| Information on Looked
After Children
at 31st March 1997 and 1998
2. THE NUMBERS OF BOYS AND GIRLS IN CARE/LOOKED AFTER
A summary of the number of Children in Care/ Looked After
for 1988, 1993 and for 1997 and 1998 is given in Table 1. Since 1988 the number of
Children in Care/ Looked After is estimated to have fallen by around 1,500 children. This
estimate needs to be viewed very cautiously as some of the apparent fall in numbers may be
a reflection of the use of a different reporting system.
More boys than girls are looked after. At 31st
March 1998 around 58% of the children looked after were boys and this pattern is reflected
across the age ranges: there are always more boys than girls looked after. The difference
is most marked in the 12-16 years age band where 61% of the young people looked after at
31st March 1998 were boys and 39% girls.(Figure 1).
Table 1: Children in Care / Looked After
at 31st March
| |
|
|
|
|
Boys |
61%
(7523) |
59% (7257) |
58% (6629) |
58% (6279) |
| Girls |
39% (4764) |
41% (5084) |
42% (4728) |
42% (4512) |
| Total |
12
287 |
12
371 |
11
357 |
10
791 |
Note: Totals include 30 children in 1993 where gender is
unknown. Figures for 1997 and 1998 include estimates for authorities that were unable to
provide data.
Figure 1: Numbers of boys and girls looked after at 31st
March 1998 by age band
|
