Publication of ‘Children’s Social Care Statistics for NI 2017/18’

Date published: 11 October 2018

Key Facts and Figures:

Children in Need

• At 31 March 2018, 23,510 children in Northern Ireland were known to Social Services as a child in need;
• Some 36,022 children were referred to Social Services during 2017/18, the largest proportion of these children were referred by the police (31%) followed by Social Services (17%);

Child Protection

• At 31 March 2018, 2,082 children were listed on the Child Protection Register;
• Neglect and physical abuse were the main reasons for a child being on the Child Protection Register;
• A total of 3,407 child protection referrals were received by HSC Trusts, a 15% decrease on the previous year;
• There were 1,921 new registrations to the Child Protection Register and 1,946 de- registrations during the year.

Looked After Children

• At 31 March 2018, 3,109 children were in care in Northern Ireland. This was the highest number recorded since the introduction of the Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995;
• The majority of children in care in Northern Ireland had been looked after for less than three years, with just under a tenth looked after for ten years or longer;
• Four fifths of the children in care were in foster care placements (79%), 12% placed with parents, 5% in residential care and 4% in other placements. This was similar to previous years;
• During 2017/18 there were 848 admissions to care and 732 discharges.

Children’s Residential Homes

• At 30 June 2018 there were 45 Children’s Residential Homes in Northern Ireland, 41 were statutory and 4 were independent;

Day Care

• At 31 March 2018 there were 4,277 individuals/facilities registered as day care provision for children aged 12 and under in Northern Ireland. This was a 5% decrease on the previous year;
• Similar to the previous year, child-minders made up the largest number of day care providers followed by, in descending order, playgroups, day nurseries, out of school clubs and other organisations; and
• At 31 March 2018 there were 62,638 registered places for day care in Northern Ireland representing an increase of 3% on the previous year.