Care applications received
|
|||||
2010-11
|
2011-12
|
2012-13
|
2013-14
|
2014-15
|
|
Apr
|
692
|
681
|
757
|
919
|
805
|
May
|
686
|
836
|
984
|
983
|
873
|
Jun
|
774
|
862
|
809
|
853
|
880
|
Jul
|
848
|
873
|
996
|
877
|
1,020
|
Aug
|
777
|
891
|
987
|
828
|
901
|
Sep
|
759
|
844
|
879
|
843
|
910
|
Oct
|
731
|
862
|
957
|
978
|
1,007
|
Nov
|
826
|
880
|
958
|
825
|
888
|
Dec
|
689
|
814
|
864
|
815
|
927
|
Jan
|
698
|
921
|
976
|
889
|
891
|
Feb
|
826
|
892
|
1,006
|
891
|
959
|
Mar
|
897
|
899
|
937
|
919
|
1,066
|
Total
|
9,203
|
10,255
|
11,110
|
10,620
|
11,127
|
[Source: https://www.cafcass.gov.uk/news/2015/april/march-2015-care-demand-statistics.aspx]
Meeting that kind of extra demand obviously puts a great strain on services. More and more court time is required. Professionals have to devote more time to more and more cases coming before the courts. There is a need for more and more foster placements, residential care places and adoptions. More and more resources are required to meet children’s everyday needs and their needs for special resources.
I’m sure that most if not all of these children need to be subjects of care proceedings. I’m also sure that they need the best possible service from local authorities, other agencies and the courts. But I’m not clear how they can continue to receive that when there are chronic shortages of children’s social workers, pressurised departments and the prospect of more and more cuts.
