Latest statistics from the government show that the number of looked after children continues to increase; it has increased steadily over the last nine years. At 31 March 2017 there were 72,670 looked after children, an increase of 3% on 2016.
The number of children starting to be looked after in 2016-17 has also risen in recent years and has increased by 2% compared with the previous year.
The number of children ceasing to be looked after in 2016-17 has fallen by 2% compared with the previous year.
