§ Mr. Gerald HowarthTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children there were in foster homes in(a) 1970, (b) 1980 and (c) 1999; and of these, how many were from (i) broken families, (ii) single parent family units and (iii) intact families. [120675]
§ Mr. HuttonThe information available is given in the table:
Children in care/looked after in foster placements, in England, years ending 31 March 1970, 1980, 1999 Boarded out/foster placements Year ending 31 March Number Rate per 10,000 population1 1970 28,900 23 1980 35,200 27 1999 36,200 32 1 Aged under 18 Notes:
- 1. All numbers of children have been rounded to the nearest hundred.
- 2. Figures for children looked after in this table exclude agreed series of short-term placements.
- 3. Figures for 1970 were collected under the provisions of the Children Act 1948.
- 4. Figures for 1980 were collected under the provisions of the Children and young Persons Act 1969.
- 5. Figures for 1999 were collected under the provisions of the Children Act 1989.
- 6. The Department of Health does not collect data on the family background of children looked after.