Average length of care proceedings at nine-year high

The duration of care proceedings reached 43 weeks in January-March this year, the highest average since mid-2012 and more than 17 weeks above target levels.

Ministry of Justice (MoJ) figures showed that just 22% of proceedings were completed within the government’s 26-week target in the first three months of the year, 14 percentage points less than during the same period in 2020.

Sector figures said the chances of meeting the 26-week target, which has not been achieved in five years, were becoming “vanishingly small” and that other measures of success should be prioritised.

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