The increase in applications to take children into care has led to a fall in the percentage of guardians allocated to children within two days of proceedings, it was revealed last week.
The figures were published in the House of Commons following a question from Plaid Cymru MP and NSPCC parliamentary ambassador Elfyn Llwyd.
Children's minister Beverley Hughes said the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass) received 590 care applications in November 2008 and 714 in December 2008, the month after two people were convicted of causing the death of the 17-month-old boy known as Baby P.
Hughes said: "This increase in demand has had an effect on the allocation of guardians. In November 2008, 73 per cent of applications were allocated to guardians within two days and in December 2008, this figure was 66.9 per cent."
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