Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 14
14
At 31 March 2021, there were 53,790 adolescents in care between the ages of 9...
Conclusion
At 31 March 2021, there were 53,790 adolescents in care between the ages of 9 and 17, making up 67% of the total care population. Between 31 March 2014 and 31 March 2021 the number of 9- to 17-year-olds in care increased by 26%, which is higher than the increase in the total number of children in care (18%).34 The Department for Education told us the growth in the number of adolescents in care reflects an increase in the number of adolescents being bought into the care system and an increase in the occurrence of “extra familial harms”.35 These ‘extra-familiar’ harms are those which occur outside the home, such as sexual exploitation, peer-on-peer abuse, modern-day slavery, serious violence, and criminal exploitation.36