Publication of ‘Children Order Child Protection and Referral Statistics for Northern Ireland (quarter ending 30 September 2012)’
This Bulletin is the eleventh quarterly reporting of Children Order Child Protection and Referral Statistics. The information was collated by Community Information Branch within the DHSSPS.
The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety has published (9 November) the ‘Children Order Child Protection and Referral Statistics for Northern Ireland (quarter ending 30 September 2012)’.
Key Facts and Figures: Child Protection Register
1. At 30 September 2012, 2,040 children were listed on the Child Protection Register in Northern Ireland. This represents an increase of 3% (55) on the previous quarter (1,985); annually the Register count has decreased by 8% (180), from 2,220 to 2,040, with changes by Trusts ranging from an increase of 36% (141) in the Northern Trust to decreases of 21% in the South Eastern (124) and Belfast (113) Trusts.
2. Since 30 June 2012, Register counts have risen by 13% (60) in the Northern Trust, 2% (5) in the Western Trust and by 1% in the South Eastern Trust. There was a decrease of 2% (11) in the Belfast Trust and 1% in the Southern Trust.
3. Counts of the 2,040 children on the Register at 30 September 2012 by Trusts, indicates just over one quarter (26% – 534) were in the Northern Trust, with 23% (466) in the South Eastern Trust, 21% (436) in the Belfast Trust, 17% (338) in the Southern Trust and 13% (266) in the Western Trust.
4. The age profile of children on the Register has remained relatively stable from quarter to quarter, with 37% (747) aged 5 – 11 years, 29% (601) aged 1 – 4 years, 19% (394) aged 12 – 15 years, 11% (215) under 1, and 4% (83) aged 16 or over, for the quarter ending 30 September 2012.
5. At 30 September 2012, 9 in 10 children (90%) on the Register had no recorded legal status, 4% (91) were Accommodated (Article 21) and 4% (75) were subject to an Interim Care Order (Article 57).
6. Taking account of local demographics, Register counts per 10,000 children’s population (under 18), ranged from 34.9 to 59.0, in the Western and Belfast Trusts respectively; overall there were 47.2 children per 10,000 on the Register at 30 September 2012.
7. At 30 September 2012 the largest proportion of children on the Register were due to Neglect Only (31%), with 27% on the Register due to Physical Abuse Only.
8. Two thirds (66%) of children on the Child Protection Register at 30 September 2012 had been on the Register for less than one year with 5% of children on the Register for three years or longer.
Child Protection Referrals
9. Child Protection Referrals for the quarter ending 30 September 2012 (964), were 10% (110) lower than the previous quarter (1,074), and 11% (115) below the referrals count for the same quarter in 2011 (1,079).
10. Over two fifths of Referrals (44% – 425) originated from within Social Services, 22% (214) from the PSNI, 6% (59) from Relatives, 3% (32) from School/Educational Welfare Officers and 11% (109) from ‘Other’ sources.
11. Quarterly changes across Trusts indicate that Referrals have fallen by 35% (62) in the Belfast Trust, by 32% (71) in the Northern Trust and by 8% (24) in the Southern Trust. Referrals rose 39% (37) in the Western Trust and by 4% (10) in the South Eastern Trust.
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Statistics detailed within the bulletin include numbers of children on the Child Protection Register at 30 September 2012, by Legal Status, Age, Category of Abuse and Duration on the Register, and numbers of Child Protection Referrals by Source of Referral during the third quarter of 2012.
Trend analyses are presented regionally and by HSC Trusts.
Statistics for the quarter ending 31 December 2012 are due for publication on 22 February 2013.
This publication is available online at:
