Data and reporting

The most recent statistics available cover the period from April 2007 to March 2008. 

As of 31 March 2008 there were 14,886 looked after children in Scotland. Of this group:

• 57% were looked after away from home by other family members, or were in foster care, residential or secure settings - 16% in kinship care, 29% with foster carers, and 11% in some form of residential care
• 43% were looked after at home by their parents
• boys make up 55% of the total and girls 45%
• of those looked after at home, 1046 did not have a care plan, and of those looked after away from home, 644 did not have a care plan
• the number has increased by 7% since March 2007; the number of looked after children has increased each year since 2001, and is at its highest since 1983.
  
  (Children Looked After Statistics 2007-08)

Ages

• 68% were aged 5-15 years, with just under half of these in the 12-15 years age group.
• Just over 66% of children in foster care were under 12 years old.
• Just over 85% of young people in non-secure residential homes or schools were aged 12-17 years old.
  (Children Looked After Statistics 2007-08)

Educational outcomes

• The school attendance rates for those looked after at home was 83.7%, for those looked after away from home it was 92.5% and for all looked after children and young people it was 87.8%, compared to a rate of 93.3% in the non-looked-after population.
  (Attendance and Absence in Scottish schools 2007-08)
• The exclusion rate per 1000 pupils for children and young people looked after at home was 552, for those looked after away from home it was 359 and for all looked after children and young people it was 445, compared to 52 for those in the non-looked-after population.
  (Exclusions from Schools 2007-08)
• 34.6% of young people looked after at home had no qualifications at SCQF level 3+ 
• 16.7% of young people looked after away from home had no qualifications at SCQF level 3+
• 3.1% of non-looked after young people had no qualifications at SCQF level 3+.
  (SQA Attainment and School Leaver Qualifications in Scotland 2007-08)

Leaving care

• Of the 1486 young people who left the looked after system in 2007-08, and were eligible for support in terms of Section 29 Children (Scotland) Act 1995, 854 were aged 16 years.
• Of the 1486, only 55% had a Pathway Plan on 31 March 2008 and only 57% had a Pathway Co-ordinator.
• Of the young people who were eligible for aftercare support on 31 March 2008, where information was known, 42% were in education, employment or training.
  (Children Looked After Statistics 2007-08)