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<p>The department publishes information on looked-after children, child protection
plans and children in need in local authorities, including those within Wirral and
Liverpool, in the local authority interactive tool. This can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/local-authority-interactive-tool-lait"
target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/local-authority-interactive-tool-lait</a>.</p><p>There
are a range of factors that contribute to trends in demand for children’s social care
including deprivation in different local authorities. The most deprived local authorities
have more looked-after children (per 10,000 0 to 17-year-olds), and these rates have
grown faster than the least deprived local authorities. The most common factors that
present themselves in children’s social care assessments are domestic abuse and mental
health. Data on this is available in table C3 of the statistical release ‘Characteristics
of children in need 2017 to 2018’ at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/characteristics-of-children-in-need-2017-to-2018"
target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/characteristics-of-children-in-need-2017-to-2018</a>.</p><p>In
preparation for the Spending Review, to help ensure decisions are based on the best
available evidence, the government is working with the sector to develop a sharper
and more granular picture of demand for children’s services.</p><p> </p>
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