The Law Society has warned that greater resources are needed to prevent a crisis in the care system as the number of applications soars to record levels.

Annual figures released by the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass) show that for the first time care applications in the UK topped 10,000 last year. The total of 10,199 new care applications was 11% up on the previous year. The January 2012 total of 912 was the highest ever recorded in a single month.

Law Society president John Wotton said more resources are required at an early stage ‘to prevent a crisis’. He said that the £2,225 application fee is a drain on local authorities’ resources. Naomi Angell, co-chair of the Law Society’s family law committee, said that the record number of cases creates ‘huge ramifications for solicitors, guardians, the courts and the care system’.

The volume of cases could undermine the government’s 26-week target for dealing with care cases, she said. ‘We aren’t able to get court dates because the care system is so overloaded.’

Cafcass chief executive Anthony Douglas said the rise in cases could not be blamed on risk aversion on the part of social workers. The atmosphere of panic that led to a spike in applications after the Baby P case has passed, he said.

‘What has remained is the high level of intolerance of children living in these desperate situations. We have evidence that children are not being dragged into the system needlessly - more of them are being protected,’ he added.