Children's Social Work Statistics Scotland: 2021 to 2022

Children's Social Work Statistics for Scotland for 2021 to 2022, including data on children on the child protection register, as well as children and young people looked after, in continuing care, eligible for aftercare, and in secure care accommodation.


Looked after children

Looked after children are defined as those in the care of their local authority (Children Scotland Act 1995). There are many reasons children may become looked after including: facing abuse or neglect at home; having disabilities that require special care; unaccompanied minors seeking asylum, or illegally trafficked into the UK; or involvement in the youth justice system. The processes by which children become looked after are summarized in Figure 2.

Figure 2 Children included in looked after children statistics

A child may be looked after when they are accommodated under S.25 which may or may not at any point lead to a referral to the Reporter. A referral to the Reporter may lead to an investigation which may lead to a Hearing (or discharge case or voluntary measures). A Hearing may lead to a Compulsory Supervision Order (CSO) or a CSO with secure care authorization (or no order). A CSO may lead to a child being looked after away from home or at home. For those looked after away from home this may lead to a recommendation for permanence away from home. For those with a CSO with secure care authorisation may lead to placement in secure care. For those looked after away from home, at home, or in secure care, there will be regular reviews until case is discharged or the CSO terminated.

Placement types

On 31 July 2022, 12,596 children were looked after (see Table 2.1). This is a 5% decrease from 2021 and the lowest this figure has been since 2005. The majority of looked after children (90%) were placed in community settings. The most common community placements for looked after children were: kinship care (34%), foster care (33%), and at home with parents (21%). A smaller proportion of children (10%) were looked after in residential settings.

Table 2.1 Number and percentage of looked after children by placement type, on 31 July [Note 1], [Note 2]

Placement type

2012

Number

2012

Percentage

2021

Number

2021

Percentage

2022

Number

2022

Percentage

In the community

14,815

91%

11,933

90%

11,312

90%

At home with parents

5,153

32%

2,853

22%

2,637

21%

Kinship Carers: friends/relatives

4,076

25%

4,410

33%

4,249

34%

Foster Carers provided by LA

3,946

24%

3,151

24%

2,871

23%

Foster Carers purchased by LA

1,333

8%

1,295

10%

1,284

10%

Prospective adopters

262

2%

140

1%

162

1%

In other community

45

0%

84

1%

109

1%

Residential accommodation

1,433

9%

1,267

10%

1,284

10%

Local authority home

564

3%

516

4%

562

4%

Voluntary home

90

1%

94

1%

80

1%

Residential school

451

3%

319

2%

315

3%

Secure accommodation

95

1%

38

0%

48

0%

Crisis care

14

0%

0

0%

0

0%

In other residential [Note 3]

219

1%

300

2%

279

2%

Total

16,248

100%

13,200

100%

12,596

100%

[Note 1] Please note that 2021 figures have been revised since 2020-21 due to ongoing validation work.

[Note 2] Some percentage totals do not exactly equal the sum of their component parts due to the effects of rounding.

[Note 3] The bulk of the ‘other residential’ placements are private/independent residential placements for young people with complex needs.

On 31 July 2022, the rate per 1,000 of looked after children (0-17 years) was 12.3 – a decrease from 12.9 in 2021 and 15.7 in 2012 (see Chart 5). In terms of placement types, the greatest decrease over the past decade was observed in the rate of children looked after at home with their parents, which has nearly halved from 5.0 per 1,000 in 2012 to 2.6 per 1,000 in 2022.  The rate for those placed away from home is also down from 10.7 per 1,000 in 2012 to 9.7 per 1,000 in 2022. More specifically, the rate of children placed with foster carers and prospective adopters has also decreased from 5.3 in 2012 to 4.2 per 1,000 in 2022, while the number of children being placed in kinship care and other community placements has increased slightly from 4.0 to 4.2 per 1,000 during the same period. Lastly, the rate of children being placed in residential care settings has remained broadly stable (1.4 in 2012 and 1.3 in 2022).

Chart 5 Rate per 1,000 looked after children by placement type, 2006-2022 [Note 1]

This line graph shows the rate per 1,000 children looked after by type of placement between 1988 - 2022. Although these patterns fluctuate from year to year, broadly, this shows that: • The overall rate of all looked after children has declined over the past decade and the lowest it’s been since 2006. • The rate of children placed at home with parents declined since 2010 and the lowest since records began. • The rate of children placed with kinship carers increased slightly over the past decade. • The rate of children placed with foster carers/prospective adopters decreased over the past decade. • The rate of children placed in residential care settings has remained broadly stable over the past decade.

[Note 1] Rate per 1,000 for 2021 and 2022 calculated using NRS mid 2021 population estimates. Rates may vary slightly from previous publications due to updated Mid-Year Population Estimates.

Care plans

As at 31 July 2022, 88% of looked after children had a current care plan (see Table 2.2) down compared to 95% in the previous year. Of those looked after, 87% of children placed at home had a current care plan, relatively comparable to those placed away from home (88%). In terms of specific placement types away from home, those placed with kinship carers were less likely to have a current care plan (83%), compared with of those in foster care placements (92%), those staying with prospective adopters/ other community placements (92%) and those placed in residential care (91%).

Table 2.2 Number and percentage of looked after children with and without a current care plan by placement type, on 31 July 2022 [Note 1]

Care plan status At home Away from home Total  With Kinship Carers: friends/relatives With Foster Carers With prospective adopters/ other community In Residential Care
Number with a current care plan 2,286 8,788 11,074 3,540 3,824 250 1,174
Number without a current care plan  351 1,171 1,522 709 331 21 110
Total 2,637 9,959 12,596 4,249 4,155 271 1,284
Percentage with a current care plan 87% 88% 88% 83% 92% 92% 91%
Percentage without a current care plan  13% 12% 12% 17% 8% 8% 9%

[Note 1] Some children without a current care plan may have one in progress on this date; local recording may differ with regard to when a care plan is recorded as being in place.

Children starting and ceasing to be looked after

During 2021-22, 3,550 children ceased to be looked after while 2,909 children started to be looked after – a rate of 3.5 and 2.8 per 1,000 children (0-17 years), respectively (see Chart 6). Compared to the previous year, this reflects a decrease in the rate of children ceasing to be looked after (3.9 per 1,000 during 2020-21) and no change in the rate of children starting to be looked after (2.8 per 1,000 during 2020-21). Over the last decade, there has been a notable reduction from 4.6 per 1,000 for both children starting (4,768) and ceasing (4,811) to be looked after in 2011-12.

Chart 6 Rate per 1,000 looked after children starting and ceasing to become looked after during the year, 2003-2022 [Note 1], [Note 2]

This line graph shows the rate per 1,000 children starting and ceasing to be looked after during the year between 2003-2022. The graph shows that: • Between 2003 and 2011 more episodes of care started than ceased. • Between 2013 and 2022 more episodes of care ceased than started, with the exception of 2020 when more episodes started than ceased.

[Note 1] Rate per 1,000 for 2021 and 2022 calculated using NRS mid 2021 population estimates. Rates may vary slightly from previous publications due to updated Mid-Year Population Estimates.

[Note 2] A child may start to be looked after more than once in a year and so may be counted more than once.

Children starting to be looked after

During 2021-22, 2,909 children started to be looked after – a 1% increase from 2,876 in 2020-21 (see Table 2.3). The proportion of males and females starting to be looked after remained relatively similar to that in 2020-21. Compared with 2011-12, the proportion of males starting to be looked after has increased (from 51% to 55% in 2021-22) while the proportion of females has decreased (from 49% to 45% in 2021-22). In terms of children’s age, the proportion of children starting to be looked after who were aged 4 years and under has declined since 2011-12, while the proportion of 16-17 year olds starting to be looked after has been on an upward trend.

Table 2.3  Number and percentage of children starting to be looked after during the year by sex and age of child [Note 1], [Note 2], [Note 3], [Note 4]

Sex and age

2012
Number

2012
Percentage

2021
Number

2021
Percentage

2022
Number

2022
Percentage

Sex

 

 

 

 

 

 

Male [Note 5]

2,533

51%

1,546

54%

1,605

55%

Female

2,278

49%

1,329

46%

1,304

45%

Age

 

 

 

 

 

 

Under 1

753

15%

454

16%

390

13%

1-4

1,098

24%

640

22%

623

21%

5-11

1,509

31%

958

33%

906

31%

12-15

1,410

29%

726

25%

836

29%

16-17

40

1%

98

3%

152

5%

18-21

*

0%

0

0%

2

0%

Age not known

*

0%

0

0%

0

0%

Total

4,811

100%

2,876

100%

2,909

100%

[Note 1] A child may start to be looked after more than once in a year and so may be counted more than once.

[Note 2] Table excludes planned series of short-term placements.

[Note 3] Cells containing " * " represent small numbers that are suppressed to maintain confidentiality. Other cells may be suppressed to avoid calculation of other suppressed values.

[Note 4] Please note that 2021 figures have been revised since 2020-21 due to ongoing validation work.

[Note 5] For a very small number of children Male or Female sex was not specified. To maintain their confidentiality they have been counted in the Male category.

Children ceasing to be looked after

During 2021-22, 3,550 children ceased to be looked after – an 11% decrease from 3,994 ceasing to be looked after during 2020-21 (see Table 2.4).  In terms of episode duration, the proportion of episodes lasting under 6 months has remained broadly stable since 2011-12. Further, while the proportion of episodes lasting 6 months to under 3 years has decreased since 2011-12, the percentage of episodes lasting 3 years to over 5 years has been increasing.

Table 2.4  Number and percentage of children ceasing to be looked after during the year by episode duration [Note 1], [Note 2], [Note 3], [Note 4]

Length of time looked after

2012 

Number

2012

Percentage

2021

Number

2021

Percentage

2022

Number

2022

Percentage

Under 6 weeks

309

6%

173

4%

201

6%

6 weeks to under 6 months

407

9%

283

7%

281

8%

6 months to under 1 year

774

16%

380

10%

334

9%

1 year to under 3 years

1,850

39%

1,542

39%

1,151

32%

3 years to under 5 years

754

16%

762

19%

707

20%

5 years and over

674

14%

854

21%

876

25%

Total

4,768

100%

3,994

100%

3,550

100%

[Note 1] A child may cease to be looked after more than once in a year and so may be counted more than once.

[Note 2] Table excludes children on planned series of short-term placements.

[Note 3] Some totals do not exactly equal the sum of their component parts due to the effects of rounding.

[Note 4] Please note that 2021 figures have been revised since 2020-21 due to ongoing validation work.

Destination of children ceasing to be looked after

In terms of destination of children ceasing to be looked after in 2021-22, 53% of children had a recorded destination of at home with their biological parents (see Table 2.5). This was a 2 percentage point decrease on 2020-21 (55%) and 15 percentage point decrease since 2011-12 (68%). The proportion ceasing to be looked after who went to stay with friends/relatives has been increasing from 12% in 2011-12 to 16% in 2021-22. Further, 5% of children ceased to be looked after due to being adopted, a figure which has remained relatively stable since 2011-12 (6%).

Table 2.5 Number and percentage of children ceasing to be looked after during the year by destination accommodation [Note 1], [Note 2], [Note 3], [Note 4], [Note 5]

Destination accommodation

2012

Number

2012

Percentage

2021

Number

2021

Percentage

2022

Number

2022

Percentage

At home with parents

3,254

68%

2,177

55%

1,874

53%

Kinship Carers: friends/relatives

575

12%

529

13%

555

16%

Kinship Care Order

-

-

98

2%

90

3%

Former Foster Carers

63

1%

48

1%

57

2%

Continuing Care

-

-

261

7%

255

7%

Adopted

272

6%

231

6%

193

5%

Supported accommodation / own tenancy

262

5%

244

6%

204

6%

Other [Note 6]

275

6%

275

7%

295

8%

Not known

67

1%

122

3%

24

1%

Total

4,768

100%

3,985

100%

3,547

100%

[Note 1] A child may cease to be looked after more than once in a year and so may be counted more than once.

[Note 2] Table excludes planned series of short-term placements.

[Note 3] Please note that 2021 figures have been revised since the previous year due to ongoing validation work.

[Note 4] Some totals do not exactly equal the sum of their component parts due to the effects of rounding.

[Note 5] Cells shown as " - "  relate to 'Continuing Care' and 'Kinship Care Order' categories which were added in 2018. Prior to this, children in Continuing Care were mainly recorded in the former foster carers category, and those with Kinship Care Order were mainly recorded in the friends/relatives category.

[Note 6] 'Other' includes residential care, homeless, in custody and other destination.

Pathway plans for young people ceasing to be looked after

During 2021-22, 73% of young people who were 16 years or over on the date they ceased to be looked after had a pathway plan on the date of discharge (see Table 2.6). Young people whose final placement was at home were less likely to have a pathway plan (64%) or a pathway coordinator, than those who had been placed away from home (76%). Similarly young people whose final placement was at home were less likely to have a pathway coordinator (57%) than those placed away from home (66%).

Table 2.6 Pathway plans and co-ordinators of young people who were 16 years old or over on the date they ceased to be looked after during 2021-22 [Note 1], [Note 2]

Pathway plan status

At home
Number

Away from home
Number

Total
Number

At home
Percentage

Away from home
Percentage

Total
Percentage

With a pathway plan on date of discharge

216

736

952

64%

76%

73%

Without a pathway plan on date of discharge

121

234

355

36%

24%

27%

With pathway co-ordinator

193

641

834

57%

66%

64%

Without pathway co-ordinator

144

329

473

43%

34%

36%

Total

337

970

1,307

100%

100%

100%

Table 2.6 continued

Pathway plan status

With Kinship Carers: friends/relatives
Number

With Foster Carers
Number

With prospective adopters/ other community
Number

In Residential Care
Number

With a pathway plan on date of discharge

197

249

51

239

Without a pathway plan on date of discharge

96

60

11

67

With pathway co-ordinator

185

212

36

208

Without pathway co-ordinator

108

97

26

98

Total

293

309

62

306

[Note 1] Figures include all episodes of ceasing to be looked after beyond 16 years of age (i.e. a young person may be counted more than once).

[Note 2] It may be the case that some young people who don't have a relevant pathway plan/coordinator may be receiving similar support from adult services instead.

Cross UK Comparisons

As at 31 March 2022, Scotland’s rate of children looked after was 124 per 10,000 – down from 131 in 2020-21 and the lowest this figure has been since 2006 (see Chart 7). Although this is higher than England (70 per 10,000), Wales (112 per 10,000), and Northern Ireland (82 per 10,000), UK nations operate under different legislative frameworks, and as such are not directly comparable. For further information on the comparability of national data see UK Comparability of Children's Social Services Statistics.

Chart 7 Cross UK comparisons of rate per 10,000 looked after children, 2004-2022 [Note 1], [Note 2], [Note 3], [Note 4], [Note 5]

This line graph compares the rate per 10,000 of children looked after in the four nations in the UK between 2004 and 2022. Although these patterns fluctuate from year to year, broadly, this shows that since 2004 Scotland continues to have the highest rate per 10,000 population looked after. In 2022, the rate of children looked after was highest in Scotland all, followed by Wales, Scotland away from home, Northern Ireland and England.

[Note 1] Scotland data is as at 31st March 2022 for comparability purposes with other UK countries. Please refer to Cross-UK comparability background notes for further information.

[Note 2] England data source from: Children looked after in England including adoptions, Reporting year 2022 – Explore education statistics – GOV.UK (explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk)

[Note 3] Wales data source from: Children looked after (gov.wales)

[Note 4] Northern Ireland Source from: Children's social care statistics for Northern Ireland 2021/22 | Department of Health (health-ni.gov.uk)

[Note 5] Rate per 10,000 for 2021 and 2022 calculated using NRS mid 2021 population estimates. Rates may vary slightly from previous publications due to updated Mid-Year Population Estimates.

Contact

Email: childrens.statistics@gov.scot

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