A RECORD number of children were in care in Northumberland last year, new figures show.

Children’s charities are calling on the Government to invest in a national campaign to recruit more foster carers and provide sufficient funding to ensure there are residential care places available for children who need them.

Department for Education figures show there were 450 looked after children – those placed under the care of the council – in Northumberland as of March 2023.

This was the highest figure since comparable records began in 2009-10 and a rise from the previous high of 436 in 2021.

Across England there were 83,840 children in care – up 2 per cent from 2022 and a record high number. Of these, 17,630 were placed more than 20 miles from their home, including 118 children from Northumberland.

Paul Carberry, chief executive at Action for Children, said: “So many children being sent far away from home is one symptom of a broken children’s social care system.

“Much more needs to be done to increase capacity in the provision of safe and stable homes for looked after children."

A Department for Education spokesperson said: “We want all children to have the chance to reach their potential and grow up in a safe and stable home.

“Our ambitious children’s social care reforms should reduce the need for young people to be moved out of area, unless this is the right decision to protect them from risks such as violence or exploitation.

“We are investing £400 million to support local areas develop children’s homes so individuals can be placed closer to home and reduce local government reliance on costly emergency places for children.”