Looked After Children
type: Dataset
description: Local authorities have a responsibility to provide support to certain vulnerable young people. These young people are known as 'looked after children' (they were previously known as 'children in care or under supervision'). This indicator provides information on the type of accomodation younger looked after children are placed in while under the care of the local authority. The two broad types of accommodation are in the community and residential. Possible types of community accommodation are: At home with parent(s), With friends/relatives who are not approved foster carers. Also referred to as 'kinship care', With foster carers, With prospective adopters and Other community. Other community includes supported accommodation and hospital at birth. Possible types of residential accommodation are: Local authority home, Voluntary home, Residential school, Secure accommodation, Crisis care (such as a women's refuge, hostel for offenders) and Other residential (a known residential setting but does not fit with listed Residential categories). Further information on Child Social Work statistics is available on [the Scottish Government website](http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Children/PubChildrenSocialWork)
issued: 2026-08-13T09:47:23.562694
modified: 2026-08-13T09:48:41.587437
version notes: Revisions and corrections to this publication are dealt with in accordance with [the Scottish Governments published policy](https://www2.gov.scot/Topics/Statistics/About/CPSonRevisionsCorrections).
contact point: Organization
contact point: Kind
theme: Children and Young People
accuracy: The accuracy of these data is high. The data comes from local authority administrative databases and the data are complete as far as this is possible. Correct use of coding and interpretation of categories are investigated and improved at annual data meetings with local authorities. Accuracy of recording data is ensured through validation checks undertaken by the Children and Families statistics team as part of the quality assurance process of preparing the annual Children's Social Work Statistics publication. These procedures include trend analysis, comparing against other available sources, and checking outliers with data providers. Local authorities are then asked to confirm their data. This updated version 2018 version contains figure for Glasgow for 2017 as Glasgow is currently in the middle of agreeing with the Scottish Government a data sharing agreement.
comment: Information about the number of looked after children by type of care setting.
completeness: These data are primarily produced for the non-expert user. Contextual information on the process by which children become looked after and comparisons of looked after children in Scotland compared to the rest of the UK is available in the Children's Social Work Statistics publication. Excel versions of all tables in Children's Social Work Statistics are also published on the Scottish Government website.
confidentiality: Observations where the number of individuals in a location or setting is less than 5 have been suppressed in order to maintain confidentiality
consistency: These are the only national figures on the number of looked after children in Scotland. There are some statistics that cover other parts of social work services. The Scottish Children's Reporter Adminstration (SCRA) produce statistics on the number of children referred to the Reporter, after which some children become looked after, but this is not the only route to becoming looked after.
geographical coverage: S12
geographical coverage: S92
license id: uk-ogl
next update: 2024-05-01
quality management: The United Kingdom Statistics Authority has designated these statistics as National Statistics, in accordance with the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007 and signifying compliance with [the Code of Practice for Official Statistics](https://www.statisticsauthority.gov.uk/code-of-practice/). Designation can be interpreted to mean that the statistics: meet identified user needs; are produced, managed and disseminated to high standards; and are explained well.
reference period: PeriodOfTime
  end date: 2022
  start date: 2009
timeliness: Data are collected, validated and published in as timely manner as possible in accordance with the Statistics Code of Practice. Data are published annually. The data collection year runs from August to July and data are published the following March.
uniqueness: Not assessed
update frequency: annual
validity: The coverage of these data are absolute. These data are collated from local authorities' records of looked after children under their care.
will be updated: true

looked-after-children.csv
type: Distribution
description: Data file for Looked After Children
format: CSV
issued: 2026-08-13T09:48:41.597278
modified: 2026-08-13T09:48:41.593408
table schema: Schema
  column: Column
    datatype: text
    name: Units
  column: Column
    datatype: int
    name: DateCode
  column: Column
    datatype: text
    name: Measurement
  column: Column
    datatype: text
    name: Residential Status
  column: Column
    datatype: float
    name: Value
  column: Column
    datatype: text
    name: GeographyName
  column: Column
    datatype: text
    name: GeographyCode
  column: Column
    datatype: text
    name: GeographyType
access URL: https://admin.data.gov.scot/resource/08744c2f-657f-402e-b6df-1e9d4e94a485/download
comment: Information about the number of looked after children by type of care setting.
dictionary: Column
  column: Value
  type: float
dictionary: Column
  column: GeographyType
  type: text
dictionary: Column
  column: Measurement
  type: text
dictionary: Column
  column: Residential Status
  type: text
dictionary: Column
  column: GeographyCode
  type: text
dictionary: Column
  column: DateCode
  type: int
dictionary: Column
  column: GeographyName
  type: text
dictionary: Column
  column: Units
  type: text

Scottish Government
type: Agent

Children and Young People
type: Concept