1. Children on the child protection register

At 31 March 2025, 2,283 children were on the child protection register in Northern Ireland, a decrease of 2.2% since 31 March 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 March 2025 and Table 2 shows the trend by HSC Trust between 31 March 2024 and 31 March 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 March 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 March 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 March 2025

HSC Trust Under 1 year 1 to 4 years 5 to 11 years 12 to 15 years 16 years and over Total
Belfast 50 97 166 70 22 405
Northern 49 140 224 115 27 555
South Eastern 35 91 157 71 36 390
Southern 44 103 199 110 39 495
Western 41 95 160 108 34 438
Northern Ireland 219 526 906 474 158 2,283

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

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2a Count at QE

Figures at quarter ending (QE).
HSC Trust QE 31 Mar 24 QE 30 Jun 24 QE 30 Sep 24 QE 31 Dec 24 QE 31 Mar 25
Belfast 410 353 369 390 405
Northern 502 528 567 559 555
South Eastern 371 360 351 350 390
Southern 508 492 493 508 495
Western 543 512 488 476 438
Northern Ireland 2,334 2,245 2,268 2,283 2,283

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

Rate is per 10,000 population aged under 18.
HSC Trust QE 31 Mar 24 QE 30 Jun 24 QE 30 Sep 24 QE 31 Dec 24 QE 31 Mar 25
Belfast 54.1 46.6 48.7 51.5 53.5
Northern 46.7 49.1 52.8 52.0 51.6
South Eastern 45.3 43.9 42.8 42.7 47.6
Southern 51.7 50.0 50.1 51.7 50.3
Western 75.9 71.5 68.2 66.5 61.2
Northern Ireland 53.6 51.6 52.1 52.5 52.5

Table 3: Children on the child protection register by category of abuse and Health and Social Care Trust at 31 March 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] 8 9 [s] [s] 24
Neglect and physical abuse 121 148 150 154 13 586
Neglect and sexual abuse [s] 0 9 [s] 25 44
Physical and sexual abuse [s] 11 11 9 [s] 35
Neglect only 154 142 78 104 319 797
Physical abuse only 104 174 83 [s] [s] 527
Sexual abuse only 7 50 19 32 18 126
Emotional abuse only 11 22 31 21 59 144
Total 405 555 390 495 438 2,283

Table 4: Children on the child protection register by duration on the register and Health and Social Care Trust at 31 March 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 99 91 80 98 37 405
Northern 102 126 152 125 50 555
South Eastern 104 71 85 102 28 390
Southern 83 111 139 126 36 495
Western 62 80 132 114 50 438
Northern Ireland 450 479 588 565 201 2,283

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

Legal status Northern Ireland
Accommodated (article 21) 101
Interim care order (article 57) 58
Care order (article 50 or 59) 25
Deemed care order (paras 11 and 30 of Sch 8) 0
Interim supervision order (article 57) 5
Other legal status 60
No legal status 2,034
Total 2,283

2. Child Protection Referrals

At 31 March 2025, 376 child protection referrals were received in Northern Ireland; a decrease of 10% since 31 March 2024. Table 6 sets out the child protection referrals received by source of referral by HSC Trust at 31 March 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 March 2024 to 31 March 2025.

Southern HSC Trust data for quarter ending December 2023 was revised in February 2024. Southern HSC Trust data for quarter ending September 2024 was revised in February 2025. Please also note that Belfast HSC Trust data for quarter ending December 2024 was revised in March 2025.

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

Note: [s] indicates figures that have been suppressed to avoid personal disclosure.
Source of referral Northern Ireland
Police 79
School or EWO 72
Voluntary org [s]
GP [s]
Social services 49
Community nursing 7
Relative, neighbour or friend 10
Hospital 19
Self [s]
Anonymous [s]
Other source of referral 128
Total 376

The trend data on the number of child protection referrals received between 31 March 2024 and 31 March 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 Mar 2024 and 31 March 2025 are set out in Table 7c.

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

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7a Count at QE

Figures at quarter ending (QE).
HSC Trust QE 31 Mar 24 QE 30 Jun 24 QE 30 Sep 24 QE 31 Dec 24 QE 31 Mar 25
Belfast 57 55 33 56 58
Northern 102 110 125 141 113
South Eastern 64 35 51 53 64
Southern 70 71 62 82 43
Western 125 116 74 106 98
Northern Ireland 418 387 345 438 376

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

Rate is per 10,000 population aged under 18.
HSC Trust QE 31 Mar 24 QE 30 Jun 24 QE 30 Sep 24 QE 31 Dec 24 QE 31 Mar 25
Belfast 7.5 7.3 4.4 7.4 7.7
Northern 9.5 10.2 11.6 13.1 10.5
South Eastern 7.8 4.3 6.2 6.5 7.8
Southern 7.1 7.2 6.3 8.3 4.4
Western 17.5 16.2 10.3 14.8 13.7
Northern Ireland 9.6 8.9 7.9 10.1 8.6

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

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

HSC Trust QE 31 Mar 24 QE 30 Jun 24 QE 30 Sep 24 QE 31 Dec 24 QE 31 Mar 25
Belfast 65 72 93 123 107
Northern 184 146 120 123 120
South Eastern 88 95 65 78 83
Southern 170 191 115 181 149
Western 148 153 96 115 99
Northern Ireland 655 657 489 620 558

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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