Our data

• There has been an overall longer-term reduction in new applications for public and private proceedings following the Covid-19 pandemic that started in March 2020.
• Between 1 April 2023 and 31 March 2024 Cafcass received 55,830 new children's cases in 2023/24 involving 86,419 children. This is 10.3% (-6,378 children’s case / -10,711 children) lower than five years ago (2018/19).
• Cafcass continues to support a higher number of children annually. The organisation worked with 137,347 children on new or existing proceedings in 2023/24 compared to 133,850 five years ago (2018/19), an increase of 2.6% (3,497) children.
• More than two thirds (67.3%) of children we worked with are involved in private law proceedings and slightly lower than one third (32.7%) are involved in public law proceedings. 
• The considerable pressure on the family courts means children and families continue to be in proceedings for longer since the Covid-19 pandemic. We produce quarterly data for the length of time we work with children and families in public law Section 31 proceedings. 
• The latest available figures indicate that on average Cafcass’ involvement in S31 applications (Care and Supervision) in Quarter 4 (1 January – 31 March 2024) took 43 weeks to conclude. In the same period last year (1 January to 31 March 2023) the average duration of Cafcass’ involvement in these cases was 47 weeks.

• An increase in total case demand (+0.3% / +45 children's cases / -80 children) compared to the same period last year) 
• A decrease in public law children's cases (-0.2% / -8 children's cases / -123 children) 
• An increase in private law children’s cases (+0.6% / +53 children’s cases / +43 children)

Between 1 April 2024 and 30 June 2024, Cafcass received 2,712 new S31 Care Applications, involving 4,450 children.

S31 care applications have decreased by 1.5% (41 fewer children’s cases) compared to the same period last year and represents a decrease of 81 children on total applications received between 1 April 2024 and 30 June 2024. 

Our public law data shows regularly updated statistics covering both national and local trends for:

• the total number of public law cases
• the number of care order applications made by local authorities and the number of children involved (monthly)
• the length of time taken to complete care and supervision proceedings (quarterly)
• number of care order applications by local authorities in England (quarterly)
• the rate of care order applications per ten thousand children population by local authorities in England (annually).

Between 1 April 2024 and 30 June 2024, Cafcass received 9,641 new private law children’s cases, involving 14,658 children.

Private law demand is generally used to refer to applications made following a divorce or separation about the arrangements for children, such as where a child will live or with whom a child will spend time.