Care applications rise again

The court advocacy service received a total of 979 care applications in September, up on the figure of 913 for September 2014.

This latest increase augments the sharp rise in care applications over the last couple of years. Between April 2014 and March 2015, Cafcass received 11,156 applications, five per cent higher than the 10,620 received during the previous 12 months.

The increase for this financial year is on course to be significantly greater. Care applications for the first six months of this financial year stand at 6,031, which is 11.75 per cent higher than the six months from April to September 2014, when there were 5,397.

Commenting on the general trend of rises so far this year, Cafcass chief executive Anthony Douglas said the key factors behind the increases included “more groups of children being identified” such as children at risk of exploitation or radicalization, “without existing groups disappearing.”

John Simmonds, director of policy, research and development at CoramBAAF said: “If local authorities are becoming proactive in identifying children at risk then that has to be recognised as an important thing.”

But he warned that councils face a tough challenge to ensure victims of both radicalisation and exploitation are supported effectively.

“Radicalisation is a hugely complex situation to deal with. It’s a safeguarding issue at base, but there are also complex political, religious and cultural issues running alongside that.”

Natasha Finlayson, chief executive of The Who Cares? Trust, said that the rising number of care applications “continues to be worrying.”

She said: “Rising levels of poverty in the UK and the impact of the refugee crisis are likely to be factors, combined with greater understanding of the impact on children of neglect, and continuing caution about leaving children in potentially high-risk situations.  

“Despite the dedication of professionals and foster carers, it’s clear that the care system is already under strain and is struggling to cope with ongoing increases in demand.

“Staff caseloads and turnover are high, while in most areas there aren’t enough placements across all placement types. With the numbers continuing to rise, resources are further stretched and the childhoods and future lives of those parented by the state are at risk.”
 
Last week the country’s top family judge Sir James Munby, who is president of the family division, said there was an increasing number of cases involving children whose parents are planning to travel to Islamic-state-controlled Syria, coming before family courts.