Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many children are in care; and how many such children are looked after under kinship care.

The number of children who were in care on 31 March 2022 was 82,170. This information was published for the years ending 31 March 2018 to 31 March 2022 in the annual statistical release ‘Children looked after in England, including adoptions, 2022’, available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/children-looked-after-in-england-including-adoptions.

The department does not hold information centrally specifically on children who are looked after under kinship care. However, of the 82,170 children who were in care on 31 March 2022, 12,580 (15%) were placed with a foster carer who is a relative or friend. This information can be accessed at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/fast-track/275cbaa4-5400-4920-86d1-08da7eccd8d3.