Latest child protection statistics for Scotland published
The Scottish Government has today (26 March 2024) published the latest official annual Children's Social Work Statistics for Scotland regarding child protection. This uses data collected from all 32 local authorities in Scotland on child protection processes from 1 August 2023 to 31 July 2024.
During the 2023-2024 year, 3,167 children were registered onto the child protection register, a decrease of 2% from 2022-23 (3,234). The figures show that a total of 2,129 children were on the Child Protection Register on 31 July 2024, an increase of 3% since 2023 (2,077).
In 2023-24, around half (48%) of children added to the child protection register lived in one of the 20% most deprived areas in Scotland, compared to 3% of children who lived in the 20% least deprived areas.
The most common concerns identified at child protection planning meetings for children registered during the 2023-24 year were: domestic abuse (45% of children registered), neglect (42% of children registered), parental substance use (39% of children registered), parental mental ill health (37% of children registered), and emotional abuse (33% of children registered).
The figures show that 3,117 children were de-registered from the child protection register in 2023-24, a decrease of 2% from 2022-23, and 48% of de-registered children had been on the register for less than six months.