Statistics

National statistics for fostering and adoption


Why we track national statistics

At Home for Good we are committed to finding a home for every child who needs one through adoption, fostering or supported lodgings. Alongside working ‘bottom-up’ to find homes and mobilising support to wrap around carers, we also work ‘top-down’ help find solutions to the complex challenges the sector faces. Digging deeper into these figures helps us to be more effective. Whether in unpacking the geographical nuances in the data, highlighting racial disparity in the system, or identifying barriers that hinder progress, the numbers matter.

It is of paramount importance we remember that these figures tell stories – thousands of stories – of children waiting too long for the stability, care and love they need. They are not data points or lines on a spreadsheet, but precious children who need loving homes where they can thrive. Everyone has a part they can play. We work with policymakers and politicians, local authorities and agencies, volunteers, churches, individuals and families and we won’t stop. Together we can find a home for every child who needs one.

UK-wide statistics

This year in the UK, around 36,000 children and young people will enter the care system. 1 That’s 100 children every day.

There are around 103,000 children in the UK who are looked after away from home. 2

Wales has the highest rate of looked after children away from home in the UK at 112 per 10,000 of the under 18 population. Scotland is slightly lower at 102 per 10,000, while the rates in Northern Ireland and England are much lower at 80 per 10,000 and 67 per 10,000 respectively. 3


A need for homes

Nearly 70,000 children live with over 55,000 fostering households across the UK. (4) There are currently 1990 children waiting for adoption in England and 160 children waiting for adoption in Wales. (5)

Read Katie’s fostering story here. Read Victoria’s adoption story here.

Racial disparity

Black children are disproportionately represented in our care system. While Black children make up 5% of the general population, they make up 7% of the looked after children population. (6) Black children are then less likely to go on to be adopted and wait longer to find their adoptive family. (7)

More on racial disparity.

Caring for teenagers

Children in care are predominantly older with 39% aged 10-15 years and 1 in 4 (25%) aged 16 years and over. (8)

Read our 'Brimming with Potential' report Read Dave’s caring for teenagers story here.


(Reference information is available here.)

Are you using our statistics? Get in touch with our Policy and Research Officer, Sam – [email protected]


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Northern Ireland

Overview

  • There are 3,624 children in the care system in Northern Ireland, the highest number on record since the introduction of the Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995.60
  • The number of children in care in Northern Ireland has risen by 37% in the last ten years and by 56% since 1999.61
  • 899 children entered the care system in 2021/22, a similar number to the previous year (893).62
  • 777 children left the care system in 2021/22, a 7% increase from the previous year.63
  • In general, there has been a trend of children staying longer in care before being discharged. In 2007/08, 44% of children were discharged from care after less than three months of becoming looked after, compared with 13% in 2021/22.64
  • 41% of children in care are aged 12 years and over, compared to 33% of the general child population.65

Fostering

  • There are approximately 3,009 foster families in Northern Ireland.66
  • 83% of children in care live with a foster family (n=3,008).67
  • 54% of children in foster care are cared for by kinship carers (n=1,626).68

Adoption

  • 89 children were adopted from care during 2021/22, an increase of 56% from last year. The significant increase in the number of adoptions is likely to be linked to the impact of COVID-19 on services during 2020/21.69
  • In 2021/22, 57% (n=51) of the children were adopted as a single child adoption whereas 43% (n=38) were adopted as part of a sibling group.70
  • The average age of a child at adoption is 4 years and 6 months, eight months older than the previous year.71
  • Children wait on average 3 years and 4 months to be adopted.72

Care leavers and care experienced young people

  • In 2020/21, there were 570 care leavers aged 16-19 years.73
  • Of care leavers aged 19 years, 70%* are in education, training, or employment, a slight decrease from the previous year (*for whom information was available).74
  • 20% of care leavers aged 16-18 years have a Statement of Educational Need compared with the general school population at 5%.75

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