More babies are taken into care

The number of babies aged less than a year being taken into care has increased by more than a quarter in the past decade, new figures have revealed.

In 2008, 502 infants under 12 months of age started being looked after, with this jumping to 632 in 2018 - a 25.9 per cent rise.

Last year’s total was down on the 647 recorded in 2017, however, according to the latest Scottish Government figures.

Children’s social work statistics showed that at the end of July 2018 an estimated 16,751 youngsters in total were either in care or had been placed on the child protection register.

Of the 14,738 looked-after youngsters, a total of 4,063 were taken into care over the period August 2017 to July 2018 - 3 per cent less than the previous year and the sixth consecutive year the number in care has fallen.

There was a 3 per cent rise in the number of children on the child protection register, however, from an estimated 2,600 in 2017 to an estimated 2,668.

Care plans were in place for 95 per cent of the estimated 14,738 youngsters who were looked after at the end of July last year.