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 January 2026, Cafcass received 5,395 new children's cases (7,679 children).
• The average daily demand level in January 2026 was 257 children's cases per working day compared to 215 children's cases received per working day during January 2025.
• The number of open outstanding children's cases at the end of January 2026 was 28,421 children's cases, this is +3.2% / 879 children's more cases compared to January 2025. There are currently 44,913 children on open children's cases which is 759 (1.7%) more than in January 2025.

• An increase in total case demand (+6.0% / +2,732 children's cases / +3,636 children compared to the same period last year)
• An increase in public law children's cases (+3.3% / +449 children's cases / +733 children)
• An increase in private law children's cases (+7.1% / +2,283 children's cases / +2,903 children) 

Between 1 April 2025 and 31 January 2026, Cafcass received 13,981 new public law children’s cases, involving 22,323 children.

Between 1 April 2025 and 31 January 2026, Cafcass received 9,971 new S31 Care Applications, involving 16,325 children.

S31 care applications have increased by 4.4% (+422 applications) compared to the same period last year with an increase in children involved (+748 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 2025 and 31 January 2026, Cafcass received 34,540 new private law children’s cases, involving 51,864 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 January 2025. There are currently 28,421 open children’s cases. This is +879 more children's cases (+3.2%) than the same time last year. These children’s cases involve 44,913 children, which is +759 more children (+1.7%) compared to the same month last year. 

Cafcass had 11,082 open public law children's cases at the end of January 2026, involving 19,345 children. This is -54 (-0.5%) fewer children's cases and -151 (-0.8%) fewer children compared to the same month last year. 

Cafcass had 17,339 open private law children's cases at the end of January 2026, involving 25,568 children. This is 933 (5.7%) more children's cases and 910 (+3.7%) more children compared to the same month last year.