A shocking number of children across Southport are living in care

A shocking number of children across Southport are living in care.

Across the whole of England the number has jumped by 27% in the last decade, with 75,420 children now in care, according to the latest figures released by the children’s charity Barnardo’s.

The number in Merseyside has risen, with 480 more children in care in 2018 compared to 2014.

Barnardo’s foster carers look after hundreds of children but the charity is concerned there are not enough suitable foster families to take care of the increasing numbers of vulnerable children in care.

It’s estimated that fostering services across the North West need to recruit at least a further 1,240 foster families in the next 12 months alone.