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Data tracker

Do children involved in social care get additional support at school?

Special educational needs (SEN) for pupils at 31 March 2020/21, England

Are children in need or on a protection plan in England more likely to be eligible for free school meals?

More children in need or on a protection plan are eligible for free school meals than the general population

Are children who are on the child protection register or in care in Wales more likely to be eligible for free school meals?

More children receiving care and support, on the child protection register or in care are eligible for free school meals than the general population

Have the number of public law applications changed over time?

Number of public law applications between 2011 and 2023

Have the number of public law orders changed over time?

Number of public law orders between 2011 and 2021

In 2022/23 1 in 5 children who start to be looked after in England are Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children

Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children arrive in a new country without a parent or guardian, often having experiences of multiple or prolonged traumatic events, such as persecution, conflict, violence, displacement and family separation. Local authorities have a duty to accommodate unaccompanied asylum seeking children. The number of unaccompanied asylum seeking children has been rising. In 2018/19, one in ten children newly entering care were unaccompanied asylum seeking children. As of 2022/23 this is now one in five.

Are deprivation levels greater in kinship households as compared to parental households?

Does the number of children living in kinship care vary by the child’s age?

The mental health of children in care

Emotional and behavioural health (SDQ scores) for children in care aged 5 to 16 years in England between 2017/18 and 2021/22

Has the number of children involved in public care and private law cases changed over the past 10 years?

Number of children involved in public care and private law cases received by Cafcass England between 2014/15 and 2022/23

How were hearings held during the COVID-19 pandemic?

From July 2020, the majority of hearings were held via video

How long do public law cases last?

Average disposal duration in weeks for public law cases in England and Wales

Infographic

What do we know about children in the family justice system?

Our regularly updated infographic highlights what we know, and what we don’t know, about children’s journeys through the family justice system based on national administrative data.

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