Speeches

Gavin Robinson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gavin Robinson on 2016-02-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many children aged up to three years old were taken into care in the last five years; and what assessment she has made of the reasons why those children were taken into care.

Edward Timpson

The number of children aged 0-3 years, that started to be looked after in the last five years ending 31 March, and the main reason why they entered care, is shown in the table below. This information is for England only.

Category of need

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

Abuse or neglect

6,880

7,350

7,430

7,380

7,270

Child’s disability

50

50

60

50

50

Parents illness or disability

520

550

480

500

460

Family in acute stress

690

710

740

740

670

Family dysfunction

1,460

1,560

1,710

1,840

1,730

Socially unacceptable behaviour

50

40

70

70

60

Low income

20

20

10

20

20

Absent parenting

260

210

190

150

160

Total number of looked after children aged 0-3 years, in England

9,910

10,500

10,690

10,740

10,420

Source: SSDA903

  1. Numbers have been rounded to the nearest 10.
  2. Only the first occasion on which a child was taken into care in the year has been counted.