§ 56. Mr. Biggs-Davisonasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what increase or decrease there has been in recent years in the number of children in the care of local authorities under the Children Act 1948.
§ Miss BaconFollowing is the answer:
Column 1 of the following table shows the number of children in the care of local authorities in England and Wales on 30th November in the years 1952–54 inclusive, and on 31st March in the years 122W 1956–63 inclusive. Column 2 expresses the figure as a number per thousand of the total estimated population of persons under 18.
The figure includes children committed to the care of the local authority as a "fit person" by order of a court under sections 57 and 62 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933 as well as those received into care under the Act of 1948.
The figure for 1964 is not yet available.
(1) Total number of children in care (2) Number of children in care per 1,000 of the estimated population under 18 1963 64,807 5.1 1962 63,648 5.1 1961 62,199 5.0 1960 61,729 5.0 1959 61,580 5.1 1958 62,070 5.2 1957 62,033 5.2 1956 62,347 5.3 1954 64,560 5.5 1953 65,309 6.2 1952 64,682 5.6