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Welsh Government
Data Provider: Welsh Government Experimental Statistics Children looked after at 31 March by local authority and legal status
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Local authority 1
[Collapse]Total looked after childrenClick here to sortTotal looked after children
Click here to sortCare ordersClick here to sortRemand, detained or other compulsory orderClick here to sortOther legal statusClick here to sortSingle period of accommodationUnder section 20 of the Children Act 1989 before 2016 and section 76 of the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 after 6 April 2016.
[Collapse]All Welsh local authorities11,650208851,83514,390
All Welsh local authoritiesIsle of Anglesey250*The data item is disclosive or not sufficiently robust for publication*The data item is disclosive or not sufficiently robust for publication35290
Gwynedd510*The data item is disclosive or not sufficiently robust for publication1040560
Conwy355*The data item is disclosive or not sufficiently robust for publication*The data item is disclosive or not sufficiently robust for publication70435
Denbighshire320*The data item is disclosive or not sufficiently robust for publication3550410
Flintshire375*The data item is disclosive or not sufficiently robust for publication2575480
Wrexham585*The data item is disclosive or not sufficiently robust for publication4035655
Powys340*The data item is disclosive or not sufficiently robust for publication5580475
Ceredigion215*The data item is disclosive or not sufficiently robust for publication1045265
Pembrokeshire375*The data item is disclosive or not sufficiently robust for publication4080495
Carmarthenshire260*The data item is disclosive or not sufficiently robust for publication50135445
Swansea800*The data item is disclosive or not sufficiently robust for publication65105975
Neath Port Talbot410*The data item is disclosive or not sufficiently robust for publication2575510
Bridgend650*The data item is disclosive or not sufficiently robust for publication6060765
Vale of Glamorgan545*The data item is disclosive or not sufficiently robust for publication3590665
Cardiff1,710*The data item is disclosive or not sufficiently robust for publication1052852,095
Rhondda Cynon Taf1,060*The data item is disclosive or not sufficiently robust for publication501501,260
Merthyr Tydfil305*The data item is disclosive or not sufficiently robust for publication3035370
Caerphilly760*The data item is disclosive or not sufficiently robust for publication70110935
Blaenau Gwent320*The data item is disclosive or not sufficiently robust for publication2555410
Torfaen650*The data item is disclosive or not sufficiently robust for publication4045740
Monmouthshire330*The data item is disclosive or not sufficiently robust for publication3060410
Newport520*The data item is disclosive or not sufficiently robust for publication75130725

Metadata

Title

Children looked after by local authorities, by legal status, at 31 March

Last update

28 January 2025 28 January 2025

Next update

Autumn 2025 (Provisional)

Publishing organisation

Welsh Government

Source 1

Looked After Children Census

Source 2

Children looked after (SSDA903) data collection, Welsh Government

Contact email

stats.pss@gov.wales

Designation

Experimental statistics

Lowest level of geographical disaggregation

Local authorities

Geographical coverage

Wales

Languages covered

English and Welsh

Data licensing

You may use and re-use this data free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government License - see http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence

General description

From 2016-17, looked after children data is now collected during the year through the Looked after children Census. This has replaced the existing datasets Looked After Children (SSDA903), Adoptions of looked after children (AD1), Educational qualifications of care leavers (OC1) and Care leavers on their 19th birthday (OC3).

This table presents figures about children looked after by Welsh local authorities. Children looked after include those on care orders and other children provided with accommodation by their local authority. Some children are also looked after because the local authority provides accommodation for respite purposes - the figures in this table exclude these children.

Data collection and calculation

Anonymised individual child level data is extracted from local authority administrative systems and returned electronically to the Data Collection team within the Welsh Government using an online secure data transfer system called 'Objective Connect'. Welsh Government analysts then apply an extensive series of validation checks to ensure that the information provided uses the correct codes and is internally consistent.

Frequency of publication

Annual

Data reference periods

Data are shown at 31 March for each year from 2003.

Users, uses and context

Please find this information in the related statistical publication, as per the given weblink.

Rounding applied

The following measures have been taken to minimise the risk of unwanted disclosure of personal data:
All figures have been rounded to the nearest five. Where there are less than five children in any group, the actual number has been suppressed, and replaced by the symbol *.

Revisions information

Data for 2003 to 2023 were revised on 28 January 2025.

Statistical quality

Please find this information in the related statistical publication, as per the given weblink.

Keywords

Children; Children looked after; Legal status