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 – 1 June 2025
Headline findings
- In June 2025 Cafcass received 4,780 new children's cases (7,087 children)
- The average daily demand level in June 2025 was 228 children's cases per working day compared to 200 children's cases received per working day during June 2024
- The number of open outstanding children's cases at the end of June 2025 is at 27,284 children's cases, this is -5.8% / -1,670 children's cases compared to June 2024. There are currently 43,681 children on open children's cases.
For the financial year to date (April 2025 - June 2025), the main changes are:
- An increase in total case demand (+5.5% / +741 children's cases / +773 children compared to the same period last year)
- An increase in public law children's cases (+10.3% / +400 children's cases / +585 children)
- An increase in private law children's cases (+3.6% / +341 children's cases / +188 children)
Public law children’s cases (Financial year: 1 April 2025 – 30 June 2025)
Between 1 April 2025 and 30 June 2025, Cafcass received 4,301 new public law children’s cases, involving 6,837 children.
S31 Care Applications (Financial year: 1 April 2025 – 30 June 2025)
Between 1 April 2025 and 30 June 2025, Cafcass received 3,031 new S31 Care Applications, involving 4,924 children.
S31 care applications have increased by 10.9% (+298 applications) compared to the same period last year with an increase in children involved (+455 children) received between 1 April 2025 and 30 June 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 – 30 June 2025)
Between 1 April 2025 and 30 June 2025, Cafcass received 9,822 new private law children’s cases, involving 14,671 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 (June 2025 snapshot)
Open children’s cases have decreased in comparison to June 2024. There are currently 27,284 open children’s cases. This is –1,670 fewer children's cases (-5.8%) than the same time last year. These children’s cases involve 43,681 children, which is –3,599 fewer children (-7.6%) compared to the same month last year.
Cafcass had 11,199 open public law children's cases at the end of June 2025, involving 19,503 children. This is -367 (-3.2%) fewer children's cases and -945 (-4.6%) fewer children compared to the same month last year.
Cafcass had 16,085 open private law children's cases at the end of June 2025, involving 24,178 children. This is –1,303 (-7.5%) fewer children's cases and –2,654 (-9.9%) fewer children compared to the same month last year.