This topic relates to children’s social care services. The information covers referrals, children who are the subject of a Child Protection Plan (CPP), children who are looked after by local authorities (and their outcomes), private fostering arrangements and secure children’s homes.
Publications
This statistical bulletin presents summary information on children adopted from care in Northern Ireland during the year ending 31 March. It is based on the biennial adoption survey (AD1) completed by Health & Social Care Trusts, which is used to collect detailed information on looked after children adopted from care, and key dates in the adoption process.
The number of child protection referrals, case conferences, registrations, de-registrations and the number on child protection registers.
This report covers information on places approved and children accommodated by sex, age, length of stay and type of placement.
Number of children starting, ceasing and being looked after by children characteristics. Includes information on children eligible for aftercare support.
Provides information about children looked after in England. The figures are based on returns collected from all 150 English local authorities.
This statistical bulletin presents information on children's social care in Northern Ireland, for the year ending 31 March. It is based on annual Children Order statistical returns completed by Health & Social Care Trusts, and returned to the DHSSPS. These returns are used to collect aggregated statistics on child protection, looked after children and children's homes.
This bulletin presents first release summary statistics on children's social care in Northern Ireland, for the year ending 31 March. It is based on annual Children Order statistical returns completed by Health and Social Care Trusts, and returned to the DHSSPS. These returns are used to collect aggregated statistics on child protection, children in need and looked after children.
The information on which this report is based derives from the OC3 survey of former care leavers at their 19th birthday. The collection was first introduced in Northern Ireland in 2004 and collects data on the economic activity, contact with social services and living accommodation of young people who have left care.
This statistical bulletin presents summary information on young people aged 16 & over who left care in Northern Ireland during the year ending 31 March. The information, on which this report is based, derives from the annual OC1 survey. This survey collects data on the educational achievements and economic activity of young people leaving care, their age, religion, ethnic group, disability, length of time in care, and latest care placement.
Outcome indicators for children who have been looked after continuously for at least 12 months, including absences and exclusions, achievements, employment status, cautions and convictions, immunisations, dental checks, health assessments and substance misuse.
The SFR covers figures on children cared for and accommodated in private fostering arrangements.
Provides national figures on referrals, assessment and children and young people who are the subjects of child protection plans (on the child protection register).
Number of admissions, discharges, occupancy levels, children characteristics and reason for placement in secure accommodation.
Overview
Referrals to Children’s Social Care services and Child Protection Plans (CPP)
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The number of referrals (including repeat referrals)
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Initial and core assessments
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Information on child protection plans (CPP) showing the number who are the subject of a plan, joiners and leavers, the reason they became the subject of a plan and how long they have been the subject of a child protection plan
Looked After Children
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The number of children looked after at 31st March for each of the last five years, those who started to be looked after and those that cease to be looked after
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Looked after children who were adopted during the year ending 31 March for each of the last five years and characteristics of their adopters
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Information on children aged 16 who ceased to be looked after during the year, and particularly on those who have been looked after continuously for two and a half years
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Information on children aged 19 who were looked after aged 16
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Outcomes for children looked after continuously for 12 months, including attainment, health, offending and substance abuse
Private Fostering
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The number of children under private fostering arrangements, the number of new arrangements and the number that ceased
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The number of cases where action was taken in accordance with requirements for carrying out visits and, of those, the number that were carried out within seven days
Secure Accommodation
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The number of children accommodated in secure children’s homes, the number of such homes and the number of approved places
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The length of time children have been staying in a secure home and their type of placement
Technical Data
Referrals to Children’s Social Care services and Child Protection Plans
Data are collected on the CPR3 statistical return, which provides the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) with aggregate data on children in all 150 local authorities in England.
The information on referrals, assessments and children who became, or ceased to be, the subject of a child protection plan covers the year ending 31 March. The publication also shows the number of children who were the subject of a child protection plan at 31 March of each year.
Referrals, Assessments and Child Protection Plans: England - year ending Mar 2008
Looked After Children – general
Data are collected on the SSDA903 return, which provides the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) with data on looked after children in England.
It also covers adoptions of looked after children, educational qualifications of care leavers, the activity of former care leavers aged 19 and progress against National Indicators.
The figures presented are based on data reported by all 150 local authorities in England. The database used to collect this information is longitudinal with one record for every child. As local authorities are continually updating the database every year, previous year’s figures have also been amended where there have been changes.
Children looked after in England (including adoption and care leavers) year ending 31 March 2008
Looked After Children – outcomes
The OC2 statistical return provides the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) with aggregate data on the outcomes of all children and young people in England who had been looked after continuously for at least 12 months at 30 September. The figures are based on data provided by all 150 Local Authorities.
Outcome Indicators for Children Looked After, 12 months to 30 September 2007 - England
Private Fostering
In 2004/05 a new collection for private fostering arrangements (the PF1 return) was put in place. This collection provides the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) with aggregate data on the number of children cared for and accommodated in private fostering arrangements at 31 March. It also covers the number of new arrangements and the number of arrangements which ceased during the year to 31 March. The figures provided are based on data provided by all 150 Local Authorities.
Private Fostering Arrangements in England, year ending 31 March 2008
Secure Accommodation
Data are collected on the SA1 statistical return, which provides the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) with aggregate data on children accommodated in secure children’s homes in England and Wales. The figures presented at 31 March 2008 are based on data reported by the 19 secure children’s homes that were open at this time.
Children Accommodated in Secure Children's Homes at 31 March 2008: England and Wales
Glossary
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Children who cease to be the subject of a child protection plan
A child will cease to be the subject of a plan if: 1. it is judged that the child is no longer at continuing risk of significant harm requiring safeguarding by means of a child protection plan; 2. the child and family’s circumstances have changed; or re-assessment (through a child protection conference) indicates that a child protection plan is not necessary; 3. the child and family have moved permanently to another local authority area and the receiving authority has convened a child protection conference; or 4. the child has reached 18 years of age, has died or has permanently left the UK.
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Core Assessment
A core assessment is defined as an in-depth assessment which addresses the central or most important aspects of the child’s needs. There are several junctures at which a core assessment may start, depending on the child’s circumstances, and the existence of child protection concerns (‘risk of significant harm’) is not a pre-requisite. The expected timescale for the completion of a core assessment is a maximum of 35 working days, recognising that where specialist assessments are required they may not take place within this timescale.
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Initial Assessment
An initial assessment is defined as a brief assessment of any child who has been referred to social services with a request that services be provided. An initial assessment is deemed to have started either at the point of referral to a social services department, or when new information on an open case indicates that an initial assessment should be repeated. Initial assessments may lead to three types of outcome 1. no further action 2. the immediate provision of services 3. a more detailed type of assessment (known as a ‘core assessment’) being carried out. This may be carried out even where there is immediate provision of services.
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Initial Child Protection conferences and registration.
Where concerns about a child’s welfare are substantiated and the agencies involved judge that a child may continue to suffer, or be at risk of suffering significant harm, the social services department should convene an initial child protection conference. The purpose is to draw together the information that has been obtained and to make judgements on whether the child is at continuing risk of significant harm and whether he or she requires a child protection plan to be put in place. An initial child protection conference should take place within 15 working days of the strategy discussion which decided whether s.47 enquiries should be initiated, or continued if they have already begun.
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Looked after children
Under the Children Act 1989, a child is looked after by a local authority if he or she is provided with accommodation, for a continuous period of more than 24 hours; or is subject to a care order.
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Private Fostering Arrangement
A private fostering arrangement is one that is made privately for the care of a child under the age of 16 (under 18, if disabled). The arrangement is made by someone other than a parent or close relative with the intention that it should last for 28 days or more. Private foster carers may be from the extended family, such as a cousin or great aunt. However, a person who is a relative under the Children Act 1989, such as, a grandparent, brother, sister, uncle or aunt (whether of the full or half blood or by marriage) or a step-parent will not be a private foster carer. A private foster carer may be a friend of the family, the parent of a friend of the child, or someone previously unknown to the child’s family who is willing to privately foster a child.
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Referral
A referral is defined for the purposes of the child protection register collection as ‘a request for services to be provided by the social services department.’ This is in respect of a case where the child is not previously known to the council, or where the case was previously open but is now closed. A referral can be made by a professional from one of many different agencies (typically in the health and education sectors). The term used in this topic is a broad one which encompasses referrals from any source, including self-referrals.
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Section 47 enquiries
Where there is any suspicion that a child may be suffering or is likely to suffer significant harm, social services departments are required by section 47 of the Children Act 1989 to make enquiries. This is to establish whether there is a need for further action to safeguard the child’s welfare. While the exact order of stages of the process may depend on circumstances, an early action consists of convening a strategy discussion involving relevant professionals. Amongst other things this discussion should decide if enquiries under s.47 should begin, or should continue if they have already begun. If a core assessment has not already started, it should begin with the s.47 enquiries.
Contact Details
For statistical enquiries about this topic, please contact:
Department for Children, Schools and Families
Email: dsg.helpdesk@dcsf.gsi.gov.uk
Telephone: +44 (0) 132 539 2626 Minicom/textphone: +44 (0) 192 879 4274
Department for Children, Schools and Families Mowden Hall Staindrop Road Darlington DL3 9BG
