Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many children in care are there (1) in total, (2) under local authority care, (3) in unregistered care settings, and (4) in temporary care.

All looked after children are under local authority care if they are provided with accommodation for a continuous period of more than 24 hours, are subject to a care order, or are subject to a placement order.

The total number of children looked after by local authorities in England as of 31 March 2025 is 81,770.

Information on looked after children in unregistered care settings is not centrally held by the department.

The total number of children in temporary care, defined as children looked after exclusively under a series of short-term placements (respite), during the year ending 31 March 2025 is 500. Children may be provided with respite as 'children in need' or as 'children looked after', so this figure for looked after children will underrepresent the total number of children provided with short breaks.

The latest information on the numbers and placements for looked after children, relating to the year ending 31 March 2025, was published on 20 November 2025 in the annual statistical release 'Children looked after in England including adoptions'.