Quarterly child protection statistics

1. Children on the child protection register

At 30 June 2024, 2,245 children were on the child protection register in Northern Ireland, an increase of 5.1% since 30 June 2023 (Figure 1). Table 1 sets out the children on the child protection register by age group and Health and Social Care (HSC) Trust at 30 June 2024 and Table 2 shows the trend by HSC Trust between 30 June 2023 and 30 June 2024.

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 30 June 2024 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 June 2024)

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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 30 June 2024

HSC Trust	Under 1 year	1 to 4 years	5 to 11 years	12 to 15 years	16 years and over	Total
Belfast	54	84	140	65	10	353
Northern	47	136	205	114	26	528
South Eastern	28	95	156	64	17	360
Southern	48	102	205	106	31	492
Western	36	114	184	134	44	512
Northern Ireland	213	531	890	483	128	2,245

Table 2: Children on the child protection register by Health and Social Care Trust, quarter ending 30 June 2023 to 30 June 2024

Note: Southern HSC Trust data for quarter ending December 2023 was revised in February 2024.

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2a Count at QE

Figures at quarter ending (QE).
HSC Trust	QE 30 Jun 23	QE 30 Sep 23	QE 31 Dec 23	QE 31 Mar 24	QE 30 Jun 24
Belfast	391	402	414	410	353
Northern	457	494	463	502	528
South Eastern	301	326	357	371	360
Southern	537	534	540	508	492
Western	450	489	536	543	512
Northern Ireland	2,136	2,245	2,310	2,334	2,245

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

Rate is per 10,000 population aged under 18.
HSC Trust	QE 30 Jun 23	QE 30 Sep 23	QE 31 Dec 23	QE 31 Mar 24	QE 30 Jun 24
Belfast	50.4	51.9	53.4	54.1	46.6
Northern	41.8	45.2	42.4	46.7	49.1
South Eastern	36.8	39.9	43.7	45.3	43.9
Southern	54.0	53.7	54.3	51.7	50.0
Western	61.5	66.9	73.3	75.9	71.5
Northern Ireland	48.4	50.9	52.4	53.6	51.6

Table 3: Children on the child protection register by category of abuse and Health and Social Care Trust at 30 June 2024

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]	5	6	[s]	[s]	16
Neglect and physical abuse	122	124	131	135	19	531
Neglect and sexual abuse	7	13	10	8	34	72
Physical and sexual abuse	[s]	17	7	[s]	[s]	34
Neglect only	125	151	70	121	317	784
Physical abuse only	88	155	85	156	12	496
Sexual abuse only	5	37	14	28	36	120
Emotional abuse only	5	26	37	33	91	192
Total	353	528	360	492	512	2,245

Table 4: Children on the child protection register by duration on the register and Health and Social Care Trust at 30 June 2024

HSC Trust	Under 3 months	3 to 6 months	6 months to 1 year	1 to 2 years	2 years or more	Total
Belfast	70	63	112	91	17	353
Northern	127	126	126	95	54	528
South Eastern	84	82	114	56	24	360
Southern	115	86	140	114	37	492
Western	120	99	142	98	53	512
Northern Ireland	516	456	634	454	185	2,245

Table 5: Children on the child protection register by legal status at 30 June 2024

Note: [s] indicates figures that have been suppressed to avoid personal disclosure.
Legal status	Northern Ireland
Accommodated (article 21)	108
Interim care order (article 57)	72
Care order (article 50 or 59)	17
Deemed care order (paras 11 and 30 of Sch 8)	0
Interim supervision order (article 57)	9
Other legal status	37
No legal status	2,002
Total	2,245

2. Child protection referrals

At 30 June 2024, 387 child protection referrals were received in Northern Ireland; an increase of 11.2% since 30 June 2023. Table 6 sets out the child protection referrals received by source of referral by HSC Trust at 30 June 2024 and Table 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 30 June 2023 to 30 June 2024. Southern HSC Trust data for quarter ending December 2023 was revised in February 2024.

Figure 2: Number of referrals to child protection register received at quarter end (March 2010 to June 2024)

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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 30 June 2024

Note: [s] indicates figures that have been suppressed to avoid personal disclosure.
Source of referral	Northern Ireland
Police	106
School or EWO	69
Voluntary org	[s]
GP	5
Social services	40
Community nursing	6
Relative, neighbour or friend	14
Hospital	22
Self	[s]
Anonymous	[s]
Other source of referral	116
Total	387

The trend data on the number of child protection referrals received between 30 June 2023 and 30 June 2024 by HSC Trust are set out in Tables 7a and 7b, and the number of significant events that led to child protection investigations between 30 Jun 2023 and 30 June 2024 are set out in Table 7c.

Tables 7a and b: Child protection referrals received by Health and Social Care Trust quarter ending 30 June 2023 to 30 June 2024

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7a Count at QE

Figures at quarter ending (QE).
HSC Trust	QE 30 Jun 23	QE 30 Sep 23	QE 31 Dec 23	QE 31 Mar 24	QE 30 Jun 24
Belfast	40	34	34	57	55
Northern	85	75	124	102	110
South Eastern	61	50	59	64	35
Southern	44	53	69	70	71
Western	118	69	76	125	116
Northern Ireland	348	281	362	418	387

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

Rate is per 10,000 population aged under 18.
HSC Trust	QE 30 Jun 23	QE 30 Sep 23	QE 31 Dec 23	QE 31 Mar 24	QE 30 Jun 24
Belfast	5.2	4.4	4.4	7.5	7.3
Northern	7.8	6.9	11.3	9.5	10.2
South Eastern	7.5	6.1	7.2	7.8	4.3
Southern	4.4	5.3	6.9	7.1	7.2
Western	16.1	9.4	10.4	17.5	16.2
Northern Ireland	7.9	6.4	8.2	9.6	8.9

Table 7c: The number of significant events that subsequently led to child protection investigations by Health and Social Care Trust quarter ending 30 June 2023 to 30 June 2024

Note: Southern HSC Trust data for quarter ending December 2023 was revised in February 2024.

HSC Trust	QE 30 Jun 23	QE 30 Sep 23	QE 31 Dec 23	QE 31 Mar 24	QE 30 Jun 24
Belfast	93	107	101	65	72
Northern	129	131	117	184	146
South Eastern	83	88	96	88	95
Southern	214	167	179	170	191
Western	131	146	190	148	153
Northern Ireland	650	639	683	655	657

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: 33KB

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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