1. Children on the child protection register

At 31 December 2025, 2,048 children were on the child protection register in Northern Ireland, a decrease of 10.3% since 31 December 2024 (Figure 1). Table 1 sets out the children on the child protection register by age group and Health and Social Care (HSC) Trust at 31 December 2025 and Table 2 shows the trend by HSC Trust between 31 December 2024 and 31 December 2025.

The number of children on the child protection register by category of abuse, length of time on the register, and legal status by HSC Trust at 31 December 2025 are set out in Table 3, Table 4 and Table 5 respectively. Southern HSC Trust data for quarter ending December 2023 was revised in February 2024.

Figure 1: Children on the child protection register at quarter end (March 2010 to December 2025)

Data can be downloaded as Excel or CSV worksheet from the buttons below:
Figure 1.XLSX (8kB)
Figure 1.CSV (2kB)


Between 31 March 2010 and 30 June 2014 there was a general decrease in the number of children on the child protection register, followed by a gradual increase in figures until 31 December 2018. Since then, the number of children on the child protection register in Northern Ireland has remained relatively stable.

Table 1: Children on the child protection register by age and Health and Social Care Trust at 31 December 2025

HSC Trust Under 1 year 1 to 4 years 5 to 11 years 12 to 15 years 16 years and over Total
Belfast 56 85 143 80 11 375
Northern 44 107 148 87 24 410
South Eastern 31 76 153 67 28 355
Southern 43 110 195 122 44 514
Western 42 88 139 96 29 394
Northern Ireland 216 466 778 452 136 2,048

Table 2: Children on the child protection register by Health and Social Care Trust, quarter ending 31 December 2024 to 31 December 2025

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2a Count at QE

Figures at quarter ending (QE).
HSC Trust QE 31 Dec 24 QE 31 Mar 25 QE 30 Jun 25 QE 30 Sep 25 QE 31 Dec 25
Belfast 390 405 379 391 375
Northern 559 555 440 466 410
South Eastern 350 390 342 365 355
Southern 508 495 506 495 514
Western 476 438 354 356 394
Northern Ireland 2,283 2,283 2,021 2,073 2,048

2b Rate (per 10,000 population under 18) at QE

Population Source: 2024 Mid-Year Estimates for Northern Ireland (NISRA 2025) and 2023 Mid-Year Estimates for HSC Trust (NISRA 2025).

Rate is per 10,000 population aged under 18.
HSC Trust QE 31 Dec 24 QE 31 Mar 25 QE 30 Jun 25 QE 30 Sep 25 QE 31 Dec 25
Belfast 51.5 53.5 50.0 50.9 48.8
Northern 52.0 51.6 40.9 43.6 38.3
South Eastern 42.7 47.6 41.7 44.5 43.3
Southern 51.7 50.3 51.5 50.0 51.9
Western 66.5 61.2 49.5 49.6 54.9
Northern Ireland 52.5 52.5 46.5 47.6 47.0

Table 3: Children on the child protection register by category of abuse and Health and Social Care Trust at 31 December 2025

Note: [s] indicates figures that have been suppressed to avoid personal disclosure.
Category of abuse Belfast Northern South Eastern Southern Western Northern Ireland
Neglect, physical abuse and sexual abuse [s] 7 12 13 [s] 35
Neglect and physical abuse 105 90 144 139 21 499
Neglect and sexual abuse 5 [s] 10 [s] 23 54
Physical and sexual abuse [s] [s] 11 [s] [s] 26
Neglect only 127 123 54 122 275 701
Physical abuse only 116 129 92 160 8 505
Sexual abuse only 9 24 9 40 31 113
Emotional abuse only 8 30 23 22 32 115
Total 375 410 355 514 394 2,048

Table 4: Children on the child protection register by duration on the register and Health and Social Care Trust at 31 December 2025

HSC Trust Under 3 months 3 to 6 months 6 months to 1 year 1 to 2 years 2 years or more Total
Belfast 87 62 91 94 41 375
Northern 97 67 95 111 40 410
South Eastern 96 72 91 71 25 355
Southern 133 70 134 133 44 514
Western 115 66 90 91 32 394
Northern Ireland 528 337 501 500 182 2,048

Table 5: Children on the child protection register by legal status at 31 December 2025

Note: [s] indicates figures that have been suppressed to avoid personal disclosure.

Legal status Northern Ireland
Accommodated (article 21) 93
Interim care order (article 57) 50
Care order (article 50 or 59) 29
Deemed care order (paras 11 and 30 of Sch 8) [s]
Interim supervision order (article 57) [s]
Other legal status 46
No legal status 1,826
Total 2,048

2. Child Protection Referrals

At 31 December 2025, 379 child protection referrals were received in Northern Ireland; a decrease of 13.5% since 31 December 2024. Table 6 sets out the child protection referrals received by source of referral by HSC Trust at 31 December 2025 and Tables 7a and 7b show the number and rate of child protection referrals and Table 7c shows the number of significant events that led to child protection investigations by HSC Trust from quarter ending 31 December 2024 to 31 December 2025.

Southern HSC Trust data for child protection referrals, for quarter ending December 2023 was revised in February 2024, and for quarter ending September 2024 was revised in February 2025.

Belfast HSC Trust data for child protection referrals, for quarter ending December 2024 was revised in March 2025.

Please also note that Southern HSC data for significant events that subsequently led to child protection investigations, for quarter ending March 2025 was revised in May 2025.

Figure 2: Number of referrals to child protection register received at quarter end (March 2010 to December 2025)

Note 1: Please note that the figure for quarter ending September 2024 was revised in February 2025.

Note 2: Please also note that the figure for quarter ending December 2024 was revised in March 2025.

Data can be downloaded as Excel or CSV worksheet from the buttons below:
Figure 2.XLSX (8kB)
Figure 2.CSV (2kB)


Leading up to 2020, a change in reporting methodology of child protection referrals has meant referrals for children already on the social work caseload are now coded as Significant Event rather than a child protection referral. This has resulted in a series change with a sharp reduction in child protection referrals. The updated reporting methodology has been applied to HSC Trust IT systems at different times; therefore, there is no exact timestamp on the change in series.

Table 6: Child protection referrals by source of referral quarter ending 31 December 2025

Note: [s] indicates figures that have been suppressed to avoid personal disclosure.
Source of referral Northern Ireland
Police 135
School or EWO 73
Voluntary organisation 0
GP [s]
Social services 38
Community nursing [s]
Relative, neighbour or friend 7
Hospital [s]
Self [s]
Anonymous [s]
Other source of referral 111
Total 379

The trend data on the number of child protection referrals received between 31 December 2024 and 31 December 2025 by HSC Trust are set out in Tables 7a and 7b, and the number of significant events that led to child protection investigations between 31 Dec 2024 and 31 December 2025 are set out in Table 7c.

Tables 7a and b: Child protection referrals received by Health and Social Care Trust quarter ending 31 December 2024 to 31 December 2025

Note 1: Please note that Southern HSC Trust figures for quarter ending September 2024 were revised in February 2025.

Note 2: Please also note that Belfast HSC Trust figures for quarter ending December 2024 were revised in March 2025.

Select the tab to view count or rate.

7a Count at QE

Figures at quarter ending (QE).
HSC Trust QE 31 Dec 24 QE 31 Mar 25 QE 30 Jun 25 QE 30 Sep 25 QE 31 Dec 25
Belfast 56 58 48 54 62
Northern 141 113 65 91 92
South Eastern 53 64 61 46 54
Southern 82 43 50 53 80
Western 106 98 96 90 91
Northern Ireland 438 376 320 334 379

7b Rate (per 10,000 population under 18) at QE

Population Source: 2024 Mid-Year Estimates for Northern Ireland (NISRA 2025) and 2023 Mid-Year Estimates for HSC Trust (NISRA 2025).

Rate is per 10,000 population aged under 18.
HSC Trust QE 31 Dec 24 QE 31 Mar 25 QE 30 Jun 25 QE 30 Sep 25 QE 31 Dec 25
Belfast 7.4 7.7 6.3 7.0 8.1
Northern 13.1 10.5 6.0 8.5 8.6
South Eastern 6.5 7.8 7.4 5.6 6.6
Southern 8.3 4.4 5.1 5.3 8.1
Western 14.8 13.7 13.4 12.5 12.7
Northern Ireland 10.1 8.6 7.4 7.7 8.7

Table 7c: The number of significant events that subsequently led to child protection investigations by Health and Social Care Trust quarter ending 31 December 2024 to 31 December 2025

Note 1: Please note that Southern HSC Trust data for quarter ending September 2024 was revised in February 2025.

Note 2: Please also note that Southern HSC Trust data for quarter ending March 2025 was revised in May 2025.

HSC Trust QE 31 Dec 24 QE 31 Mar 25 QE 30 Jun 25 QE 30 Sep 25 QE 31 Dec 25
Belfast 123 107 70 77 78
Northern 123 120 116 76 98
South Eastern 78 83 49 90 81
Southern 181 145 142 145 199
Western 115 99 114 104 149
Northern Ireland 620 554 491 492 605

3. Download data

The data presented in the figures and tables within this publication can be downloaded in excel format by clicking the button below.

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Quarterly Data: 33 KB

Metadata

The statistics presented in these tables derive from children order returns CPR2, CPR3, CPR4 and CPR5 provided by each of the five Health and Social Care Trusts (HSC) in Northern Ireland to the SPPG (Strategic Planning and Performance Group) as well as Community Information Branch within the Department of Health. These returns are part of a wider set of annual Children Order returns which together provide statistical activity counts relating to child protection, children in need, looked after children, and children’s day care. The wider set of returns are used to produce the annual publication Children’s social care statistics in Northern Ireland, which records children’s social care data at 31 March and for year ending 31 March. A technical annex and definitions used in these tables can be found in the above publication.

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