THE number of children and young people taken into care has increased in York during the pandemic.

Forty children have been taken into care in just four months - meaning there are now 282 young people in care in the city.

It means there has been nearly a 40 per cent increase in the number of children in care in York since July 2018.

The council's children's social care team are seeing an increase in the complexity of cases - including issues around domestic abuse, child exploitation, the breakdown of placements and parents losing their jobs, according to Sophie Wales, City of York Council's assistant director of children's social care.

But she said the team has met with all of the most vulnerable children and contact with families has actually increased during the pandemic.

Ms Wales said foster carer recruitment has continued throughout - and that people who may not usually consider fostering, such as people with professional jobs, have been making enquiries.

She said: "We're seeing teachers contacting us, we're seeing other people during Covid that we perhaps haven't seen before, who may have now realised that they can work at home and express an interest in fostering."

"At the same time we always lose foster carers because they retire, so we're constantly seeking foster carers."

Cllr Martin Rowley asked: "With the increased need particularly for foster care, in terms of the process to become a foster carer have there been any changes that will allow a fast track application?"

But Ms Wales said delays to court hearings and DBS checks during the pandemic have caused hold-ups.

She said: "Where the challenge has been for us is around some of our external systems, such as DBS checks, so actually those are outside of our control."

To find out more visit york.gov.uk/form/FosterCareEnquiry.