Our data
Trends over time
Cafcass private law and public law demand statistics are published on the tenth working day of each month. If you have any queries about the statistics, please contact us via our website form.
1 April 2025 – 31 August 2025
Headline findings
In August 2025 Cafcass received 4,502 new children's cases (6,885 children)
The average daily demand level in August 2025 was 225 children's cases per working day compared to 215 children's cases received per working day during August 2024.
The number of open outstanding children's cases at the end of August 2025 is 27,021, this is -3.8% / -1,071 children's cases compared to August 2024. There are currently 43,390 children on open cases.
For the financial year to date (April 2025 - August 2025), the main changes are:
- An increase in total case demand (+3.1% / +702 children's cases / +1,055 children compared to the same period last year)
- An increase in public law children's cases (+5.3% / +364 children's cases / +631 children)
- An increase in private law children's cases (+2.1% / +338 children's cases / +424 children)
Public law children’s cases (Financial year: 1 April 2025 – 31 August 2025)
Between 1 April 2025 and 31 August 2025, Cafcass received 7,219 new public law children’s cases, involving 11,558 children.
S31 Care Applications (Financial year: 1 April 2025 – 31 August 2025)
Between 1 April 2025 and 31 August 2025, Cafcass received 5,115 new S31 Care Applications, involving 8,416 children.
S31 care applications have increased by 6.6% (+316 applications) compared to the same period last year with an increase in children involved (+591 children) received between 1 April 2025 and 31 August 2025.
Please note that applications include those made on existing children’s cases as well as new public law children’s cases received in the period.
Our public law data shows regularly updated statistics covering both national and local trends for:
- the total number of public law cases
- the number of care order applications made by local authorities and the number of children involved (monthly)
- the length of time taken to complete care and supervision proceedings (quarterly)
- number of care order applications by local authorities in England (quarterly)
- the rate of care order applications per ten thousand children population by local authorities in England (annually).
View our public law demand spreadsheet, which includes open children’s cases as well as the number of children subject to S31 Care applications per 10,000 population.
Private law children’s cases (Financial Year: 1 April 2025 – 31 August 2025)
Between 1 April 2025 and 31 August 2025, Cafcass received 16,448 new private law children’s cases, involving 24,916 children.
Private law demand is generally used to refer to applications made following a divorce or separation about the arrangements for children, such as where a child will live or with whom a child will spend time.
View our private law demand spreadsheet, which includes open children’s cases.
Open children’s cases (August 2025 snapshot)
Open children’s cases have decreased in comparison to August 2024. There are currently 27,021 open children’s cases. This is -1,071 fewer children's cases (-3.8%) than the same time last year. These children’s cases involve 43,390 children, which is -2,307 fewer children (-5.0%) compared to the same month last year.
Cafcass had 11,214 open public law children's cases at the end of August 2025, involving 19,538 children. This is -207 (-1.8%) fewer children's cases and -489 (-2.4%) fewer children compared to the same month last year.
Cafcass had 15,807 open private law children's cases at the end of August 2025, involving 23,852 children. This is -864 (-5.2%) fewer children's cases and -1,818 (-7.1%) fewer children compared to the same month last year.