§ Sandra GidleyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the number of kinship foster carers(a) as a total for England, (b) aged 50 to 64 and (c) aged 65 and over; and if he will make a statement. [161934]
§ Margaret HodgeThe information we have available centrally provides a snapshot of Kinship foster placements at 31 March 2002. At 31 March 2002, 6,900 placements out of a total of 39,200 foster placements in England were with a relative or friend.
The data we hold relates to number of placements rather than number of carers therefore we are unable to breakdown the figure in terms of ages of carers.
2003 data will he available from 31 March 2004.