Children in care & care leavers
Headlines As at 31st of March 2023 there were 636 children in care (CiC) in Wakefield was a decrease from the total of 650 in March 2022. The rate of children in care in Wakefield (per 10,000 population) was 85 in 2023 which was higher than the national rate of 71 but much lower than
Children with Child Protection Plans (CPP)
Headlines Child protection activity increased significantly in 2025 (figure 1). The rate of Section 47 Investigations reached 302.9 per 10,000 children, the highest rate recorded during the period shown and 5% above the Statistical Neighbour average. Performance against statutory timescales for Initial Child Protection Conferences remained strong (figure 2). In 2025, 81.2% of conferences were
Children with need (CiN)
Headlines From a peak in 2020, there has been a decreasing in the rate of referrals to Children’s Social Care (per 10,000 population) in the last 3 years and the Wakefield rate is lower than its comparators. In 2023, there was a further reduction in the rate of children in need which has decreased over...
Maternity
Published: July 2023 There were 3,067 births to Wakefield resident mothers in 2022/2023. Headlines Obesity in early pregnancy is on the rise, from 26.2% in 2019/20 to 30.6% in 2022/23. Smoking in early pregnancy has decreased, from 23.1% in 2013/14 to 16.0% in 2022/23. Smoking at delivery has also decreased, from 22.0% in 2013/14 to
Special Educational Needs
Published: September 2023 Last updated: September 2025 Headlines In Wakefield in the 2024/25 academic year a total of 11,751 school age pupils have been identified as formally requiring extra help at school due to having special educational needs (SEN). This is 20% of the pupil population, about 1 in 5 pupils. 8,538 pupils receive SEN...
Young carers (aged 5-24)
Published: January 2026 For data on adult carers, please see the unpaid adult carers page. The health outcomes of a young carer often differ from their peers as they put the needs of the person they care for before their own. Being a young carer can have both positive and negative effects on a young...