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Looked After Children 2005-06
This publication presents statistics on children who were looked after or receiving after care support between 1 st April 2005 and 31 st March 2006. Headline messages are:
- As at 31 st March 2006, 12,966 children were looked after by local authorities, an increase of 6 per cent from 2005. However this year for the first time young people aged 18 or over are included in these statistics. When the 216 young people aged 18 or over are excluded, the increase since 2005 is 5 per cent.
- The proportion of children who are looked after in Scotland has been rising steadily since 2000 and this year reached 1.16 per cent of the child population, the highest since 1982.
- An additional 2,213 children were looked after on a series of short-term respite placements, an increase of 10 per cent from 2005 (young people aged 18 or over were not included here).
- Fifty-six per cent of looked after children were placed at home with parents or with friends/relatives. Thirteen per cent (1,638) were looked after in residential accommodation.
- Of the young people who left care during 2005-06 beyond minimum school leaving age, 50 per cent had at least one qualification at SCQF level 3 or above and 34 per cent had both English and Maths at SCQF level 3 or above. This is an increase of 4 and 3 percentage points respectively since 2005. The improvement was greatest amongst young people ceasing to be looked after at home.
- There were over 2,800 young people reported to be entitled to aftercare during 2005-06, of which Local Authorities had lost touch with 15 per cent. Approximately thirty-seven per cent of young people receiving aftercare with known economic activity were in education, training or employment.
Looked After Children
1 As at 31 st March 2006, 12,966 children were looked after by local authorities, an increase of 6 per cent from 2005. However this year for the first time young people aged 18 or over are included in these statistics. When the 216 young people aged 18 or over are excluded, the increase since 2005 is 5 per cent. ( Tables 1.1 and 2.1, Chart 1)
2 Two per cent of children who had been looked after away from home for between 6 weeks and 6 months had experienced 6 or more placements within that period of being looked after and sixty-seven per cent had experienced only one placement. ( Table 1.6)
3 The proportion of children looked after in residential accommodation was 13 per cent nationally and ranged from 6 per cent in Clackmannanshire to 31 per cent in Orkney. ( Tables 1.5 and 3.2, Chart 4)
4 An additional 2,213 children were looked after on a series of short-term respite placements in 2005-06, an increase of 10 per cent from the previous year and 28 per cent from 1999-00. Nearly half of all children looked after on a series of short term respite placements were looked after in residential establishments. Over one quarter were looked after by foster carers. ( Tables 1.23, 1.24 and 2.8)
Care Leavers
5 Of the 3,882 episodes of care that ended during 2005-06, 37 per cent had been under 1 year long and just 1 per cent had been 10 years long or more. ( Table 1.15)
6 Approximately 45 per cent of care leavers beyond minimum school leaving age who had been looked after at home achieved at least one qualification at SCQF level 3 or above, compared to 57 per cent of care leavers who had been looked after away from home. ( Tables 1.16 and 3.3)
7 Approximately 28 per cent of care leavers beyond minimum school leaving age who had been looked after at home achieved both English and Maths at SCQF level 3 or above, compared to 41 per cent of care leavers who had been looked after away from home. ( Table 1.16 and 3.4)
8 Just over half of all care leavers beyond minimum school leaving age had a pathway plan and 60 per cent had a nominated pathway co-ordinator on 31 st March 2006. ( Tables 1.18 and 3.5)
Young People Receiving Aftercare
9 Over 2,800 young people were reported as being entitled to receive aftercare during 2005-06, although as four local authorities did not provide any data and a further four provided incomplete data, all figures regarding aftercare should be used with caution. ( Tables 1.19 to 1.22)
10 Sixteen per cent of young people reported to be entitled to aftercare were no longer in touch with the local authority on 31 st March 2006, and the accommodation of 13 per cent was unknown. Of those whose accommodation was known, 31 per cent were living independently, 20 per cent were living with their parents, 4 per cent were in custody and 6 per cent were homeless as at 31 st March 2006. ( Table 1.19)
11 Of the young people reported to be entitled to aftercare support who were still in touch with the local authority as at 31 st March 2006, the economic activity of 23 per cent was unknown. Of those with known economic activity, 15 per cent were in education and 22 per cent were in employment or training. Five per cent were not in education, training or employment due to illness or disability, 7 per cent were looking after their family and 51 per cent were unemployed for other reasons. ( Table 1.20)
12 Of young people reported to be entitled to aftercare support with a known economic activity and with a disability, 22 per cent were in employment, education or training compared to 41 per cent with no disability. ( Table 1.22)
The following charts are available:
Chart 1 - Children looked after as at 31 st March 2006 by age and gender
Chart 2 - Number of children looked after at home, in other community setting or in residential accommodation as at 31 st March 2000 - 2006
Chart 3 - Percentage of care leavers with at least one qualification at SCQF level 3 or above, 2002/03 - 2005/06
Chart 4 - Percentage of children in residential or community placements by local authority
Chart 5 - Percentage of child population who are looked after 1971 - 2006
The following tables are available:
Table 1.1: Children looked after at 31st March 2006 - Age group and gender
Table 1.2: Children looked after at 31st March 2006 - Ethnic group
Table 1.3: Children looked after at 31st March 2006 - Disability status
Table 1.4: Children looked after at 31st March 2006 - Length of time under current statute
Table 1.5: Children looked after at 31st March 2006 - Accommodation
Table 1.6: Children looked after away from home at 31st March 2006 - Stability of placements
Table 1.7: Children starting to be looked after during 2005-06 - Age group and gender
Table 1.8: Children starting to be looked after during 2005-06 - Ethnic group
Table 1.9: Children starting to be looked after during 2005-06 - Disability
Table 1.10: Children starting to be looked after during 2005-06 - Statutory reason for being looked after
Table 1.11: Children ceasing to be looked after during 2005-06 - Age group and gender
Table 1.12: Children ceasing to be looked after during 2005-06 - Destination on discharge, by age
Table 1.13: Children ceasing to be looked after during 2005-06 - Disability
Table 1.14: Children ceasing to be looked after during 2005-06 - Last statutory reason
Table 1.15: Children ceasing to be looked after during 2005-06 - Age group and length of time looked after
Table 1.16: Academic attainment of children aged 16 or over who ceased to be looked after during 2005-06
Table 1.17: Young people ceasing to be looked after during 2005-06 and who were beyond minimum school-leaving age on date they ceased to be looked after - by age group and type of accommodation for last care placement
Table 1.18: Young people ceasing to be looked after during 2005-06 and who were beyond minimum school-leaving age on date they ceased to be looked after - with a pathway plan, and with a nominated pathway co-ordinator
Table 1.19: Young people receiving aftercare services - by age and type of accommodation on 31st March 2006
Table 1.20: Young people receiving aftercare services - by age and economic activity on 31st March 2006
Table 1.21: Young people receiving aftercare services - by gender and economic activity on 31st March 2006
Table 1.22: Young people receiving aftercare services - by disability status and economic activity on 31st March 2006
Table 1.23: All children with a current series of short term placements at 31st March 2006 - Age group and gender
Table 1.24: All children with a current series of short term placements at 31st March 2006 - Type of placement
Table 2.1: Number of children looked after 2000-2006 by age and gender
Table 2.2: Number of children looked after 2000-2006 by statutory reason for being looked after
Table 2.3: Number of children looked after 2000-2006 by type of accommodation
Table 2.4: Number of children looked after 2000-2006 by ethnic origin
Table 2.5: Number of children looked after 2000-2006 by disability status
Table 2.6: Number of children ceasing to be looked after, by destination and age, 2000-2006
Table 2.7: Number of children ceasing to be looked after, by length of time looked after and age, 2000-2006
Table 2.8: Number of children looked after in a planned series of short-term placements, by gender and age 2000-2006
Table 2.9: Number of children looked after by accommodation, 1971-2006
Table 2.10: Children starting and ceasing to be looked after, by local authority, 2005-06
Table 3.1: Characteristics of looked after children by local authority, 31st March 2006
Table 3.2: Number of children looked after, by local authority, accommodation type and characteristics of care away from home, 31st March 2006
Table 3.3: Number of care leavers beyond minimum school leaving age with at least one qualification at SCQF level 3 or above, 2005-06
Table 3.4: Number of care leavers beyond minimum school leaving age with qualifications in maths and English, 2005-06
Table 3.5: Percentage of care leavers beyond minimum school leaving age with a pathway plan and a pathway co-ordinator
Table 3.6: Young people entitled to aftercare, percentage in touch with social services and in employment, education or training, 2005-06
Background Notes
1 The survey forms and guidance notes for data presented in this publication, and previous years publications (Children's Social Work Statistics), can be seen at www.scotland.gov.uk/childrenstats
2 Tables 1.4, 1.10, 1.14 and 2.2 show numbers of children looked after under 'other' statute. Examples of 'other' include: external housing support, English statutes, and the following sections from the Children's (Scotland) Act: 38(a)(1), 29, 33, 56(4)(b), 70 (3)(b), 66(1), 22.
3 Tables 1.5, 1.17 and 2.3 show number of children looked after by accommodation. 'Other community' includes emergency accommodation, link carers, respite at friends/relations, own tenancy, foster carers, childminder, independent living, ex-foster carers, unknown, with in-laws, with partner, supported lodgings, hostel, supported carer placements and 'share the care' placements. 'Other residential' includes hostel, respite unit, refuge, close support unit, other local authorities, crisis intervention centre, care home and residential schools.
4 Tables 1.12 and 2.6 show number of children by destination on discharge. Examples of 'other' include unknown, prison, foster carers, secure accommodation, bed and breakfast, residential care home.
5 For details of young people's entitlement to aftercare, see regulations and guidance at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2004/03/19113/34719
6 This is a National Statistics publication. National Statistics are produced to high professional standards set out in the National Statistics Code of Practice. They undergo regular quality assurance reviews to ensure that they meet customer needs. They are produced free from any political interference.
7 Public enquiries ( non-media) about the information contained in this Publication Notice should be addressed to Sara Grainger at Children's Statistics, Scottish Executive Education Department, Area 1-B, Victoria Quay, Edinburgh, EH6 6QQ (telephone 0131 244 0314 or e-mail children.statistics@scotland.gsi.gov.uk).
8 Media enquiries about the information in this Statistics Publication Notice should be addressed to Sarah Cuthbert-Kerr on 0131 244 2972.
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