Child of the North - Children in Care Report

The research, carried out on behalf of the Child of the North All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG), found that in the North, the rate of children in care per 10,000 of the child population is 93, compared to 62 in the rest of England.

The North East has the highest overall care rates, followed by the North West, West Midlands and then Yorkshire and the Humber.

Researchers found that one in 52 children in Blackpool and one in 63 in Hartlepool are in care, compared to one in 256 in Buckinghamshire and one in 278 in Hertfordshire.

Researchers attributed the North-South divide in overall care rates to “widening inequalities” in children entering care since 2010, with trends reflecting changes in children and families’ socioeconomic circumstances.

The report noted: “There are deep intersectional inequalities in care. Mixed Heritage populations experience particularly high levels of both socioeconomic and ethnic inequity in care rates.”

The report’s findings have prompted calls from Child of the North APPG members and academics for “urgent action” to address the inequalities in the care system.

You can read the full report here.