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
- 2,433 children were in the care of local authorities on 31st March 2008
- 814 children started to be looked after during the year ending 31st March 2008
- 832 children ceased to be looked after during the year ending 31st March 2008
Gender
52% (1265) of children looked after on 31st March 2008 were boys and 48% (1168) were girls
Age
- 2% of children (49) looked after on 31st March 2008 were under 1 year old
- 15% (364) were aged between 1 and 4 years old
- 32% (782) were aged between 5 and 11 years old
- 30% (733) were aged between 12 and 15 years old
- 21% (505) were aged 16 and over
Placements
- 57% (1,376) of children looked after on 31st March 2008 were living with foster carers
- 26% (622) were living with their family
- 13% (319) were living in residential care
- 5% (116) 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
- 147 children were adopted during 2007
NB Adoption Order figures include step–parent, relative and overseas adoptions
Adoptions from Care
64 looked after children were adopted in the year ending 31st March 2008
Gender
50% (32) of children adopted during the year ending 31st March 2008 were boys and 50% (32) were girls
Age
The average age at adoption was 4 years 11 months
- 59% (38) of children adopted during the year ending 31st March 2008 were under 4 years old
- 41% (26) were aged 5 and over
Waiting times
45% (29) children were placed for adoption within 12 months of the Best Interest Decision during the year ending 31st March 2008
Foster Carer Adoptions
- 61% (39) of children adopted from care in the year ending March 31st 2008 were adopted by foster carers
- 49% (19) of children adopted by foster carers were boys and 51% (20) were girls
Sources:
The Adoption of Looked After Children in Northern Ireland (2007 - 2008) (AD1)
www.dhsspsni.gov.uk
Children Order Statistical Bulletin 2008
www.dhsspsni.gov.uk
The Registrar General Northern Ireland Annual Report 2007
www.nisra.gov.uk/statistics/
Key Indicators of Personal Social Services for Northern Ireland 2002
www.dhsspsni.gov.uk
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