About this release
This statistical release provides national and local authority (LA) level information on the outcomes for children who have been looked after continuously for at least 12 months at 31 March 2018, by local authorities in England. LA level data is published for the local authority that looks after the child. LA level data is provided as underlying data.
All figures are based on data collected annually through the children looked after return (also known as SSDA903) which is completed each spring by all local authorities in England. Further details on which children are included in the data collection can be found in the children looked after return collection guide.
Information on attainment, special educational needs (SEN), absence and exclusions are based on looked after children data that has been matched to attainment, school census, alternative provision census and where applicable pupil referral unit (PRU) census data. Where possible, figures are presented for the last five years to allow comparisons back to 2014 (or 2013 in the case of exclusions).
Following on from the GCSE reforms, key stage 4 outcomes figures for 2018 reflect the changes that have been implemented in the main key stage 4 statistical publication. As last year, there are two tables at national level at key stage 4; both provide additional breakdowns of the Progress 8 measure (school type and length of most recent period of care).
The methodology document for this release has been incorporated into the looked after children statistics guide that was published for the first time in December 2017. The looked after children statistics guide covers both the looked after children main statistical publications as well as this release and is published alongside both publications here. In 2018, data on health, wellbeing and offending outcomes, were published in the main looked after children statistics release in November. An update to this guide will be published in May 2019.
Information on the attainment outcomes of previously looked after (PLAC) who left care through an adoption, special guardianship or child arrangements order children looked after continuously for at least 12 months at 31 March 2018 will be published in May 2019
