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 March 2026
Headline findings
- In March 2026 Cafcass received 5,691 new children's cases (8,710 children), this represents the highest monthly demand since March 2021.
- The average daily demand level in March 2026 was 259 children's cases per working day compared to 230 children's cases received per working day during March 2025
- There were 29,313 open outstanding children's cases at the end of March 2026, this is 6.5% / +1,784 children's cases (+2,285 children) compared to March 2025. There are currently 46,501 children on open children's cases which is 642 (1.4%) more than February 2026.
For the financial year to date (1 April 2025 – 31 March 2026) totals, the main changes are:
- Total children’s case demand increased by 7.2% compared with the same period last financial year (+3,982 children’s cases and +6,018 children).
- New children’s case demand increased for all of Cafcass’ operational service areas during the financial year, although the scale of increase varied by region.
- Public law demand increased by 4.7% (+769 children’s cases and +1,284 children) and was consistently elevated throughout the year.
- Private law demand increased by 8.2% (+3,213 children’s cases and +4,734 children), with much of the growth taking place in the second half of the financial year.
Public law children’s cases (financial year to date: 1 April 2025 – 31 March 2026)
Between 1 April 2025 and 31 March 2026, Cafcass received 16,975 new public law children’s cases, involving 27,182 children.
S31 Care Applications (financial year to date: 1 April 2025 – 31 March 2026)
Between 1 April 2025 and 31 March 2026, Cafcass received 12,082 new S31 Care Applications, involving 19,846 children.
S31 care applications have increased by 5.4% (+621 applications) compared to the same period last year with an increase in children involved (+1,149 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.
Private law children’s cases (financial year to date: 1 April 2025 – 31 March 2026)
Between 1 April 2025 and 31 March 2026, Cafcass received 42,172 new private law children’s cases, involving 63,879 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 (March 2026 snapshot)
Open children’s cases have increased in comparison to March 2025. There are currently 29,313 open children’s cases. This is +1,784 more children's cases (+6.5%) than the same time last year. These children’s cases involve 46,501 children, which is +2,285 more children (+5.2%) compared to the same month last year.
Cafcass had 11,313 open public law children's cases at the end of March 2026, involving 19,779 children. This is +267 (+2.4%) more children's cases and +434 (+2.2%) more children compared to the same month last year.
Cafcass had 18,000 open private law children's cases at the end of March 2026, involving 26,722 children. This is +1,517 (+9.2%) more children's cases and +1,851 (+7.4%) more children compared to the same month last year.