Care applications reach record levels for May to July

Care application demand has continued its relentless rise, hitting record levels in the May to July quarter.

Figures from the Children and Family Courts Advisory and Support Services showed a 7.1% surge in applications to 3,213, with each individual month recording its highest total ever.

During 2010-11, Cafcass saw a 4% increase in care applications to 9,180, up from 8,826 in 2009-10, when there was a 36% increase in cases against 2008-09.

The highest total recorded in any month was 892 in March 2011.

Mark Smulian