Annual data summaries
Our annual summaries show the year-on-year cases received for public and private law and care applications. They also include the annual length of care and supervision cases and a national picture of applications in England.
Number of public law cases received
- Between April 2023 and March 2024 Cafcass received a total of 16,055 children’s public law cases.
- Between April 2022 and March 2023 Cafcass received a total of 16,227 children’s cases.
- Between April 2021 and March 2022 Cafcass received a total of 16,512 children’s cases.
- Between April 2020 and March 2021 Cafcass received a total of 17,592 children’s cases.
- Between April 2019 and March 2020 Cafcass received a total of 18,052 children’s cases.
- Between April 2018 and March 2019 Cafcass received a total of 18,374 children’s cases.
- Between April 2017 and March 2018 Cafcass received a total of 18,847 children’s cases.
- Between April 2016 and March 2017 Cafcass received a total of 18,752 children’s cases.
Updates to this information are published on an annual basis.
Number of care applications received
- Between April 2023 and March 2024 Cafcass received a total of 11,450 care applications.
- This figure is 4.1% lower than the previous financial year.
- Between April 2022 and March 2023 Cafcass received a total of 11,894 applications.
- This figure is 0.3% lower when compared with the previous financial year.
- Between April 2021 and March 2022 Cafcass received a total of 11,880 applications.
- This figure is 7.4% lower when compared with the previous financial year.
Between April 2020 and March 2021 Cafcass received a total of 12,786 applications.
This figure is 2.39% lower when compared with the previous financial year.
Between April 2019 and March 2020 Cafcass received a total of 13,100 applications.
This figure is 3.5% lower when compared with the previous financial year.
Between April 2018 and March 2019 Cafcass received a total of 13,575 applications.
This figure is 4.5% lower when compared with the previous financial year.
Between April 2017 and March 2018 Cafcass received a total of 14,222 applications.
This figure is 2.7% lower when compared with the previous financial year.
Between April 2016 and March 2017 Cafcass received a total of 14,599 applications.
This figure is 14% higher when compared with the previous financial year.
Updates to this information are published on an annual basis.
Number of private law cases received
- Between April 2023 and March 2024 Cafcass received a total of 39,661 children’s private law cases.
- This figure is 0.7% lower than the previous financial year.
- Between April 2022 and March 2023 Cafcass received a total of 40,307 new private law cases.
- This figure shows a 3.3% decrease compared with the previous financial year.
- Between April 2021 and March 2022 Cafcass received a total of 42,122 new private law cases.
- This figure shows a 7.2% decrease compared with the previous financial year.
Between April 2020 and March 2021 Cafcass received a total of 45,780 new private law cases.
This figure shows a 0.8% increase compared with the previous financial year.
Between April 2019 and March 2020 Cafcass received a total of 45,694 new private law cases.
This figure shows a 4.20% increase compared with the previous financial year.
Between April 2018 and March 2019 Cafcass received a total of 43,842 new private law cases.
This figure shows a 4.9% increase compared with the previous financial year.
Between April 2017 and March 2018 Cafcass received a total of 41,794 new private law cases.
This figure shows a 3.1% increase compared with the previous financial year.
Between April 2016 and March 2017 Cafcass received a total of 40,506 new private law cases.
This figure shows an 8.3% increase compared with the previous financial year.
Updates to this information are published on an annual basis.
How long care and supervision cases last
The target length of time for completing care and supervision (s31) cases, as set out in the Public Law Outline (PLO), is 26 weeks. In January 2023, the President of the Family Division led a relaunch of the Public Law Outline with a renewed focus on meeting the 26-week deadline.
Annual summaries
- The average for 2023-24 was 44 calendar weeks, which is 3 weeks lower than the previous year.
The average for 2022-23 was 46 calendar weeks, which is the same as the previous year.
The average for 2021-22 was 46 calendar weeks, which is up by 5 weeks on the previous year.
The average for 2020-21 was 41 calendar weeks, which is up by 7 weeks on the previous year.
The average for 2019-20 was 34 calendar weeks, which is up by 3 weeks on the previous year.
The average for 2018-19 was 31 calendar weeks, which is up by 2 weeks on the previous year.
The average for 2017-18 was 29 calendar weeks, which is up by 1 week on the previous year.
The average for 2016-17 was 28 calendar weeks, which is down by 1 week on the previous year.
The average for 2015-16 was 29 calendar weeks, which is down by 1 week on the previous year.
The average for 2014-15 was 30 calendar weeks, a seven-week reduction compared with the average of 37 weeks for 2013-14.
The average for 2014-15 was 30 calendar weeks, a seven-week reduction compared with the average of 37 weeks for 2013-14.
The average for 2013-14 was 37 calendar weeks, an eleven-week reduction compared with the average of 48 calendar weeks for 2012-13.
The average for 2012-13 was 48 weeks, a nine-week reduction compared with the average of 57 weeks for 2011-12.
National picture of care applications in England
Cafcass produces annual statistics on the number of care applications received per 10,000 child population – the rate of care applications – by each local authority in England with children’s services responsibilities. The latest information available is for the years 2008-2009 to 2016-2017.
The rate of care applications is significant as it helps identify trends in care proceedings independent of population growth.
The below table shows the national rates of care applications between the years 2009-2010 to 2018-2019. You can also download the Table of LA rates of care application per 10,000 population.
| 2009-10 | 2010-11 | 2011-12 | 2012-13 | 2013-14 | 2014-15 | 2015-16 | 2016-17 | 2017-18 | 2018-19 | 2019-20 | 2020-21 | 2021-22 | 2022-23 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| National Rate | 8.0 | 8.3 | 9.0 | 9.7 | 9.2 | 9.7 | 11.0 | 12.3 | 11.9 | 11.3 | 10.8 | 10.5 | 9.7 | 9.6 |