1. Children on the child protection register

At 30 September 2025, 2,073 children were on the child protection register in Northern Ireland, a decrease of 8.6% since 30 September 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 30 September 2025 and Table 2 shows the trend by HSC Trust between 30 September 2024 and 30 September 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 30 September 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 September 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 30 September 2025

HSC Trust Under 1 year 1 to 4 years 5 to 11 years 12 to 15 years 16 years and over Total
Belfast 57 88 156 76 14 391
Northern 50 114 181 98 23 466
South Eastern 43 69 160 64 29 365
Southern 44 113 185 110 43 495
Western 40 80 115 91 30 356
Northern Ireland 234 464 797 439 139 2,073

Table 2: Children on the child protection register by Health and Social Care Trust, quarter ending 30 September 2024 to 30 September 2025

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2a Count at QE

Figures at quarter ending (QE).
HSC Trust QE 30 Sep 24 QE 31 Dec 24 QE 31 Mar 25 QE 30 Jun 25 QE 30 Sep 25
Belfast 369 390 405 379 391
Northern 567 559 555 440 466
South Eastern 351 350 390 342 365
Southern 493 508 495 506 495
Western 488 476 438 354 356
Northern Ireland 2,268 2,283 2,283 2,021 2,073

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 30 Sep 24 QE 31 Dec 24 QE 31 Mar 25 QE 30 Jun 25 QE 30 Sep 25
Belfast 48.7 51.5 53.5 50.0 50.9
Northern 52.8 52.0 51.6 40.9 43.6
South Eastern 42.8 42.7 47.6 41.7 44.5
Southern 50.1 51.7 50.3 51.5 50.0
Western 68.2 66.5 61.2 49.5 49.6
Northern Ireland 52.1 52.5 52.5 46.5 47.6

Table 3: Children on the child protection register by category of abuse and Health and Social Care Trust at 30 September 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] 11 17 6 [s] 39
Neglect and physical abuse 113 94 147 159 17 530
Neglect and sexual abuse 5 [s] [s] 14 25 57
Physical and sexual abuse [s] 5 7 6 [s] 21
Neglect only 150 146 58 115 233 702
Physical abuse only 99 151 97 149 6 502
Sexual abuse only 12 [s] [s] 32 27 109
Emotional abuse only 8 24 23 14 44 113
Total 391 466 365 495 356 2,073

Table 4: Children on the child protection register by duration on the register and Health and Social Care Trust at 30 September 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 81 65 125 74 46 391
Northern 94 67 147 110 48 466
South Eastern 77 63 114 68 43 365
Southern 88 105 131 117 54 495
Western 74 71 83 95 33 356
Northern Ireland 414 371 600 464 224 2,073

Table 5: Children on the child protection register by legal status at 30 September 2025

Legal status Northern Ireland
Accommodated (article 21) 120
Interim care order (article 57) 50
Care order (article 50 or 59) 19
Deemed care order (paras 11 and 30 of Sch 8) 0
Interim supervision order (article 57) 5
Other legal status 38
No legal status 1,841
Total 2,073

2. Child Protection Referrals

At 30 September 2025, 334 child protection referrals were received in Northern Ireland; a decrease of 3.2% since 30 September 2024. Table 6 sets out the child protection referrals received by source of referral by HSC Trust at 30 September 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 30 September 2024 to 30 September 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 September 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 30 September 2025

Note: [s] indicates figures that have been suppressed to avoid personal disclosure.
Source of referral Northern Ireland
Police 132
School or EWO 41
Voluntary organisation [s]
GP [s]
Social services 29
Community nursing 0
Relative, neighbour or friend 10
Hospital 13
Self 0
Anonymous 10
Other source of referral 93
Total 334

The trend data on the number of child protection referrals received between 30 September 2024 and 30 September 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 30 Sep 2024 and 30 September 2025 are set out in Table 7c.

Tables 7a and b: Child protection referrals received by Health and Social Care Trust quarter ending 30 September 2024 to 30 September 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 30 Sep 24 QE 31 Dec 24 QE 31 Mar 25 QE 30 Jun 25 QE 30 Sep 25
Belfast 33 56 58 48 54
Northern 125 141 113 65 91
South Eastern 51 53 64 61 46
Southern 62 82 43 50 53
Western 74 106 98 96 90
Northern Ireland 345 438 376 320 334

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 30 Sep 24 QE 31 Dec 24 QE 31 Mar 25 QE 30 Jun 25 QE 30 Sep 25
Belfast 4.4 7.4 7.7 6.3 7.0
Northern 11.6 13.1 10.5 6.0 8.5
South Eastern 6.2 6.5 7.8 7.4 5.6
Southern 6.3 8.3 4.4 5.1 5.3
Western 10.3 14.8 13.7 13.4 12.5
Northern Ireland 7.9 10.1 8.6 7.4 7.7

Table 7c: The number of significant events that subsequently led to child protection investigations by Health and Social Care Trust quarter ending 30 September 2024 to 30 September 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 30 Sep 24 QE 31 Dec 24 QE 31 Mar 25 QE 30 Jun 25 QE 30 Sep 25
Belfast 93 123 107 70 77
Northern 120 123 120 116 76
South Eastern 65 78 83 49 90
Southern 115 181 145 142 145
Western 96 115 99 114 104
Northern Ireland 489 620 554 491 492

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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