Number of care applications breaks 10,000 for the first time

The number of applications to take children into care in England has hit a new record, rising to 10,199 in the 12 months to the end of March, according to figures released by CAFCASS.

This figure is 10.8% higher than the 9,202 public law applications – itself a record - received during the same period last year and care applications in each month from May 2011 to February 2012 were the highest ever recorded for these individual months.

January 2012 saw the highest ever number of care applications recorded in an individual month, with 912 applications.

Source: CAFCASS

Chief executive of Cafcass, Anthony Douglas, said "These consistently high figures for the year have really tested the resilience of our staff and our systems, but we have continued to be a strong organisation that serves the best interests of children.

"While Cafcass gathers this information and is of course impacted by the scale of this increase, all agencies need to realise we have to change the way we work collectively if the most vulnerable children in the country are to continue to receive strong public services in these tough times.

"Having said that, this rise shows that all agencies are working more quickly to ensure that children are removed from deeply damaging households where many have been for some time and are showing a lower tolerance for poor parenting."