Information on looked-after children at both national and local authority levels for the financial year 2018 to 2019 has been published by the Department for Education.

The number of children looked after continue to rise...

Children looked after in England (including adoption), year ending 31 March baseline statistics are listed below:

• The number of children looked after in England is up 4% to 78,150 at 31 March 2019.
• The number of children starting to be looked after during the year is down 2% to 31,680.
• The number of children ceasing to be looked after during the year is down 2% to 29,460

Adoptions from care continue to fall…

Children ceasing to be looked after during the year due to adoption fell by 7% to 3,570 - this continues the drop seen last year and is down from a peak of 5,360 in 2015.

You can download the main report in full here.