recent phases, with Phase 7 (2019–20) marking the point at which numbers stabilised. Between Phases 8 and 9, the most recent phases, there was a 2% increase. As noted below, the number of unaccompanied asylum-seeking (UAS) children in care has increased year on year, with UAS children now representing around 8.5% of all children in care (about 7,106 children according to the latest SP data). The care population excluding UAS children would therefore be around 76,000, in line with 2017–18 levels. The overall picture of numbers of children and young people in care across five age groupings shows that the most significant increase of any age group is 16 years old and over. Children aged 10–15 make up the largest cohort (38%) of the care population. Figure 17: Children in care on 31 March by age group. Source: SP9 respondents. The England numbers are extrapolated from 123 local authority responses based on the proportion of the England population. Please note that data labels have been added to highlight trends in the charts, but not all data labels are added due to limited space. Figure 18 below shows the reduction in care entrants in the 2021–22 pandemic period, other than for the children aged 16 and over, which continued on its sharp upward trajectory, 49 increasing by 350% since the start of the SP data series. Other age groups have all increased between SP8 and SP9, apart from the under ones, which fell by 2%. As ever, aggregated data mask the detail of different approaches taken locally. More detailed investigation would be required to understand whether or to what extent the increased proactive support to parents pre-birth that is taking place in many local areas might be contributing to this reduction in care placements for under ones. Evidence from research and fr