Children in Care (Hansard, 7 January 2003)

§ Mr. Paul Marsden
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of children in care have been listed as missing since 1997. [88187]
183W

§ Jacqui Smith
Information about the proportion of children in care listed as missing is shown in the table.

Estimated number of looked after children who went missing from their usual place of residence at any time during the years ending March 1998 to 2001; and the proportion of all children looked after at any time—England

Number of children missing at any time during the year Percentage of all children looked after at any time during the year

1997–98 570 0.7

1998–99 550 0.7

1999–2000 530 0.6

2000–1¹ 920 1.1

¹ With effect from 1 April 2000, the definition of missing was changed from being absent for more than seven days to being absent for 24 hours or more.

Note:
Table excludes all children looked after under an agreed series of short-term placements.

§ Mr. Battle
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children in local authority voluntary agency care were adopted in(a) 2000, (b) 2001 and (c) 2002; and what percentage these represent of the total in care. [88607]

§ Jacqui Smith
The numbers of children adopted from local authority care in England in years ending 31 March 2000, 2001 and 2002 are shown in the table.
Information on the number of children adopted from voluntary agency care is not collected centrally. However, the actual figure is likely to be very small, as voluntary adoption agencies only place children voluntarily relinquished by their birth family to their care for the purposes of adoption.

Children adopted from local authority care in England

Number Percentage¹

2000 2,700 5

2001 3,100 5

2002 3,400 6

¹ Of all looked after children

§ Mr. Battle
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children in(a) local authority and (b) voluntary agency care were awaiting foster homes on 31 March in (i) 1979, (ii) 1987, (iii) 1997 and (iv) 2002. [88608]

§ Jacqui Smith
The information requested regarding numbers of children in local authority and voluntary agency care awaiting foster homes on 31 March 1979, 1987, 1997 and 2002 is not held centrally.

Estimated number of looked after children who went missing from their usual place of residence at any time during the years ending March 1998 to 2001; and the proportion of all children looked after at any time—England
	Number of children missing at any time during the year	Percentage of all children looked after at any time during the year
1997–98	570	0.7
1998–99	550	0.7
1999–2000	530	0.6
2000–1¹	920	1.1
¹ With effect from 1 April 2000, the definition of missing was changed from being absent for more than seven days to being absent for 24 hours or more.

	Children adopted from local authority care in England
	Number	Percentage¹
2000	2,700	5
2001	3,100	5
2002	3,400	6
¹ Of all looked after children