Statistics Publication Notice: Health and Care Series: Children's Social Work Statistics 2009/10

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS:

Child Protection

• In 2009/10, there were 13,523 child protection referrals, an increase of 6% compared with the previous year (see Background Notes). Forty six per cent of these referrals were for boys, 51% were for girls and 3% were for children whose gender was not known (largely due to being unborn). ( Table 1, Chart 1)
• Thirty four per cent of child protection referrals resulted in a child protection case conference in 2009/10 (see Background Notes). This compares with 37% in 2008/09. ( Table 1, Table 2, Chart 4)
• Seventy nine per cent of children who were subject to a case conference were living at home prior to being referred, the same as in the previous year. ( Table 2)
• For 84% of children who were subject to a case conference, the primary known/suspected abuser was the child's natural parent(s) (where this was known), similar to the previous year. ( Table 3)
• Of the 4,660 case conferences, 76% resulted in the child being placed on the local child protection register, a similar percentage to the previous year. ( Table 3, Table 4, Chart 4)
• The total number of registrations on to child protection registers fell by 2% in 2009/10 (from 3,628 in 2008/09 to 3,551 in 2009/10). However, the number of registrations on to child protection registers as a result of sexual abuse were up by 12%, and for emotional abuse were up by 4%. ( Table 4, Chart 2)
• Sixteen per cent of registrations on to child protection registers in 2009/10 were of children who were known to have been previously on a child protection register. This compares with 14% in 2008/09. ( Table 5)
• The total number of de-registrations from child protection registers between 1 ^st April 2009 and 31 ^st March 2010 was 3,826, an increase of 9% compared with the previous year. Eighty per cent of these de-registrations were for children who had been on the register for less than one year compared with 76% in the previous year. ( Table 6)
• Thirty two per cent of all de-registrations from child protection registers were because of an improved home situation. A further 14% were because the child was taken into care and risk reduced, 7% were because the child was with other carers, 2% were because the perpetrator was removed, and 5% were because the child moved aware and there was no continued risk or the child was transferred to another local authority. The remaining 39% were because of some other form of reduced risk. ( Table 6)
• As at 31 March 2010, there were 2,518 children on Child Protection Registers, a decrease of 6% compared with the previous year. There were slightly more boys than girls on child protection registers, and 84% of children were under the age of 11 years old (including unborns). ( Table 7)
• At 31 March 2010, 44% of all children on child protection registers were registered because of physical neglect (down 3 percentage points compared with the previous year), 29% because of emotional abuse (up 4 percentage points), 19% because of physical injury (down 1 percentage point) and 8% because of sexual abuse (up 1 percentage point). ( Table 8)
• At 31 March 2010, 85% of all children on children protection registers were reported as being from a 'White' ethnic group, with a further 4% being from 'Mixed', 'Asian, Asian Scottish, Asian British', 'Black, Black Scottish, Black British', or 'Other' ethnic groups. Please note that 4% of all children on child protection registers were reported as having a 'Not Disclosed' ethnic group whilst the remaining 8% were reported with an 'Unknown' ethnic group. ( Table 8)
• At 31 March 2010, 75% of all children on child protection registers were reported as not having a disability, whilst 5% were reported as having some form of disability. Please note, however, that 20% of all children on child protection registers were reported with an 'Unknown' disability status. ( Table 8)

Secure Care Accommodation

• At 31 ^st March 2010 there were seven secure units providing a total of 106 secure places (excluding emergency beds). ( Map 1, Chart 5). Three units had an emergency bed available (Good Shepherd, Kibble and Rossie).
• The average cost per secure bed per week during 2009-10 was £5,220, ranging from £4,990 to £5,420.
• On the 31 ^st March 2010, there were 577 staff working across the secure estate, of which 25 were temporary. There were 21 vacancies, of which 4 had been vacant for more than three months. ( Table 12)
• There was an average of 99 residents in secure care accommodation throughout 2009-10, up from 90 in the previous year. The number of young people in secure care accommodation throughout the year ranged from 90 to 110. ( Table 11)
• There were 313 admissions to secure care accommodation in 2009-10. This is a increase of 15 per cent on 2008-09. There was also a 15 per cent increase in the number of discharges, to 308. ( Table 11, Chart 5)
• Total occupancy reached its highest capacity of 110 residents during two dates in June 2009 (between 8 ^th and 9 ^th June). ( Chart 6). See background notes for further information on unit capacity and usage.
• Sixty four per cent of young people in secure care accommodation on 31 ^st March 2010 were males. This represents no change from 2009. ( Table 13)
• Eighty one per cent of young people in secure care accommodation on 31 ^st March 2010 had at least one known disability. Of those young people, 26 per cent were known to have medically diagnosed social, emotional and behavioural difficulties, 78 per cent were known to have other social, emotional and behavioural difficulties and 10 per cent were known to have a mental health problem. ( Table 13)
• Forty per cent of young people admitted to secure care accommodation during the year were admitted when they were 15 years old. This is an increase of six percentage points on the previous year. The proportion of children admitted at age 16 or over increased from 22 per cent in 2008-09 to 28 per cent in 2009-10. ( Table 15)
• One hundred and twenty nine (Forty one per cent) of young people admitted to secure care accommodation during the year were previously living with parents, other relatives or friends. More females than males were admitted from foster care or a children's home, despite many more males than females being admitted overall. ( Table 18)
• Thirty five per cent of young people discharged from secure care accommodation during 2009-10 had been in secure care accommodation for less than 1 month, up five percentage points from the previous year. Four per cent had been in secure care accommodation for more than 12 months, a increase of one percentage point since the previous year. ( Table 15, Chart 7)
• Ninety two per cent of young people discharged during 2009-10 received medical care during their spell in secure care accommodation. ( Table 21)
• Thirty eight per cent of females discharged during 2009-10 received Human Papillomavirus ( HPV) immunisations during their spell in secure care accommodation. See Background Notes for further information. ( Table 22)

Close Support Care Accommodation

• Four units (Edinburgh Secure Services, The Elms, Good Shepherd and Rossie) had dedicated close support units, providing a total of 29 close support places ( Map 1).
• On the 31 ^st March 2010, there were 105 staff working in dedicated close support units, of which none were temporary. There were 5 vacancies, of which 3 had been vacant for more than three months. ( Table 12)
• There was an average of 9 residents in close support accommodation throughout 2009-10. The number of young people in dedicated close support accommodation units throughout the year ranged from 8 to 11. ( Table 11)
• There were 55 admissions to and 51 discharges from dedicated close support accommodation units in 2009-10. ( Table 11)
• Forty one per cent of young people in dedicated close support units on 31 ^st March 2010 were males. ( Table 14)
• Seventy six per cent of young people in dedicated close support units on 31 ^st March 2010 had at least one known disability. ( Table 14)
• Seventy three per cent of young people admitted to close support units during the year were previously in secure care accommodation. ( Table 18)
• Twenty nine percent of young people discharged from close support units during 2009-10 had been in close support accommodation for less than one month. ( Table 16)