Summary statistics on children in care and children adopted from care in Northern Ireland.
On this page:
> Children in public care
> Placements
> Adoption Orders as recorded in the Adopted Children Register
> Adoptions from Care
> Sources
Children in public care
- 2,436 children were in the care of local authorities on 31st March 2006
- 814 children started to be looked after during the year ending 31st March 2006
- 832 children ceased to be looked after during the year ending 31st March 2006
Gender
53% (1285) of children looked after on 31st March 2006 were boys and 47% (1151) were girls
Age
- 2.5% of children (60) looked after on 31st March 2006 were under 1 year old
- 13.7% (334) were aged between 1 and 4 years old
- 34.1% (830) were aged between 5 and 11 years old
- 31.3% (763) were aged between 12 and 15 years old
- 18.4% (449) were aged 16 and over
Placements
- 62.5% (1,522) of children looked after on 31st March 2006 were living with foster carers
- 19.9% (486) were living with their family
- 13.2% (321) were living in residential care
- 4.4% (107) were living in other types of placements
Adoption Orders as recorded in the Adopted Children Register
- 140 children were adopted during 2003
- 161 children were adopted during 2004
- 140 children were adopted during 2005
- 141 children were adopted during 2006
NB Adoption Order figures include step–parent, relative and overseas adoptions
Adoptions from Care
56 looked after children were adopted in the year ending 31st March 2006
Gender
52% (29) of children adopted during the year ending 31st March 2006 were boys and 48% (27) were girls
Age
The average age at adoption was 5 years 6 months
- 0% (0) of children adopted during the year ending 31st March 2006 were under 1 year old
- 55% (31) were aged between 1 and 4 years old
- 34% (19) were aged between 5 and 11 years old
- 11% (6) were aged between 12 and 15 years old
- 0% (0) were aged 16 and over
Waiting times
54% (30) children were placed for adoption within 12 months of the Trust Best Interest Decision during the year ending 31st March 2006
Foster Carer Adoptions
- 46% (26) of children adopted from care in the year ending March 31st 2006 were adopted by foster carers
- 54% (14) of children adopted by foster carers were boys and 46% (12) were girls
Sources:
The Adoption of Looked After Children in Northern Ireland (2005 - 2006) (AD1)
http://www.dhsspsni.gov.uk
Community Statistics 2005/2006
http://www.dhsspsni.gov.uk
Children Order Statistical Bulletin 2006
http://www.dhsspsni.gov.uk
Children Order Statistics 2004-05
http://www.dhsspsni.gov.uk
The Registrar General Northern Ireland Annual Report 2006
http://www.nisra.gov.uk/statistics/
Key Indicators of Personal Social Services for Northern Ireland 2002
http://www.dhsspsni.gov.uk
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