Our data

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.

• In September 2026 Cafcass received 4,928 new children's cases (7,378 children)
• The average daily demand level in September 2026 was 224 children's cases per working day compared with 227 children's cases received per working day during September 2025
• There were 28,675 open outstanding children's cases at the end of September 2026, this is +5.2% / +1,407 children's cases compared with September 2025. There are currently 45,705 children on open children's cases.

• An increase in total case demand (+7.4% / +2,097 children's cases / +2,879 children compared with the same period last year) 
• An increase in public law children's cases (+3.4% / +289 children's cases / +103 children) 
• An increase in private law children's cases (+9.1% / +1,808 children's cases / +2,776 children)

Between 1 April 2026 and 30 September 2026, Cafcass received 8,855 new public law children’s cases, involving 13,907 children.

Between 1 April 2026 and 30 September 2026, Cafcass received 6,252 new S31 Care Applications, involving 10,141 children.

S31 Care Applications have increased by 2.6% (+159 applications) compared with the same period last year with a 1.1% increase in the number of children involved (+108 children).

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.

Between 1 April 2026 and 30 September 2026, Cafcass received 21,725 new private law children’s cases, involving 32,884 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 have increased in comparison to September 2025. There are currently 28,675 open children’s cases. This is +1,407 more children's cases (+5.2%) than the same time last year. These children’s cases involve 45,705 children, which is +1,906 more children (+4.4%) compared with the same month last year. 

Cafcass had 11,579 open public law children's cases at the end of September 2026, involving 19,949 children. This is +372 (+3.3%) more children's cases and +394 (+2.0%) more children compared with the same month last year. 

Cafcass had 17,096 open private law children's cases at the end of September 2026, involving 25,756 children. This is +1,035 (+6.4%) more children's cases and +1,512 (+6.2%)