Care applications by councils reach record level with 13.8% rise in single year

Cafcass saw care applications from local authorities increase by 13.8% in 2016/17 to a record 14,554, it has emerged.

The latest annual figure continues the trend for rising numbers of applications in recent years. It compares to 12,792 applications in 2015/16, 11,159 in 2014/15, 10,620 in 2013/14 and 11,110 in 2012/13.

In March this year there were 1,288 applications, up 4.3% on the number received in March 2016.

In August 2016 the President of the Family Division, Sir James Munby, warned that the family courts would need to plan on the basis that there would continue to be significant increases in care cases.

He acknowledged that the reasons for the increase were little understood, but said they were being investigated.

The President said that new, innovative and better ways of handling care cases should continue to be looked for, “while never departing from the fundamentals”.