Annual care applications to Cafcass hit all-time high

The annual number of local authority care applications has hit an all-time high, breaking the 10,000 mark, according to the latest Cafcass figures.

The family courts body received 10,199 new applications between April 2011 and March 2012, a 10.8% rise on the same period last year. It is the first time the organisation has received more than 10,000 referrals in one year.

Local authorities in England made 886 care applications last month, just 10 short of the highest figure ever recorded for March. January 2012 recorded the highest ever number for a single month, with 912 care applications.

Referrals have risen consistently since November 2008 when news broke of thedeath