1. Children on the child protection register

At 31 March 2026, 1,989 children were on the child protection register in Northern Ireland, a decrease of 12.9% since 31 March 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 31 March 2026 and Table 2 shows the trend by HSC Trust between 31 March 2025 and 31 March 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 31 March 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 March 2026)

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 2026

HSC Trust Under 1 year 1 to 4 years 5 to 11 years 12 to 15 years 16 years and over Total
Belfast 57 92 148 67 17 381
Northern 54 104 140 78 20 396
South Eastern 20 82 153 75 30 360
Southern 37 101 177 118 41 474
Western 30 81 136 99 32 378
Northern Ireland 198 460 754 437 140 1,989

Table 2: Children on the child protection register by Health and Social Care Trust, quarter ending 31 March 2025 to 31 March 2026

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2a Count at QE

Figures at quarter ending (QE).
HSC Trust QE 31 Mar 25 QE 30 Jun 25 QE 30 Sep 25 QE 31 Dec 25 QE 31 Mar 26
Belfast 405 379 391 375 381
Northern 555 440 466 410 396
South Eastern 390 342 365 355 360
Southern 495 506 495 514 474
Western 438 354 356 394 378
Northern Ireland 2,283 2,021 2,073 2,048 1,989

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 31 Mar 25 QE 30 Jun 25 QE 30 Sep 25 QE 31 Dec 25 QE 31 Mar 26
Belfast 53.5 50.0 50.9 48.8 49.7
Northern 51.6 40.9 43.6 38.3 37.1
South Eastern 47.6 41.7 44.5 43.3 44.0
Southern 50.3 51.5 50.0 51.9 47.5
Western 61.2 49.5 49.6 54.9 52.8
Northern Ireland 52.5 46.5 47.6 47.0 45.7

Table 3: Children on the child protection register by category of abuse and Health and Social Care Trust at 31 March 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] [s] 11 13 [s] 33
Neglect and physical abuse 115 96 150 108 19 488
Neglect and sexual abuse [s] [s] 9 9 21 49
Physical and sexual abuse [s] 7 11 5 [s] 26
Neglect only 130 135 66 111 268 710
Physical abuse only 108 115 82 158 7 470
Sexual abuse only 9 17 9 40 25 100
Emotional abuse only 9 17 22 30 35 113
Total 381 396 360 474 378 1,989

Table 4: Children on the child protection register by duration on the register and Health and Social Care Trust at 31 March 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 85 82 90 88 36 381
Northern 81 80 105 91 39 396
South Eastern 68 85 79 101 27 360
Southern 92 106 117 109 50 474
Western 79 100 89 74 36 378
Northern Ireland 405 453 480 463 188 1,989

Table 5: Children on the child protection register by legal status at 31 March 2026

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

Legal status Northern Ireland
Accommodated (article 21) 95
Interim care order (article 57) 58
Care order (article 50 or 59) 33
Deemed care order (paras 11 and 30 of Sch 8) [s]
Interim supervision order (article 57) [s]
Other legal status 36
No legal status 1,764
Total 1,989

2. Child Protection Referrals

At 31 March 2026, 321 child protection referrals were received in Northern Ireland; a decrease of 14.6% since 31 March 2025. Table 6 sets out the child protection referrals received by source of referral by HSC Trust at 31 March 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 31 March 2025 to 31 March 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 March 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)


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 2026

Note: [s] indicates figures that have been suppressed to avoid personal disclosure.
Source of referral Northern Ireland
Police 123
School or EWO 54
Voluntary organisation 5
GP 6
Social services 36
Community nursing [s]
Relative, neighbour or friend [s]
Hospital 13
Self 5
Anonymous [s]
Other source of referral 73
Total 321

The trend data on the number of child protection referrals received between 31 March 2025 and 31 March 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 31 Mar 2025 and 31 March 2026 are set out in Table 7c.

Tables 7a and b: Child protection referrals received by Health and Social Care Trust quarter ending 31 March 2025 to 31 March 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 31 Mar 25 QE 30 Jun 25 QE 30 Sep 25 QE 31 Dec 25 QE 31 Mar 26
Belfast 58 48 54 62 45
Northern 113 65 91 92 105
South Eastern 64 61 46 54 34
Southern 43 50 53 80 59
Western 98 96 90 91 78
Northern Ireland 376 320 334 379 321

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 31 Mar 25 QE 30 Jun 25 QE 30 Sep 25 QE 31 Dec 25 QE 31 Mar 26
Belfast 7.7 6.3 7.0 8.1 5.9
Northern 10.5 6.0 8.5 8.6 9.8
South Eastern 7.8 7.4 5.6 6.6 4.2
Southern 4.4 5.1 5.3 8.1 5.9
Western 13.7 13.4 12.5 12.7 10.9
Northern Ireland 8.6 7.4 7.7 8.7 7.4

Table 7c: The number of significant events that subsequently led to child protection investigations by Health and Social Care Trust quarter ending 31 March 2025 to 31 March 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 31 Mar 25 QE 30 Jun 25 QE 30 Sep 25 QE 31 Dec 25 QE 31 Mar 26
Belfast 107 70 77 78 82
Northern 120 116 76 98 68
South Eastern 83 49 90 81 72
Southern 145 142 145 199 111
Western 99 114 104 149 127
Northern Ireland 554 491 492 605 460

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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