MORE than 1,000 children in Cheshire East and West are in the care system, figures show.

During the first year of the coronavirus pandemic, the number of children being looked after by councils across England hit a record high, as adoption processes slowed down and youngsters spent longer in care.

Children's charity Barnardo's said the pandemic left many vulnerable children on the brink of crisis, with lockdowns and school closures meaning they often missed out on support.

Department for Education data shows 81,000 children were in care across England in March and 518 were in Cheshire East – the equivalent of 66 in every 10,000 young people in the area.

That was lower than the rate across England, where 67 in 10,000 youngsters were in care on average.

In Cheshire East the rate of looked after children fell slightly from 69 in March 2020 but was up from 63 in 2019, before the pandemic.

Of those being cared for, more than half (278) were boys, while the largest proportion were aged 10 to 15 years old.

Figures show 130 youngsters in the area started to be looked after in 2020-21.

Meanwhile, 508 children were in care in Cheshire West and Chester – the equivalent of 73 in every 10,000 young people in the area.

The rate of looked after children rose slightly from 71 in March 2020 and was up from 70 in 2019, before the pandemic.

Of those being cared for, more than half (287) were boys, while the largest proportion were aged 10 to 15 years old.

Figures show 146 youngsters in the area started to be looked after in 2020-21.

Barnardo's interim co-CEO Lynn Perry said the pandemic contributed to fewer children leaving the care system, with those who turned 18 during lockdowns allowed to stay in care placements longer.

She added: "Fewer children were identified as needing adoption because there was less contact with professionals, while for many children who were ready to move in with their adoptive families, the process was put on hold.

"However, we have been concerned for a while that numbers of adoptions are reducing, and we need to do more to ensure all children who would benefit from an adoptive placement are identified and matched with suitable parents as soon as possible."

A Government spokeswoman said it was levelling up outcomes for vulnerable children via a regional recovery fund for children's social care, and said councils were being given £4.8 billion in grant funding to maintain frontline services.

She added: "To give all children the best start in life, we are also championing and investing in family hubs, which offer early help to families in need."