In this report, of the 9,744 children in care during January 2023 or children who left care since April 2018, 77% (or 7,534) were successfully linked to other pseudonymised administrative data sources (using a Protected Identifier Key or PIK allocated, see Background and Methodology). This report presents a statistical educational thematic overview of the linked children in care only. The total number of children in care published elsewhere may differ as overall figures depend on the date of the extract and definitions used. Note that the data presented here excludes children falling under the Social Work Team for Separated Children Seeking International Protection as not included in the administrative Tusla data available to the CSO. In December 2022, 129 children in care fell under this category.
There were 5,622 children in care in January 2023, of which 5,112 were included (linkable to other pseudonymised administrative data sources) in the analysis of this report, see Table 6.1. While the age and sex distribution were reasonably similar, unmatched records were more likely to not have nationality recorded.
The total number of children who left care since April 2018 was 4,105, of which 2,422 could be matched to other pseudonymised administrative data sources and so included in the analysis of this report, see Table 6.2. Of the 2,422 children who left care since April 2018 and whose records were included in the analysis, 1,844 were 18 and over in January 2023. Note that persons 18 -20 were more likely to be matched to administrative data than children under 18 years of age.
Table 6.3 provides information on the combined children in care in January 2023 or who left care since April 2018 by matched and unmatched records. Records of children aged 1 and under, and aged 21 and over, were less likely to be matched.
Table 6.4 and Figure 6.1, 6.2, 6.3 and 6.4 show the children in care and all children by single year of age and shows the age distribution of children in care and all children is different.
| X-axis label | Children in care in January 2023 |
|---|---|
| Age 1 and under | 2.3 |
| Age 2 | 2.1 |
| Age 3 | 2.6 |
| Age 4 | 3.3 |
| Age 5 | 4.4 |
| Age 6 | 4.4 |
| Age 7 | 4.8 |
| Age 8 | 5.9 |
| Age 9 | 5.9 |
| Age 10 | 7 |
| Age 11 | 7.3 |
| Age 12 | 7.3 |
| Age 13 | 7.7 |
| Age 14 | 8.3 |
| Age 15 | 8.1 |
| Age 16 | 8.4 |
| Age 17 | 10 |
| X-axis label | Children who left care since April 2018 |
|---|---|
| Age 1 and under | 0.6 |
| Age 2 | 0.7 |
| Age 3 | 0.9 |
| Age 4 | 0.9 |
| Age 5 | 1.1 |
| Age 6 | 1.1 |
| Age 7 | 1.2 |
| Age 8 | 1.2 |
| Age 9 | 1 |
| Age 10 | 1.3 |
| Age 11 | 1.2 |
| Age 12 | 2.2 |
| Age 13 | 1.4 |
| Age 14 | 2.2 |
| Age 15 | 1.9 |
| Age 16 | 2.2 |
| Age 17 | 2.6 |
| Age 18 | 20.2 |
| Age 19 | 21 |
| Age 20 | 18.2 |
| Age 21 | 10.7 |
| Age 22 | 5.7 |
| Age 23 | 0.3 |
| X-axis label | Children in care |
|---|---|
| Age 1 and under | 1.8 |
| Age 2 | 1.7 |
| Age 3 | 2.1 |
| Age 4 | 2.6 |
| Age 5 | 3.4 |
| Age 6 | 3.3 |
| Age 7 | 3.6 |
| Age 8 | 4.4 |
| Age 9 | 4.3 |
| Age 10 | 5.2 |
| Age 11 | 5.3 |
| Age 12 | 5.7 |
| Age 13 | 5.7 |
| Age 14 | 6.4 |
| Age 15 | 6.1 |
| Age 16 | 6.4 |
| Age 17 | 7.6 |
| Age 18 | 6.5 |
| Age 19 | 6.7 |
| Age 20 | 5.9 |
| Age 21 | 3.5 |
| Age 22 | 1.8 |
| Age 23 | 0.1 |
| X-axis label | All children |
|---|---|
| Age 1 and under | 6.1 |
| Age 2 | 3.5 |
| Age 3 | 3.7 |
| Age 4 | 3.9 |
| Age 5 | 4.1 |
| Age 6 | 4.3 |
| Age 7 | 4.4 |
| Age 8 | 4.6 |
| Age 9 | 4.6 |
| Age 10 | 4.7 |
| Age 11 | 4.8 |
| Age 12 | 4.8 |
| Age 13 | 4.8 |
| Age 14 | 4.8 |
| Age 15 | 4.6 |
| Age 16 | 4.4 |
| Age 17 | 4.2 |
| Age 18 | 4.2 |
| Age 19 | 4.1 |
| Age 20 | 4 |
| Age 21 | 3.8 |
| Age 22 | 3.8 |
| Age 23 | 3.7 |
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