Two Midland local authorities have among the highest number of children in care in England, worrying figures reveal.

Department for Education figures, exclusively obtained by the Birmingham Post , show that Wolverhampton and Dudley are among the top ten areas in the country with the highest proportions of children in care in 2014 compared with 2010.

In Wolverhampton, the number of children going into care has increased by a staggering 86 per cent over the past four years – from 405 in 2010 to 770 this year.

It means that, as of March 2014, there were 136 children in care for every 10,000 children living in the city, the second highest proportion of children in care for any local authority in England.

Only Blackpool had a higher rate, with 152 children in care per 10,000 living in the area.

Elsewhere in the West Midlands, Dudley also had a high proportion of children in care with 112 for every 10,000.

The number of children in care in the town jumped from 610 in 2010 to 755 this year.

The news looked better for other parts of the region, with the numbers of care cases falling in some areas.

Birmingham saw its numbers reduce from 2,025 four years ago to 1,800 this year, which works out at 65 children in care per 10,000 of the city's population of children.

It was revealed last month that Birmingham City Council's five remaining children's homes are to be handed over to outside operator because the local authority has admitted they will do a better job.

But the move is set to be opposed by staff unions who say that failures are a result of cuts over five years and that problems will worsen with private operators.

The council's Labour cabinet approved the transfer of the homes and all 107 staff to a provider which will be appointed next year.

Children's homes have been under the spotlight as part of wider issues faced by the council's beleaguered children's service department, which has been rated as inadequate by Ofsted for the last five years.

Failed Ofsted inspections last year led to the closure of two homes, Fairfield Children's Home, in Erdington, and Bournbrook Children's Home, in Selly Oak, after children went missing 57 times in three months in 2013.

Cabinet member for children's services Brigid Jones (Lab Selly Oak) said: "We want to ensure the quality of these homes going forward.

"But in the past the council has tried to be the jack of all trades and has ended up the master of none. Our problems in this respect have been well documented."

Across the whole of England there were 68,840 children in care at the end of March 2014, a rate of 60 for every 10,000 children.

Number of children in care:

Wolverhampton

2010, 405

2014, 770

Dudley

2010, 610

2014, 755

Walsall

2010, 495

2014, 625

Sandwell

2010, 510

2014, 357

Solihull

2010, 410

2014, 325

Birmingham

2010, 2,025

2014, 1,800

Ten local authorities with the highest proportions of children in care in 2014:

1. Blackpool – 152 children in care per 10,000

2. Wolverhampton – 136 children in care per 10,000

3. Torbay – 127 children in care per 10,000

4. Manchester – 122 children in care per 10,000

5. St Helens – 119 children in care per 10,000

6. Kingston Upon Hull – 117 children in care per 10,000

7. Dudley – 112 children in care per 10,000

8. Middlesbrough – 112 children in care per 10,000

9. Salford – 111 children in care per 10,000

10. Liverpool – 111 children in care per 10,000