16/12/2011

Western Trust Child Protection Cases Rising

Western parts of NI are seeing increasing levels of youngsters being subject to child protection orders.

This week's publication of 'Children Order Child Protection and Referral Statistics' by the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (DHSSPS) shows that while at 30 September 2011, 2,220 children were listed on the Child Protection Register in Northern Ireland - an increase of below 1% on the previous quarter (2,215) - an increase of 36% (79) was recorded in the Western Trust, covering the Omagh, Enniskillen and Londonderry areas.

Overall, the register count has decreased by 12% (313), from 2,533 to 2,220, but changes by Trusts are shown ranging from to a decrease of 22% (168) in the South Eastern Trust to this relatively high annual increase of 36% in the register count for the Western Trust.

This was due to a number of large families returning to live in the area, and child protection cases becoming more complex, said the official report, by way of explanation.

However, since 30 June 2011, Register counts fell by 5% in both the South Eastern (30) and Southern Trusts (22), with a 3% (14) decrease in the Northern Trust.

Counts of the 2,220 children on the Register at 30 September 2011 by Trusts, indicates over one quarter (27% - 590) were in the South Eastern Trust, with 25% (549) in the Belfast Trust, 18% (393) in the Northern Trust, 18% (391) in the Southern Trust, and 13% (297) in the Western Trust;

The age profile of children on the Register has remained relatively stable from quarter to quarter, with 35% (787) aged 5 – 11 years, 28% (625) aged one to four years, 21% (469) aged 12 – 15 years, 9% (198) under 1, and 6% (141) aged 16 or over, for the quarter ending 30 September 2011;

Child protection referrals for the quarter ending 30 September 2011 (1,079), were 9% (107) lower than the previous quarter (1,186), and less than 1% (1) above the referrals count for the same quarter in 2010 (1,078) while over two in five referrals (43%- 469) originated from within Social Services, 17% (185) from the PSNI, 6% (66) from ‘School’ or an ‘Educational Welfare Officer’, 5% (58) from Relatives and 12% (127) from ‘Other’ sources.

(BMcC/GK)

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