NEWLY released figures show that the number of Bradford children in council care who were successfully adopted or placed under "special guardianship orders" rose in the past year.

In the 12 months leading up to the end of March, 75 children in the district were adopted, up from 59 the year before. In the same period the number placed under special guardianship orders, where children are taken on by a new family, but the legal relationship with there parents is not severed, rose from 41 to 49.

The rising numbers mean the number of children in care has fallen in the past year.

The figures are part of a report into the workloads of the children's social care that will be presented to Bradford Council's Children's Scrutiny Committee on Tuesday.

The report also reveals that Bradford is ahead of the national average when it comes to long term stability of children in its care. 72 per cent of children who have been under council care for two and a half years or more have been in the same placement for at least two years. The national average is 67 per cent.

The council currently looks after 880 children, a drop from 909 in September 2014.

The number of social workers employed by the council has risen in recent months - there are now 196 full time social workers in children's services compared to 187 a year ago. Each worker has an average caseload of 14 cases, down from 16.4 last year.

The number of children on child protection plans has also fallen - dropping from 675 in July 2014 to 531. The past year has also seen the highest rate of child protection plans ending - 620 in one year.

Emotional abuse remains the main reason for children being put on such plans - 43 per cent. Other reasons include neglect, 39 per cent, physical abuse, 12 per cent, and sexual abuse, six per cent.

But the number of children put on a protection plan for the second time in two years rose from 2.1 per cent last year to 5.5 per cent this year.

The council started an adoption forum last year, and it meets quarterly to bring different groups and individuals together to offer advice about adoption.

On the increased number of children adopted in the past year, Councillor Ralph Berry, executive for children and adult social services on the council, said: "It is a good step forward as long as the right decisions are being made for these children.

"The most important thing is that children are getting a permanent, lasting, supportive placement. That is why we set up the adoption forum, so we can really start looking at how schools can help our looked after children."

The committee meets in City Hall at 4.30pm on Tuesday.