  • 83,840 children were in the care of local authorities, up 2% on 31 March 2022.
  • the rate of looked after children per 10,000 children under 18 years was 71.

Ethnicity

During the year ending 31 March 2023:

  • 71% (59,530) of looked after children were White 
  • 10% (8,380) of looked after children had a Mixed ethnic background
  • 5% (4,190) of looked after children were Asian 
  • 7% (5,870) of looked after children were Black 
  • 5% (4,190) of looked after children were from any other ethnic group
  • 1% (840) of looked after children were not known or not yet recorded.

Placements

On 31 March 2023: 

  • 68% (57,020) of children looked after were living with foster carers (16% in a foster placement with a relative or a friend, 53% with a foster carer who is not a relative or a friend)
  • 17% (14,580) were living in secure units, children's homes or semi-independent living
  • 7% (5,730) were placed with their parents
  • 3% (1,990) were placed for adoption
  • 3% (2,510) were living independently or in residential employment
  • 69% (57,850) of looked after children had one placement in the year, 20% (16,770) had two placements, and 10% (8,830) had three or more placements.

Foster Placements

On 31 March 2023, of the 57,020 children in foster placements:

  • 33,340 (40%) were placed inside the council boundary
  • 12,920 (23%) were being fostered by a relative or friend
  • 40 (0.07%) were in placements where the carer is also an approved adopter (fostering for adoption) or where they were subject to concurrent planning

Legal Status

On 31 March 2023:

  • 63,720 (76%) children looked after under care orders
  • 15,930 (19%) children looked after under voluntary agreements under Section 20 of Children's Act 1989
  • 4,350 (5%) children looked after had a placement order granted

ADOPTION

Adoptions from Care

2,960 looked after children were adopted during the year ending 31 March 2023

Ethnicity

During the year ending 31 March 2023:

  • 84% (2,960) of adopted children were White 
  • 10% (300) of adopted children had a Mixed ethnic background 
  • 2% (60) of adopted children were Black, African, Caribbean or Black British 
  • 1% (40) of adopted children were Asian or Asian British 
  • 1% (30) of adopted children were from any other ethnic group 

Awaiting Adoption

3,150 children had an adoption best interest decision but were not yet placed at 31 March 2023.

2,220 children had a placement order but were not yet placed at 31 March 2023.

Waiting Times

882 - the average number of days between a child entering care and moving in with its adoptive family during the year 2022-23 (Adoption scorecard indicator A1)

304 - the average number of days between an LA receiving court authority to place a child and the LA deciding on a match to an adoptive family during the year 2022-23 (Adoption scorecard indicator A2)

    Adopter Characteristics

    During the year ending 31 March 2023:

    • 87% (2,580) of children were adopted by couples and 13% (370) by single adopters.
    • 20% (600) of children were adopted by same sex couples (either in a civil partnership, married or neither).

    SPECIAL GUARDIANSHIP

    During the year ending 31 March 2023:

    • 3,840 children left care through a Special Guardianship Order
    • 74% (2,840) Special Guardianship Orders were made to former foster carers, with 65% (2,500) made to former foster carers who were/are a relative or friend.

    Ethnicity

    During the year ending 31 March 2023:

    • 81% (3,130) of children subject to a Special Guardianship Order were White 
    • 10% (380) of children subject to a Special Guardianship Order had a Mixed ethnic background 
    • 5% (190) of children subject to a Special Guardianship Order were Black, African, Caribbean or Black British 
    • 2% (70) of children subject to a Special Guardianship Order were Asian or Asian British 
    • 1% (40) of children subject to a Special Guardianship Order were from any other ethnic group 

    CHILDREN'S SOCIAL WORKERS

    On 30 September 2023: 

    • 13% of children and family social workers were men. 
    • 87% of children and family social workers were women. 

    Ethnicity

    Childrens social workers ethnicity by role 2023

    *percentage is of the total of social workers whose ethnic background was known. 


    SOURCES

    Department for Education: Children looked after in England including adoption: 2022 to 2023 

    The Department for Education Children looked after in England statistics include tables providing a breakdown of children in care by age, gender, ethnicity, legal status, reason for being in care, reasons for placement changes for children who moved placement in the year, fostering for adoption and concurrent planning, special guardianship, duration of latest period of care, adoption placements and care leavers activities, accommodation, children looked after who were missing, offending and substance misuse by looked after children, development, health, emotional health

    Department for Education: Children's social work workforce 2023

    The Department for Education Children's social work workforce statistics include tables providing information on children’s social workers including vacancy rate, turnover rate, sickness absence, caseload, age, gender, ethnic background, role, and time in service.

    ASG: Adoption and Special Guardianship quarterly data reports: 2022 to 2023

    The Adoption and Special Guardianship data reports on how local authority adoption agencies and voluntary adoption agencies are performing. Data covers children waiting for adoption, progress through the adoption process, characteristics of children waiting, characteristics of children adopted, child timeliness, adoptive families progress through the adoption process, prospective adopters waiting and adopter timeliness.