Number of children in care being placed with families falls

Island Family Placement Service figures drop from 75% to 69%

The rate of children in care being placed with families has dropped to its lowest level in some time.

The Island's Family Placement Service aims to have 75% of those in care looked after by either relatives and friends, or foster carers.

However, in June this year, the figure dropped to 69%, with the rest placed in children homes, living semi-independently or in secure accommodation.

The service says this is the lowest it's been for some time, and reflects the transformation of the system that's recently been taking place.

There's also been an increase in the number of children being placed at the secure care home Cronk Sollysh, with 29 at the facility last year, compared to seven in 2017 and 12 the year before.