Adoptions of children in care rise by three per cent

In the year ending 31 March 2009, 3,300 children in care were adopted, compared with 3,200 the previous year - a rise of three percent.

However, the proportion of care leavers in education, employment or training around the time of their 19th birthday with whom local authorities were in touch fell from 64.9 percent in 2008 to 63 percent in 2009.

The government's Statistical First Release shows there are 60,900 looked-after children in the UK, two percent more than last year.

Responding to the figures, children's minister Delyth Morgan said she planned to publish the results of a year-long "stocktake" of the care system.

She said: "We have spent the last 11 months hearing from carers, children and young people, learning from their experiences, and we are geared up to announce a package of measures to further improve the care system."