1. Children on the child protection register

At 30 September 2026, 2,038 children were on the child protection register in Northern Ireland, a decrease of 1.7% since 30 September 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 September 2026 and Table 2 shows the trend by HSC Trust between 30 September 2025 and 30 September 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 September 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 September 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 30 September 2026

HSC Trust Under 1 year 1 to 4 years 5 to 11 years 12 to 15 years 16 years and over Total
Belfast 58 112 186 76 14 446
Northern 45 92 161 83 23 404
South Eastern 27 71 144 75 35 352
Southern 37 93 159 114 40 443
Western 22 92 143 99 37 393
Northern Ireland 189 460 793 447 149 2,038

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

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2a Count at QE

HSC Trust QE 30 Sep 25 QE 31 Dec 25 QE 31 Mar 26 QE 30 Jun 26 QE 30 Sep 26
Belfast 391 375 381 422 446
Northern 466 410 396 366 404
South Eastern 365 355 360 349 352
Southern 495 514 474 452 443
Western 356 394 378 343 393
Northern Ireland 2,073 2,048 1,989 1,932 2,038

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 Sep 25 QE 31 Dec 25 QE 31 Mar 26 QE 30 Jun 26 QE 30 Sep 26
Belfast 50.9 48.8 49.7 55.0 58.1
Northern 43.6 38.3 37.1 34.3 37.9
South Eastern 44.5 43.3 44.0 42.6 43.0
Southern 50.0 51.9 47.5 45.8 44.9
Western 49.6 54.9 52.8 47.9 54.9
Northern Ireland 47.6 47.0 45.7 44.4 46.8

Table 3: Children on the child protection register by category of abuse and Health and Social Care Trust at 30 September 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] 15 [s] 7 [s] 28
Neglect and physical abuse 152 101 137 112 26 528
Neglect and sexual abuse 5 9 12 13 10 49
Physical and sexual abuse [s] 6 [s] 10 [s] 34
Neglect only 133 154 80 92 281 740
Physical abuse only 129 89 83 137 16 454
Sexual abuse only 11 18 12 44 21 106
Emotional abuse only 9 12 13 28 37 99
Total 446 404 352 443 393 2,038

Table 4: Children on the child protection register by duration on the register and Health and Social Care Trust at 30 September 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 88 110 116 95 37 446
Northern 110 81 97 87 29 404
South Eastern 54 83 117 61 37 352
Southern 67 83 130 105 58 443
Western 112 70 107 71 33 393
Northern Ireland 431 427 567 419 194 2,038

Table 5: Children on the child protection register by legal status at 30 September 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) 41
Care order (article 50 or 59) 46
Deemed care order (paras 11 and 30 of Sch 8) [s]
Interim supervision order (article 57) [s]
Other legal status 34
No legal status 1,824
Total 2,038

2. Child Protection Referrals

At 30 September 2026, 325 child protection referrals were received in Northern Ireland; a decrease of 2.7% since 30 September 2025. Table 6 sets out the child protection referrals received by source of referral by HSC Trust at 30 September 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 September 2025 to 30 September 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 September 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 30 September 2026

Note: [s] indicates figures that have been suppressed to avoid personal disclosure.
Source of referral Northern Ireland
Police 116
School or EWO 23
Voluntary organisation 0
GP 5
Social services 40
Community nursing [s]
Relative, neighbour or friend 16
Hospital 13
Self [s]
Anonymous 6
Other source of referral 102
Total 325

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

Tables 7a and b: Child protection referrals received by Health and Social Care Trust quarter ending 30 September 2025 to 30 September 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 Sep 25 QE 31 Dec 25 QE 31 Mar 26 QE 30 Jun 26 QE 30 Sep 26
Belfast 54 62 45 35 34
Northern 91 92 105 96 94
South Eastern 46 54 34 71 36
Southern 53 80 59 62 62
Western 90 91 78 123 99
Northern Ireland 334 379 321 387 325

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 Sep 25 QE 31 Dec 25 QE 31 Mar 26 QE 30 Jun 26 QE 30 Sep 26
Belfast 7.0 8.1 5.9 4.6 4.4
Northern 8.5 8.6 9.8 9.0 8.8
South Eastern 5.6 6.6 4.2 8.7 4.4
Southern 5.3 8.1 5.9 6.3 6.3
Western 12.5 12.7 10.9 17.2 13.8
Northern Ireland 7.7 8.7 7.4 8.9 7.5

Table 7c: The number of significant events that subsequently led to child protection investigations by Health and Social Care Trust quarter ending 30 September 2025 to 30 September 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 Sep 25 QE 31 Dec 25 QE 31 Mar 26 QE 30 Jun 26 QE 30 Sep 26
Belfast 77 78 82 124 81
Northern 76 98 68 89 112
South Eastern 90 81 72 73 67
Southern 145 199 111 148 89
Western 104 149 127 96 140
Northern Ireland 492 605 460 530 489

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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