11% more NW kids on protection list

Taking account of local demographics there were 30.7 children on the register per 10,000 of the population under 18 in the Western Trust.

The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (DHSSPS) revealed the figures by publishing the ‘Children Order Child Protection and Referral Statistics for Quarter ending March 31, 2011.’

This is the fifth reporting of quarterly figures relating to Child Protection in Northern Ireland for the quarter ending March 31, 2011.

According to the report between December 31, 2010 and March 31, 2011, numbers on the register rose by 11 per cent (23) in the Western Trust, 8 per cent (34) in the Northern Trust, 1 per cent (9) in the South Eastern Trust and by less than 1 per cent (2) in the Belfast Trust. Numbers fell by 9 per cent (45) in the Southern Trust.

Counts of the 2,401 children on the register at March 31, 2011, by Trusts indicates over one quarter (26 per cent - 686) were in the South Eastern Trust, with

23 per cent (555) in Belfast Trust, 20 per cent (473) in the Southern Trust, 19 per cent (452) in the Northern Trust, and 10 per cent (235) in the Western Trust.

The amount of referrals in the Western Trust dropped by 24 per cent (34).

Of a total of 115 children referred 16 were referred by the PSNI; 21 by schools; 42 by social services; 15 by anonymous sources; and 13 by other sources.