United Kingdom
Looked-after children
Key points
- There are 60,000 looked-after children (sometimes called children in care) in England. This is similar to the numbers in 2002 but 10,000 more than in 1997. Around half are boys and half are girls.
- Almost two-fifths of looked-after children obtain no GCSEs and a further fifth obtain fewer than five GCSEs. Whilst these proportions are lower than a few years ago, they are much higher than for children as a whole: almost 60% not obtaining five or more GCSEs compared to 10% of children as a whole.
- Almost a third of previously looked-after children are not in education, employment or training at age 19.
Graph 1: Over time
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Graph 2: Educational attainment
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Graph 3: Status at age 19
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Why this indicator was originally chosen
Many looked-after children (sometimes called children in care) suffer disadvantage in later life.
Definitions and data sources
The first graph shows the number of looked-after children at 31st March each year, with the data shown separately for boys and for girls.
The second graph shows the proportion of looked-after children in year 11 who fail to obtain five or more GCSEs (or equivalent). The data is split between those who obtain no GCSE grades at all (either because they do not enter for exams or achieve no passes) and those who do obtain some GCSEs but less than five. For comparison purposes, the proportion of all year 11 children who fail to obtain five or more GCSEs (or equivalent) is also shown.
The third graph shows, for the latest year, the status of 19-year-olds who were being looked after at age 16 (i.e. three years previously) in terms of whether they are in education, employment or training.
The data source for all the graphs is the Department for Children, Schools and Families (formerly DfES) and the data relates to England. The data in the first and third graphs comes from the publications entitled Children looked after in England and that in the second graph from the publications entiitled Outcome indicators for looked-after children. The figures exclude children looked after under an agreed series of short-term placements.
Overall adequacy of the indicator: high. The data is well-established administrative counts.
Relevant 2007 Public Service Agreements
Overall aim: Narrow the gap in educational achievement between children from low income and disadvantaged backgrounds and their peers
Lead department
Department for Children, Schools and Families.
Official national targets
Improve the average (mean) score of the lowest 20% of the Early Years Foundation Stage Profile (EYFSP) results, so that the gap between that average score and the median score is reduced by an additional 3 percentage points from 2008 results, by 2011.
Increase the proportion of pupils progressing by 2 levels in English and maths at each of Key Stages 2, 3 and 4 by 2011:
- KS2: English 9 percentage points, maths 11 percentage points.
- KS3: English 16 percentage points, maths 12 percentage points.
- KS4: English 15 percentage points, maths 13 percentage points.
Increase the proportion of children in care at Key Stage 2 achieving level 4 in English to 60% by 2011, and level 4 in mathematics to 55% by 2011.
Increase the proportion of children in care achieving 5A*-C GCSEs (and equivalent) at Key Stage 4 to 20% by 2011.
Other indicators of progress
Achievement gap between pupils eligible for Free School Meals and their peers at Key Stages 2 and 4.
Proportion of young people from low-income backgrounds progressing to higher education.
Overall aim: Increase the proportion of socially excluded adults in settled accommodation and employment, education or training
Lead department
Cabinet Office.
Official national targets
None.
Other indicators of progress
Care leavers at 19 in suitable accommodation.
Offenders under probation supervision and in settled and suitable accommodation.
Adults in contact with secondary mental health services in settled accommodation.
Adults with learning disabilities in settled accommodation.
Care-leavers at 19 in education, training and employment.
Offenders under probation supervision in employment.
Adults in contact with secondary mental health services in employment.
Adults with learning disabilities in employment.
Previous 2004 targets
Narrow the gap in educational achievement between looked-after children and that of their peers, and improve their educational support and stability of their lives so that, by 2008, 80% of children under 1 who have been looked after for at least two and a half years will have been living in the same placement for at least two years, or placed for adoption.
The numbers
Graph 1
| Year | Boys | Girls |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 33,700 | 28,400 |
| 1990 | 32,500 | 28,000 |
| 1991 | 32,000 | 27,900 |
| 1992 | 29,300 | 26,100 |
| 1993 | 27,300 | 24,300 |
| 1994 | 26,200 | 23,000 |
| 1995 | 26,500 | 23,000 |
| 1996 | 27,300 | 23,200 |
| 1997 | 27,900 | 23,100 |
| 1998 | 29,200 | 24,200 |
| 1999 | 30,200 | 25,200 |
| 2000 | 31,900 | 26,200 |
| 2001 | 32,600 | 26,300 |
| 2002 | 33,200 | 26,500 |
| 2003 | 33,800 | 27,400 |
| 2004 | 33,900 | 27,200 |
| 2005 | 33,700 | 27,200 |
| 2006 | 33,400 | 26,900 |
| 2007 | 33,400 | 26,600 |
Graph 2
| Year | Looked-after children | All children | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No grades (entered no exams + achieved no grades) | At least 1 but less than 5 GCSEs | No grades (entered no exams + achieved no grades) | At least 1 but less than 5 GCSEs | |
| 1999/00 | 50.8% | 13.7% | 6.0% | 5.0% |
| 2000/01 | 50.4% | 16.5% | 5.0% | 5.0% |
| 2001/02 | 46.8% | 16.9% | 5.1% | 5.4% |
| 2002/03 | 47.1% | 16.0% | 5.2% | 6.0% |
| 2003/04 | 43.9% | 16.7% | 4.1% | 7.1% |
| 2004/05 | 39.8% | 19.5% | 2.6% | 7.2% |
| 2005/06 | 36.8% | 21.8% | 2.2% | 7.3% |
| 2006/07 | 36.3% | 20.6% | 1.1% | 7.2% |
Graph 3
| In education, employment or training | 63% |
|---|---|
| Not in education, employment or training | 29% |
| Not in touch | 8% |