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 2024 – 31 March 2025
Headline findings
In March 2025 Cafcass received 4,904 new children's cases (7,460 children)
The average daily demand level in March 2025 was 234 children's cases per working day compared to 240 children's cases received per working day during March 2024
The number of open outstanding children's cases at the end of March 2025 is at 27,529 children's cases, this is -9.0% / -2,725 children's cases compared to March 2024. There are currently 44,216 children on open children's cases.
For the financial year to date (April 2024 - 31 March 2025), the main changes are:
A decrease in total case demand (-0.3% / -167 children's cases / -840 children compared to the same period last year)
An increase in public law children's cases (+0.7% / +117 children's cases / -151 children)
A decrease in private law children's cases (-0.7% / -284 children's cases / -689 children)
Public law children’s cases (Financial year: 1 April 2024 – 31 March 2025)
Between 1 April 2024 and 31 March 2025, Cafcass received 16,195 new public law children’s cases, involving 25,801 children.
S31 Care Applications (Financial year: 1 April 2024 – 31 March 2025)
Between 1 April 2024 and 31 March 2025, Cafcass received 11,430 new S31 Care Applications, involving 16,687 children.
S31 care applications have decreased by 0.4% (-46 applications) compared to the same period last year with a decrease in children involved (-205 children) received between 1 April 2024 and 31 March 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 2024 – 31 March 2025)
Between 1 April 2024 and 31 March 2025, Cafcass received 39,182 new private law children’s cases, involving 59,471 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 2025 snapshot)
Open children’s cases have decreased in comparison to March 2024. There are currently 27,529 open children’s cases. This is -2,725 children's cases (-9.0%) than the same time last year. These children’s cases involve 44,216 children, which is -4,525 fewer children (-9.3%) compared to the same month last year.
Cafcass had 11,046 open public law children's cases at the end of March 2025, involving 19,345 children. This is -829 (-7.0%) children's cases and -1,701 (-8.1%) fewer children compared to the same month last year.
Cafcass had 16,483 open private law children's cases at the end of March 2025, involving 24,871 children. This is –1,896 (-10.3%) children's cases and –2,824 (-10.2%) fewer children compared to the same month last year.