Number on child protection register falls

The number of children on local authority child protection
registers has fallen by 11 per cent, the government has
revealed.

The latest figures from the department of health show that at
the end of March this year there were 26,800 children on the
registers. Around 27,000 children’s names were added during the
year, which was eight per cent lower than last year’s figure of
29,300.

The number of re-registrations was about 1 per cent lower than
the previous year.

Children at risk of neglect, 46 per cent, or emotional abuse
have risen as a proportion of the total, whereas children
considered at risk of physical or sexual abuse represent a smaller
proportion than previously.

– One in every five of the children on the register were looked
after by local authorities.

– 14 per cent of children registered had been registered before;
and 11 per cent of the children leaving the register had been on it
for over two years and this proportion has fallen steadily in
recent years.

* The department of health also announced the results of a
service users ‘experience’ survey, which is a round up of
questionnaires conducted by local authorities.

Eighty four per cent of respondents said they were helped
quickly after a decision was made to provide the service to
them.

Of those people 86 per cent of white people said ‘yes’ compared
to 74 per cent of black and ethnic minority groups.