Looked after children (health and wellbeing needs in South Tyneside)
Level of need
There were 289 looked after children in South Tyneside at the end of March 2016, this is lower than the reported figure at the previous five year ends.
Figure 1: Number of children in care see associated slide pack
The rate of looked after children in the borough at the end of 2015 / 16 (99 per 10,000 children), once significantly higher than the rate among the council's nearest statistical neighbours (95.7 per 10,000) is now closer to that in similar areas. The rate is however much higher than that in the North East (84 per 10,000) and in England (60 per 10,000). Regional benchmarking based on 2015 / 16 year end shows that South Tyneside had the 4th highest rate of looked after children in the North East after Middlesbrough (120), Hartlepool (105) and Sunderland (101).
Fig 2: Rate of children in care Looked After Children associated slide pack
Fig 3 and Table 1: Age Profile of Children in Care at 31/03/2016 Looked After Children associated slide pack
Although the overall number of children in care has reduced there has been an increase in the proportion of older children in care in 2015 / 16, with 60.2% aged over 10 compared to 57.3% the previous year. There has also been an increase in the level of children under one in care, up to 8% at the end of 2015 / 16 from 5% in 2014/15. The largest group of children who are looked after are 10 - 15 year olds, accounting for 42.6% of children.
Children becoming looked after
127 children became looked after in 2015 / 16, a reduction on 2014 / 15 when the number was 130. 63% of children becoming looked after were male (79), an increase on 2014 / 15 when 54% were male and 46% female. 95.2% were White British. 73% (92) became looked after on a Section 20 and 27% (34) on a Care Order.
Fig 4: Trends in Looked after Children in South Tyneside Looked After Children associated slide pack
Fig 5: Breakdown in children becoming looked after by age Looked After Children associated slide pack
The most common age groups were children aged 10 - 15 (32% / 40 children) and children aged under 1 (29% / 36 children). The level of children aged under 1 becoming looked after (29%) is particularly high when compared to 2014 / 15 when the proportion was 19%, and in comparison to statistical neighbours (21%). 21 of the 126 children (17%) became looked after at, or within days of birth, and a further 3 became looked after within less than 3 months of their birth. The most common single age group / gender was males aged 10 - 15 (26 children). These young males accounted for 21% of all children becoming looked after in 2015 / 16.
Fig 6: Breakdown in children becoming looked after by ethnicity Looked After Children associated slide pack
The largest group of Looked After Children is White British at 91%, the largest group behind this is Black African at 4%.
Placements
"Placement" is a term used to describe where Looked After Children live, a combination of accommodation with the best support to meet the child/young person's needs. Stability is one measure used to assess the success of the placement: enabling a child to stay in the same placement has many benefits including stability of education, networks and friendship groups. In South Tyneside, 72% of our Looked After Children remain in the same placement for over 2 years, which compares with 67% regionally, 67.8% for statistical neighbours, and 68% for England as a whole.
Fig 7: Placements in South Tyneside Looked After Children associated slide pack
72- 75% of Looked After Children live in Foster placements. At the end of March 2016, 13% Children lived in residential placements and 5.5% were subject to Care Orders but living at home with parents. This means that the Council retained parental responsibility whilst work with parents is undertaken to ensure the family is a safe and nurturing place for the child/ young person. 8.3% of Looked After Children were placed for adoption.
Children ceasing to be Looked After
136 children ceased to be looked after between April 1 2015 and 31 March 2016, 6 more than in 2014/15. The main reason for children ending their period of care was to return home to their family or relatives with parental responsibility, followed by Special Guardianship Order (13%), up from 8% in 2014 / 15 and now in line the North East (13%) and Statistical neighbours (16%).
19 children leaving care were adopted (14%), a reduction from 2014 / 15 (22% / 30 children). However there were a large volume of adoption proceedings which were ongoing at the end of 2015 / 16. It is expected that these adoptions will occur in 2016 / 17 which will increase this measure.
Table 2: Reasons for leaving care Looked After Children associated slide pack
Care Leavers
In July 2016, the Government published Keep on Caring which extended existing entitlements so that all care leavers are able to access support from the local authority until age 25. South Tyneside Council welcomes the opportunity to offer ongoing support to our Care Leavers. In March 2016, there were 113 care leavers aged 19, 20 and 21 and we were in touch with all of them.
96% of our care leavers were in suitable accommodation and 51% were in Education, Training or Employment, compared to 34% regionally, 47% statistical neighbours and 49% nationally.
Children with disabilities transitioning to adult life
At any time, about 15 - 20 Looked After Children have significant disabilities. They are served by the Children's Disability Team and as they approach their 16th birthday, a Pathway Plan is develop which includes and they would then transition through to the Adults Disability Team, for long term support through Adult Social Care.
Further information about South Tyneside's Looked After Children, Care Leavers and Adoption is available using the Local authority interactive tool (LAIT) at GOV.UK: Local Authority Interative Tool