Table 1

Summary of maternal, family and child characteristics, by social care status of child during Key Stage 4

Child’s social care status during KS4
No CLA/CIN record
n=9432
CIN (no CLA) record
n=64
CLA record
n=49
% (95% CI)
Maternal and family characteristics during pregnancy*
 Maternal age (at delivery)
  ≤23 years18.4 (17.7 to 19.2)39.1 (27.0 to 51.4)28.6 (15.4 to 41.7)
  >33 years12.3 (11.6 to 12.9)7.8 (1.1 to 14.6)14.3 (4.1 to 24.5)
 Relationship status
  Married75.0 (74.1 to 75.9)53.8 (40.8 to 66.7)49.5 (34.3 to 64.8)
  Resident partner16.5 (15.7 to 17.3)17.0 (6.9 to 27.1)27.4 (13.5 to 41.3)
  Non-resident/no partner8.5 (7.9 to 9.1)29.2 (17.3 to 41.2)23.1 (9.9 to 36.3)
 Highest maternal education
  A level or degree30.7 (29.8 to 31.7)10.8 (2.3 to 19.3)11.1 (0.9 to 21.4)
  O level36.5 (35.5 to 37.5)40.7 (27.2 to 54.1)26.3 (12.1 to 40.6)
  Vocational/none32.8 (31.8 to 33.8)48.5 (34.6 to 62.5)62.5 (47.2 to 77.9)
 Financial difficulties
  Highest quartile21.2 (20.3 to 22.1)42.2 (27.6 to 56.8)46.8 (30.4 to 63.2)
 Housing tenure
  Owned/mortgaged73.7 (72.8 to 74.7)54.3 (41.4 to 67.3)33.7 (19.2 to 48.2)
 Maternal smoking
  Yes26.6 (25.7 to 27.6)41.3 (28.2 to 54.3)58.6 (42.3 to 75.0)
 Maternal alcohol—first trimester, ≥1 unit per week
  Yes15.2 (14.4 to 15.9)17.8 (7.6 to 28.0)21.7 (8.0 to 35.3)
 Maternal alcohol—second trimester, ever ≥4 units in 1 day
  Yes16.9 (16.1 to 17.6)26.7 (14.8 to 38.5)21.1 (7.6 to 34.6)
 Depression score
  Highest quartile23.4 (22.5 to 24.3)29.4 (16.4 to 42.4)47.8 (31.5 to 64.1)
 Low social support
  Yes10.3 (9.6 to 11.0)20.8 (8.7 to 32.8)25.9 (10.6 to 41.2)
Child, school and neighbourhood characteristics during KS4*
 Sex
  Female49.6 (48.6 to 50.6)51.6 (39.0 to 64.2)49.0 (34.5 to 63.5)
 Age at start of year 11
  Mean (years)15.5 (15.4 to 15.5)15.5 (15.4 to 15.6)15.5 (15.4 to 15.5)
 In receipt of free school meals
  Yes6.1 (5.6 to 6.6)26.6 (15.4 to 37.7)10.2 (1.4 to 19.0)
 Joined school during KS4
  Yes1.4 (1.1 to 1.6)7.8 (1.1 to 14.6)12.2 (2.7 to 21.8)
 Neighbourhood deprivation (IDACI)
  Low, <10%43.9 (42.9 to 44.9)20.3 (10.2 to 30.4)28.6 (15.4 to 41.7)
  High, ≥40%10.1 (9.5 to 10.7)25.0 (14.1 to 35.9)20.4 (8.7 to 32.1)
  • *For brevity, not all categories are presented for each categorical variable.

  • CIN, Children In Need; CLA, Children Looked-After; IDACI, Income Deprivation Affecting Children Index; KS4, Key Stage 4.