Care order applications buck the national trend

Rochdale Borough Council has bucked the national trend with a decrease in child care applications in the past year. The council made 71 applications for care orders in 2011/12 - compared with 80 applications in 2010/11.

The annual number of applications from local councils in England to take children into care has exceeded 10,000 for the first time, according to official figures released by the courts advisory service, Cafcass.

Speaking to the BBC, the chief executive of Cafcass, Anthony Douglas, said that the "intensive reviewing" of cases following the Baby P case had contributed to the rise.

"We have become less tolerant of neglect, which is good for children", he added.