HUNDREDS of kids in Barnsley spent their Christmas in foster care, new figures have revealed.

The figures, from the Department for Education, show 348 children were being looked after by Barnsley Council as of the end of March 2022.

Of these, 256 were due to spend Christmas in foster care, and 24 in secure units, children's homes or semi-independent accommodation.

The same data shows there were 161 children under ten years old being looked after by the council, and 11 unaccompanied asylum seekers.

Across the country, more than 80,000 children are being looked after by their local authority.