CHILDREN’S welfare bosses are making more youngsters subject to care proceedings through the courts, according to latest figures.

Lancashire County Council bosses applied for 203 orders in 2010-2011 up from 181 in 2010-2011.

While in 2011-12, Blackburn with Darwen Council applied for 56 care orders, down one on the previous year.

According to the Cafcass, Children’s and Family Court Advisory and Support Service, report in 2010-2011 Blackburn with Darwen Council took action against 14.6 per 10,000 children who were ‘suffering or is likely to suffer significant harm’.

In 2007 the figure stood at 8.8 per 10,000.

In Lancashire it equated to 8.3 per 10,000 children in 2010-2011. The national average stands at 9.2 per 10,000.

The report was compiled following the harrowing Baby P case.

It suggests that child care applications had increased on the back of the inquiry.

Children’s bosses in East Lancashire have said they are working to prevent child care orders being place on children.

Coun Maureen Bateson, Blackburn with Darwen Council's executive member for children's services, said: “There are many challenges which we are continuing to face.

“The families we are working with are really feeling the financial strain.

“We are seeing increases in problems such as drug or alcohol abuse and domestic violence.

“We are currently running a pilot early intervention programme in this borough where we seek to work with whole family at the earliest opportunity to address their individual needs – the aim being to work alongside the family to prevent them getting to crisis point.

“The increase is also partly due to a better understanding of the issues among the professionals we work with such as in health and education.”

Louise Taylor, Lancashire County Council director of specialist services, said: “The figures show the number of children subject to care proceedings in Lancashire are below the national and regional averages.

“This is in part because we have prioritised our early intervention and prevention services alongside partner organisations in health education and the voluntary sector with the aim of preventing children from coming into the care system.

“In addition we are ensuring those children who do enter the care system are benefiting from improvements in the county council’s fostering and adoption services.”