As the Deputy may be aware, the High Court has jurisdiction in Wards of Court matters and management of the courts is the responsibility of the Courts Service, which is independent in exercising its functions under the Courts Service Act 1998.
However, in order to be of assistance to the Deputy, I have had enquiries made and the Courts Service has informed me that it is not possible to provide information on the number of persons currently being made a Ward of Court with reasons for the application. The Courts Service has advised that this information can be provided on a calendar year basis and that in 2016 a total of 289 adults were declared Wards of Court.
The reasons given were as follows:
Reason
|
Number of Wards of Court
|
Dementia and age related illness
|
234
|
Brain injury
|
20
|
Learning/intellectual disability
|
18
|
Psychiatric
|
7
|
Other
|
10
|