WIREDGOV

Scotland’s Chief Statistician today published Children’s Social Work Statistics Scotland, 2011-12. This publication contains 2011-12 statistics on looked after children, child protection and secure care and close support accommodation. It also contains updated looked after children data for 2010-11 which allows more detailed information than was available at the time of last year’s 2010-11 publication. In July 2012:

• 2% of children in Scotland were looked after by local authorities or on the child protection register
• 16,248 children were looked after
• 2,706 children were on the child protection register
• 84 young people were in secure care accommodation

The main findings in 2011-12 are:

The rate of increase in the total number of looked after children continues to slow, with a 49 per cent increase since 2001, but a less than one per cent increase compared to last year. Within this headline trend, the proportion of children who are in foster care and kinship care continues to increase and now accounts for 58 per cent of looked after children.

The overall increase in the number of children on the child protection register continues – the 2012 figure of 2,706 is a five per cent increase on 2011 and a 35 per cent increase on 2001. More than half of children on the child protection register are now aged under five.

Closure of one unit has reduced the number of secure care places available from 112 to 94.  There was an average of 85 residents in secure care accommodation throughout 2011-12, down two per cent from 87 residents in the previous year.

NOTES FOR EDITORS

The full statistical publication can be accessed at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/bulletins/01032

Further information on Children and Families statistics within Scotland can be accessed at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/topics/statistics/browse/children

National statistics are produced by professionally independent statistical staff – more information on the standards of official statistics in Scotland can be accessed at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/About