New figures show that the number of children in care in the Isle of Wight has fallen over the last 12 months.
According to official data, there were 163 children in the care of the local authority at the end of December 2011 - a fall of 21 from December 2010.
Dawn Cousins, the Isle of Wight Council cabinet member for children's services, commented: "I am very encouraged by the figures, which show the work we are doing to support families and vulnerable children is having a positive effect, particularly when set against national figures."
She said that the council has made significant changes over the past year and new ways of working are "making a real difference".
Elsewhere in the UK, meanwhile, the number of looked-after children has risen over the last year.
One region where this is true is on Tyneside, with the council recently saying that it is struggling to fund social care services.
