1. Children on the child protection register

Southern HSC Trust was unable to provide data for the June 2026 quarter before the publication deadline and their return for March 2026 has been used in this publication as a temporary estimation for June 2026. For this reason, the Northern Ireland totals should also be considered as an estimate for June 2026. At 30 June 2026, 1,954 children were on the child protection register in Northern Ireland, a decrease of 3.3% since 30 June 2025 (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 2026 and Table 2 shows the trend by HSC Trust between 30 June 2025 and 30 June 2026.

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 2026 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 2026)

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


- Note: Southern HSC Trust was unable to provide data for the June 2026 quarter before the publication deadline and their return for March 2026 has been used as a temporary estimation for June 2026. For this reason, the Northern Ireland total should also be considered as an estimate for June 2026.


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 2026

HSC Trust Under 1 year 1 to 4 years 5 to 11 years 12 to 15 years 16 years and over Total
Belfast 59 109 164 72 18 422
Northern 46 95 127 79 19 366
South Eastern 31 71 147 72 28 349
Southern 37 101 177 118 41 474
Western 24 76 123 86 34 343
Northern Ireland 197 452 738 427 140 1,954
  • Note: Southern HSC Trust was unable to provide data for the June 2026 quarter before the publication deadline and their return for March 2026 has been used as a temporary estimation for June 2026. For this reason, the Northern Ireland total should also be considered as an estimate for June 2026.

Table 2: Children on the child protection register by Health and Social Care Trust, quarter ending 30 June 2025 to 30 June 2026

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2a Count at QE

HSC Trust QE 30 Jun 25 QE 30 Sep 25 QE 31 Dec 25 QE 31 Mar 26 QE 30 Jun 26
Belfast 379 391 375 381 422
Northern 440 466 410 396 366
South Eastern 342 365 355 360 349
Southern 506 495 514 474 474
Western 354 356 394 378 343
Northern Ireland 2,021 2,073 2,048 1,989 1,954
  • Note: Southern HSC Trust was unable to provide data for the June 2026 quarter before the publication deadline and their return for March 2026 has been used as a temporary estimation for June 2026. For this reason, the Northern Ireland total should also be considered as an estimate for June 2026.

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

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

Rate is per 10,000 population aged under 18.
HSC Trust QE 30 Jun 25 QE 30 Sep 25 QE 31 Dec 25 QE 31 Mar 26 QE 30 Jun 26
Belfast 50.0 50.9 48.8 49.7 55.0
Northern 40.9 43.6 38.3 37.1 34.3
South Eastern 41.7 44.5 43.3 44.0 42.6
Southern 51.5 50.0 51.9 47.5 48.0
Western 49.5 49.6 54.9 52.8 47.9
Northern Ireland 46.5 47.6 47.0 45.7 44.9
  • Note: Southern HSC Trust was unable to provide data for the June 2026 quarter before the publication deadline and their return for March 2026 has been used as a temporary estimation for June 2026. For this reason, the Northern Ireland total should also be considered as an estimate for June 2026.

Table 3: Children on the child protection register by category of abuse and Health and Social Care Trust at 30 June 2026

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] 9 8 13 [s] 33
Neglect and physical abuse 136 91 131 108 20 486
Neglect and sexual abuse 10 6 10 9 20 55
Physical and sexual abuse [s] 6 11 5 [s] 24
Neglect only 138 128 69 111 226 672
Physical abuse only 114 94 93 158 15 474
Sexual abuse only 12 17 14 40 23 106
Emotional abuse only 9 15 13 30 37 104
Total 422 366 349 474 343 1,954
  • Note: Southern HSC Trust was unable to provide data for the June 2026 quarter before the publication deadline and their return for March 2026 has been used as a temporary estimation for June 2026. For this reason, the Northern Ireland total should also be considered as an estimate for June 2026.

Table 4: Children on the child protection register by duration on the register and Health and Social Care Trust at 30 June 2026

HSC Trust Under 3 months 3 to 6 months 6 months to 1 year 1 to 2 years 2 years or more Total
Belfast 124 70 109 81 38 422
Northern 100 67 93 80 26 366
South Eastern 94 66 100 63 26 349
Southern 92 106 117 109 50 474
Western 76 68 101 58 40 343
Northern Ireland 486 377 520 391 180 1,954
  • Note: Southern HSC Trust was unable to provide data for the June 2026 quarter before the publication deadline and their return for March 2026 has been used as a temporary estimation for June 2026. For this reason, the Northern Ireland total should also be considered as an estimate for June 2026.

Table 5: Children on the child protection register by legal status at 30 June 2026

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

Legal status Northern Ireland
Accommodated (article 21) 90
Interim care order (article 57) 47
Care order (article 50 or 59) 41
Deemed care order (paras 11 and 30 of Sch 8) 0
Interim supervision order (article 57) 0
Other legal status 34
No legal status 1,742
Total 1,954
  • Note: Southern HSC Trust was unable to provide data for the June 2026 quarter before the publication deadline and their return for March 2026 has been used as a temporary estimation for June 2026. For this reason, the Northern Ireland total should also be considered as an estimate for June 2026.

2. Child Protection Referrals

At 30 June 2026, 384 child protection referrals were received in Northern Ireland; an increase of 20% since 30 June 2025. Table 6 sets out the child protection referrals received by source of referral by HSC Trust at 30 June 2026 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 30 June 2025 to 30 June 2026.

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 June 2026)

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)


- Note: Southern HSC Trust was unable to provide data for the June 2026 quarter before the publication deadline and their return for March 2026 has been used as a temporary estimation for June 2026. For this reason, the Northern Ireland total should also be considered as an estimate for June 2026.


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 2026

Note: [s] indicates figures that have been suppressed to avoid personal disclosure.
Source of referral Northern Ireland
Police 144
School or EWO 60
Voluntary organisation [s]
GP 9
Social services 56
Community nursing [s]
Relative, neighbour or friend 15
Hospital 14
Self [s]
Anonymous [s]
Other source of referral 77
Total 384
  • Note: Southern HSC Trust was unable to provide data for the June 2026 quarter before the publication deadline and their return for March 2026 has been used as a temporary estimation for June 2026. For this reason, the Northern Ireland total should also be considered as an estimate for June 2026.

The trend data on the number of child protection referrals received between 30 June 2025 and 30 June 2026 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 2025 and 30 June 2026 are set out in Table 7c.

Tables 7a and b: Child protection referrals received by Health and Social Care Trust quarter ending 30 June 2025 to 30 June 2026

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 30 Jun 25 QE 30 Sep 25 QE 31 Dec 25 QE 31 Mar 26 QE 30 Jun 26
Belfast 48 54 62 45 35
Northern 65 91 92 105 96
South Eastern 61 46 54 34 71
Southern 50 53 80 59 59
Western 96 90 91 78 123
Northern Ireland 320 334 379 321 384
  • Note: Southern HSC Trust was unable to provide data for the June 2026 quarter before the publication deadline and their return for March 2026 has been used as a temporary estimation for June 2026. For this reason, the Northern Ireland total should also be considered as an estimate for June 2026.

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

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

Rate is per 10,000 population aged under 18.
HSC Trust QE 30 Jun 25 QE 30 Sep 25 QE 31 Dec 25 QE 31 Mar 26 QE 30 Jun 26
Belfast 6.3 7.0 8.1 5.9 4.6
Northern 6.0 8.5 8.6 9.8 9.0
South Eastern 7.4 5.6 6.6 4.2 8.7
Southern 5.1 5.3 8.1 5.9 6.0
Western 13.4 12.5 12.7 10.9 17.2
Northern Ireland 7.4 7.7 8.7 7.4 8.8
  • Note: Southern HSC Trust was unable to provide data for the June 2026 quarter before the publication deadline and their return for March 2026 has been used as a temporary estimation for June 2026. For this reason, the Northern Ireland total should also be considered as an estimate for June 2026.

Table 7c: The number of significant events that subsequently led to child protection investigations by Health and Social Care Trust quarter ending 30 June 2025 to 30 June 2026

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 30 Jun 25 QE 30 Sep 25 QE 31 Dec 25 QE 31 Mar 26 QE 30 Jun 26
Belfast 70 77 78 82 124
Northern 116 76 98 68 89
South Eastern 49 90 81 72 73
Southern 142 145 199 111 111
Western 114 104 149 127 96
Northern Ireland 491 492 605 460 493
  • Note: Southern HSC Trust was unable to provide data for the June 2026 quarter before the publication deadline and their return for March 2026 has been used as a temporary estimation for June 2026. For this reason, the Northern Ireland total should also be considered as an estimate for June 2026.

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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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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