Reporting year 2020

Children in need

Data guidance

Published

Description

This page describes the data included in the ‘Characteristics of children in need’ National Statistics release's underlying data files. This data is released under the terms of the Open Government License and it intended to meet at least 3 stars for Open Data.

The methodology should be referenced alongside this data. It provides information on the data sources, their coverage and quality as well as explaining methodology used in producing the data. 

Coverage

This release provides information on:

  • children in need of social services
  • children referred to social services
  • assessments undertaken, primary need at assessment and factors identified at the end of assessment
  • section 47 enquiries (a local authority carries out one of these if they suspect a child is suffering, or likely to suffer, significant harm) and initial child protection conferences
  • children who were the subject of a child protection plan

These statistics are based on child-level data collected via the children in need census.

File formats and conventions

Confidentiality

In this publication, any number between 1 and 5 inclusive has been suppressed and replaced by ‘c’.  Secondary suppression has been applied where necessary, to preserve confidentiality.

The symbol ‘:’ indicates that data is not available. This may be because a local authority was unable to return a particular data item in the children in need census; changes to the data collected in the census; or data is not available because of concerns regarding quality.

The letter ‘z’ indicates data is not applicable.

The symbols used are in accordance with the latest Government Statistical Service (GSS) guidance.

Rounding

England and regional totals are rounded to the nearest 10, therefore sub totals may not sum to totals.

Percentages are rounded to one decimal place, therefore sub totals may not sum to 100.

Rates per 10,000 children aged under 18 years are rounded to one decimal place. Rates are calculated using ONS mid-year population estimates for children aged 0 to 17 years in England.

Data files

All data files associated with this releases are listed below with guidance on their content. To download any of these files, please visit our data catalogue.

A1 Children in Need, Referrals and Assessments

Filename
a1_cin_referrals_assessments_2013_to_2020.csv
Geographic levels
National
Time period
2013 to 2020
Content

Children in need, episodes of need, referrals and assessments completed by children's social care services.

Variable names and descriptions

Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:

Variable nameVariable description
category_typeCategory type
numberNumber
percentPercentage
rateRate per 10,000 children aged under 18 years
Footnotes
  1. A child in need is defined under the Children Act 1989 as a child who is unlikely to reach or maintain a satisfactory level of health or development, or their health or development will be significantly impaired without the provision of children's social care services, or the child is disabled.
  2. Figures for children in need at 31 March include children awaiting assessment and those that do not require an assessment. These children are included to give a full account of the children in need population and are not intended to be used as a measure of local authority performance.
  3. Rates per 10,000 of the population of children aged under 18 years are calculated using Office for National Statistics (ONS) mid-year population estimates for children aged 0 to 17 years in England.

A2 Section 47s, initial child protection conferences and child protection plans

Filename
a2_section47_icpc_cpp_2013_to_2020.csv
Geographic levels
National
Time period
2013 to 2020
Content

Section 47 enquiries and initial child protection conferences carried out by children's social care services, and children who were the subject of a child protection plan, in the year ending 31 March.

Variable names and descriptions

Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:

Variable nameVariable description
category_typeCategory type
numberNumber
percentPercentage
rateRate per 10000 children aged under 18 years
Footnotes
  1. If concerns regarding a child’s welfare are substantiated as result of a section 47 enquiry and the child is judged to be at continuing risk of harm then an initial child protection conference (ICPC) should be convened within 15 working days.
  2. A child becomes the subject of a child protection plan if they are assessed as being at risk of harm, at an initial child protection conference.
  3. Rates per 10,000 of the population of children aged under 18 years are calculated using Office for National Statistics (ONS) mid-year population estimates for children aged 0 to 17 years in England.
  4. If a local authority identifies there is reasonable cause to suspect the child is suffering, or is likely to suffer significant harm, it will carry out an assessment under section 47 of the Children Act 1989 to determine if it needs to take steps to safeguard and promote the welfare of the child.

A3 Children in need by gender, age and primary need

Filename
a3_cin_primary_need_by_age_gender_2018_to_2020.csv
Geographic levels
National
Time period
2018 to 2020
Content

Children in need at 31 March by gender, age (at 31 March) and primary need.

Variable names and descriptions

Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:

Variable nameVariable description
characteristicCharacteristic
CIN_At31Children in Need at 31st March
N0_Not_statedN0 - Not stated
N1_Abuse_or_neglectN1 - Abuse or neglect
N2_Childs_disability_or_illnessN2 - Child's disability or illness
N3_Parents_disability_or_illnessN3 - Parent's disability or illness
N4_Family_in_acute_stressN4 - Family in acute stress
N5_Family_dysfunctionN5 - Family dysfunction
N6_Socially_unacceptable_behaviourN6 - Socially unacceptable behaviour
N7_Low_incomeN7 - Low income
N8_Absent_parentingN8 - Absent parenting
N9_Cases_other_than_CINN9 - Cases other than children In need
Footnotes
  1. A child in need is defined under the Children Act 1989 as a child who is unlikely to reach or maintain a satisfactory level of health or development, or their health or development will be significantly impaired without the provision of children's social care services, or the child is disabled.
  2. When a child is referred to children's social care with a request for services to be provided the main reason why the child started to receive services is recorded as their primary need.

A4 Children in need by ethnicity, age and gender

Filename
a4_cin_by_ethnicity_and_age_gender_2018_to_2020.csv
Geographic levels
National
Time period
2018 to 2020
Content

Children in need at 31 March by gender, age (at 31 March) and ethnicity.

Variable names and descriptions

Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:

Variable nameVariable description
characteristicCharacteristic
CIN_At31Children in Need at 31st March
Ethnicity_Asian_or_Asian_BritishAsian or Asian British
Ethnicity_Black_or_Black_BritishBlack or Black British
Ethnicity_MixedMixed
Ethnicity_WhiteWhite
Known_ethnicityKnown ethnicity
Other_ethnic_groupOther ethnic group
Footnotes
  1. A child in need is defined under the Children Act 1989 as a child who is unlikely to reach or maintain a satisfactory level of health or development, or their health or development will be significantly impaired without the provision of children's social care services, or the child is disabled.
  2. Black or black British comprises Caribbean, African or any other black background.
  3. White comprises white British, white Irish, traveller of Irish heritage, any other white background and Gypsy/Roma.
  4. Mixed comprises white and black Caribbean, white and black African, white and Asian, any other mixed background.
  5. Other ethnic groups comprises Chinese and any other ethnic group.
  6. Asian or Asian British comprises Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, and any other Asian background.

A5 Child protection plans initial category of abuse by gender, age and ethnicity

Filename
a5_cpp_initial_category_of_abuse_by_gender_age_ethnicity_2018_to_2020.csv
Geographic levels
National
Time period
2018 to 2020
Content

Children who were the subject of a child protection plan at 31 March by initial category of abuse by gender, age and ethnicity.

Variable names and descriptions

Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:

Variable nameVariable description
characteristic_typeCharacteristic Type
CPP_At31Child Protection Plans at 31st March
Emotional_Abuse_InitialEmotional Abuse
Multiple_InitialMultiple
Neglect_InitialNeglect
Physical_Abuse_InitialPhysical Abuse
Sexual_Abuse_InitialSexual Abuse
Footnotes
  1. Black or black British comprises Caribbean, African or any other black background.
  2. The initial category of abuse is that assessed when the child protection plan commenced.
  3. A child becomes the subject of a child protection plan if they are assessed as being at risk of harm, at an initial child protection conference.
  4. White comprises white British, white Irish, traveller of Irish heritage, any other white background and Gypsy/Roma.
  5. The 'Multiple' category refers to instances where there is more than one main category of abuse. Children included in this category are not included in any other category of abuse, therefore a child is counted only once overall.
  6. Mixed comprises white and black Caribbean, white and black African, white and Asian, any other mixed background.
  7. Other ethnic groups comprises Chinese and any other ethnic group.
  8. Asian or Asian British comprises Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, and any other Asian background.

A6 Child protection plans initial category of abuse

Filename
a6_cpp_initial_category_of_abuse_2013_to_2020.csv
Geographic levels
National
Time period
2013 to 2020
Content

Children who were the subject of a child protection plan at 31 March by initial category of abuse.

Variable names and descriptions

Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:

Variable nameVariable description
CPP_At31Child Protection Plans at 31st March
Emotional_abuse_InitialEmotional Abuse
Multiple_InitialMultiple
Neglect_InitialNeglect
Physical_abuse_InitialPhysical Abuse
Sexual_abuse_InitialSexual Abuse
Footnotes
  1. The initial category of abuse is that assessed when the child protection plan commenced.
  2. A child becomes the subject of a child protection plan if they are assessed as being at risk of harm, at an initial child protection conference.
  3. The 'Multiple' category refers to instances where there is more than one main category of abuse. Children included in this category are not included in any other category of abuse, therefore a child is counted only once overall.

A7 Children in Need by Gender, Age and Ethnicity

Filename
a7_cin_by_age_gender_ethnicity_2015_to_2020.csv
Geographic levels
National
Time period
2015 to 2020
Content

Children in need by gender, age and ethnicity.

Variable names and descriptions

Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:

Variable nameVariable description
characteristic_typeCharacteristic type
numberNumber
percentPercentage
Footnotes
  1. A child in need is defined under the Children Act 1989 as a child who is unlikely to reach or maintain a satisfactory level of health or development, or their health or development will be significantly impaired without the provision of children's social care services, or the child is disabled.
  2. Black or black British comprises Caribbean, African or any other black background.
  3. White comprises white British, white Irish, traveller of Irish heritage, any other white background and Gypsy/Roma.
  4. Mixed comprises white and black Caribbean, white and black African, white and Asian, any other mixed background.
  5. Other ethnic groups comprises Chinese and any other ethnic group.
  6. Asian or Asian British comprises Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, and any other Asian background.

B1 Children in Need and Episodes of Need

Filename
b1_children_in_need_2013_to_2020.csv
Geographic levels
Local authority; National; Regional
Time period
2013 to 2020
Content

Children in need episodes at any point during the year, episodes starting in year, episodes ending in year, and children in need at 31 March.

Variable names and descriptions

Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:

Variable nameVariable description
Anypoint_childChildren with an episode of need at any point during the year
Anypoint_child_rateRate of children with an episode of need at any point during the year per 10000 children aged under 18 years
Anypoint_episodesEpisodes of need at any point during the year
Anypoint_episodes_rateRate of episodes of need at any point during the year per 10000 children aged under 18 years
At31_episodesChildren in need at 31 March
At31_episodes_rateRate of children in need at 31 March per 10000 children aged under 18 years
Awaiting_assessmentChildren in need at 31 March who are awaiting assessment or do not require an assessment
Awaiting_assessment_rateRate of children in need at 31 March who are awaiting assessment or do not require assessment per 10000 children aged under 18 years
Ended_childChildren ending an episode of need in the year
Ended_child_rateRate of children ending an episode of need in the year per 10000 children aged under 18 years
Ended_episodesEpisodes of need ending in the year
Ended_episodes_rateRate of episodes ending in the year per 10000 children aged under 18 years
Started_childChildren starting an episode of need in the year
Started_child_rateRate of children starting an episode of need in the year per 10000 children aged under 18 years
Started_episodesEpisodes of need starting in the year
Started_episodes_rateRate of episodes of need starting in the year per 10000 children aged under 18 years
Footnotes
  1. A child in need is defined under the Children Act 1989 as a child who is unlikely to reach or maintain a satisfactory level of health or development, or their health or development will be significantly impaired without the provision of children's social care services, or the child is disabled.
  2. Figures for children in need at 31 March include children awaiting assessment and those that do not require an assessment. These children are included to give a full account of the children in need population and are not intended to be used as a measure of local authority performance.
  3. A child can have more than one episode of need throughout the year, but episodes should not overlap.
  4. Rates per 10,000 of the population of children aged under 18 years are calculated using Office for National Statistics (ONS) mid-year population estimates for children aged 0 to 17 years in England.

B2 Children in Need by Recorded Disability

Filename
b2_children_in_need_recorded_disability_2013_to_2020.csv
Geographic levels
Local authority; National; Regional
Time period
2013 to 2020
Content

Children in need at 31 March, by disability.

Variable names and descriptions

Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:

Variable nameVariable description
At31_episodesNumber of children in need at 31 March
At31_episodes_disability_recordedNumber of children in need at 31 March with a disability recorded
At31episodes_disability_recorded_percentPercentage of children in need at 31 March with a disability recorded
Autism_percentAutism/Asperger Syndrome
Behaviour_percentBehaviour
Communication_percentCommunication
Consciousness_percentConsciousness
Hand_Function_percentHand Function
Hearing_percentHearing
Incontinence_percentIncontinence
Learning_Difficulties_percentLearning
Mobility_percentMobility
Other_percentOther Disability
Personal_care_percentPersonal Care
Vision_percentVision
Footnotes
  1. A child in need is defined under the Children Act 1989 as a child who is unlikely to reach or maintain a satisfactory level of health or development, or their health or development will be significantly impaired without the provision of children's social care services, or the child is disabled.
  2. A child may have more than one disability recorded, therefore the disability category percentages may not sum to 100.
  3. Definition of disability under the Equality Act 2010: “You're disabled under the Equality Act 2010 if you have a physical or mental impairment that has a 'substantial' and 'long-term' negative effect on your ability to do normal daily activities”. More information on what ‘substantial’ and ‘long-term’ mean is provided here: https://www.gov.uk/definition-of-disability-under-equality-act-2010

B3 Children in Need by Primary Need

Filename
b3_cin_primary_need_2013_to_2020.csv
Geographic levels
Local authority; National; Regional
Time period
2013 to 2020
Content

Children in need at 31 March, by primary need at assessment.

Variable names and descriptions

Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:

Variable nameVariable description
At31_episodesNumber of children in need at 31 March
N0_Not_statedN0 - Not stated
N1_Abuse_or_neglectN1 - Abuse or neglect
N2_Childs_disability_or_illnessN2 - Child's disability or illness
N3_Parents_disability_or_illnessN3 - Parent's disability or illness
N4_Family_in_acute_stressN4 - Family in acute stress
N5_Family_dysfunctionN5 - Family dysfunction
N6_Socially_unacceptable_behaviourN6 - Socially unacceptable behaviour
N7_Low_incomeN7 - Low income
N8_Absent_parentingN8 - Absent parenting
N9_Cases_other_than_CINN9 - Cases other than children in need
Footnotes
  1. When a child is referred to children's social care with a request for services to be provided the main reason why the child started to receive services is recorded as their primary need.

B4 Children in Need by Duration of Episode

Filename
b4_children_in_need_duration_of_open_episode_2013_to_2020.csv
Geographic levels
Local authority; National; Regional
Time period
2013 to 2020
Content

Children in need at 31 March, by duration of open case.

Variable names and descriptions

Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:

Variable nameVariable description
1_2_years1 year but less than 2 years - number
1_2_years_percent1 year but less than 2 years - percentage
2years+2 years and over - number
2years+_percent2 years and over - percentage
3_6_monthsMore than 3 months but less than or equal to 6 months - number
3_6_months_percentMore than 3 months but less than or equal to 6 months - percentage
3_months3 months or less - number
3_months_percent3 months or less - percentage
6_months_1_yearMore than 6 months but less than 1 year - number
6_months_1_year_percentMore than 6 months but less than 1 year - percentage
At31_episodesNumber of children in need at 31 March
Footnotes
  1. A child in need is defined under the Children Act 1989 as a child who is unlikely to reach or maintain a satisfactory level of health or development, or their health or development will be significantly impaired without the provision of children's social care services, or the child is disabled.
  2. The duration of an open episode is calculated as difference between the referral date and 31 March of the reporting year.
  3. Open episodes (or cases) are those open at 31 March of the reporting year.

B5 Duration of Ended Episodes

Filename
b5_children_in_need_duration_of_ended_episode_2013_to_2020.csv
Geographic levels
Local authority; National; Regional
Time period
2013 to 2020
Content

Episodes of need ending in the year ending 31 March, by duration of episode of need.

Variable names and descriptions

Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:

Variable nameVariable description
1_2_years1 year but less than 2 years - number
1_2_years_percent1 year but less than 2 years - percentage
2years+2 years and over - number
2years+_percent2 years and over - percentage
3_6_monthsMore than 3 months but less than or equal to 6 months - number
3_6_months_percentMore than 3 months but less than or equal to 6 months - percentage
3_months3 months or less - number
3_months_percent3 months or less - percentage
6_months_1_yearMore than 6 months but less than 1 year - number
6_months_1_year_percentMore than 6 months but less than 1 year - percentage
Ended_episodeNumber of episodes ending during the year
Footnotes
  1. A child in need is defined under the Children Act 1989 as a child who is unlikely to reach or maintain a satisfactory level of health or development, or their health or development will be significantly impaired without the provision of children's social care services, or the child is disabled.
  2. The duration of episode of need ending in the year is calculated as the difference between the referral date and closure date of the episode.

B6 Children in Need by Reason for Closure

Filename
b6_children_in_need_reason_for_closure_2013_to_2020.csv
Geographic levels
Local authority; National; Regional
Time period
2013 to 2020
Content

Episodes of need ending in the year to 31 March, by reason for case closure.

Variable names and descriptions

Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:

Variable nameVariable description
Ended_episodesNumber of episodes of need ending in the year
RC1_AdoptedRC1 - Adopted - Number
RC1_Adopted_percentRC1 - Adopted - Percentage
RC2_DiedRC2 - Died - Number
RC2_Died_percentRC2 - Died -Percentage
RC3_Residence_OrderRC3 - Residence Order - Number
RC3_Residence_Order_percentRC3 - Residence Order - Percentage
RC4_Special_Guardianship_OrderRC4 - Special Guardianship Order - Number
RC4_Special_Guardianship_Order_percentRC4 - Special Guardianship Order - Percentage
RC5_Transfer_to_another_LARC5 - Transfer to another LA - Number
RC5_Transfer_to_another_LA_percentRC5 - Transfer to another LA - Percentage
RC6_Transfer_to_Adult_Social_ServiceRC6 - Transfer to Adult Social Services - Number
RC6_Transfer_to_Adult_Social_Service_percentRC6 - Transfer to Adult Social Services - Percentage
RC7_OtherRC7 - 'Other' incl. Child no longer in need - Number
RC7_Other_percentRC7 - 'Other' incl. Child no longer in need - Percentage
unknownUnknown - Number
unknown_percentUnknown - Percentage
Footnotes
  1. A child in need is defined under the Children Act 1989 as a child who is unlikely to reach or maintain a satisfactory level of health or development, or their health or development will be significantly impaired without the provision of children's social care services, or the child is disabled.
  2. Reason for closure is the reason the local authority stops providing services to the child.

C1 Children in Need Referrals and Rereferrals

Filename
c1_children_in_need_referrals_and_rereferrals_2013_to_2020.csv
Geographic levels
Local authority; National; Regional
Time period
2013 to 2020
Content

Referrals to children's social care services, referrals which resulted in no further action, referrals which were assessed and resulted in no further action, children referred and where the referral was within 12 months of a previous referral, in the year ending 31 March.

Variable names and descriptions

Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:

Variable nameVariable description
No_Further_ActionReferrals which resulted in no further action
No_Further_Action_percentReferrals which resulted in no further action (%)
Not_in_NeedReferrals which resulted in an assessment and the child was assessed not to be in need
Not_in_Need_percentReferrals which resulted in an assessment and the child was assessed not to be in need (%)
Re_referralsRe-referrals within 12 months of a previous referral
Re_referrals_childNumber of children with a referral within 12 months of a previous referral
Re_referrals_child_percentNumber of children with a referral within 12 months of a previous referral (%)
Re_referrals_percentRe-referrals within 12 months of a previous referral (%)
ReferralsReferrals in the year
Referrals_childNumber of children with a referral in the year
Referrals_child_rateRate of children referred per 10000 children aged under 18 years
Referrals_rateRate of referrals in the year per 10000 children aged under 18 years
Footnotes
  1. A referral is defined as a request for services to be provided by children’s social care and is in respect of a child who is not currently in need.
  2. If a child has more than one referral in a reporting year, then each referral is counted.
  3. Recording of referral outcomes varies between local authorities, because of differences in local reporting practices. This means there may be considerable variation at local authority level in the number of referrals recorded as no further action, and those resulting in an assessment and the child was assessed not to be in need.
  4. Re-referrals for the year ending 31 March 2020 exclude Dorset and Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole local authorities due to the reorganisation of these areas from 1 April 2019. This means national re-referral figures for 2020 are not directly comparable with earlier years.
  5. Rates per 10,000 of the population of children aged under 18 years are calculated using Office for National Statistics (ONS) mid-year population estimates for children aged 0 to 17 years in England.

C2 Children in Need Assessments by Duration

Filename
c2_children_in_need_assessments_duration_2014_to_2020.csv
Geographic levels
Local authority; National; Regional
Time period
2014 to 2020
Content

Assessments completed by children's social care services in the year ending 31 March, by duration of assessment.

Variable names and descriptions

Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:

Variable nameVariable description
1-10_days1 to 10 days
11-20_days11 to 20 days
21-30_days21 to 30 days
25th_Percentile_days25th percentile (days)
31-40_days31 to 40 days
41-45_days41 to 45 days
46-50_days46 to 50 days
51-60_days51 to 60 days
61+_days61 days and over
75th_Percentile_days75th percentile (days)
Assessments_completedNumber of assessments in the year
Assessments_completed_rateRate per 10000 children aged under 18 years
Median_daysMedian (days)
Same_dayStarted and finished the same day
Footnotes
  1. Local authorities undertake assessments of the needs of individual children to determine what services to provide and action to take. An assessment should be completed within 45 working days of a referral.
  2. The duration of an assessment is calculated as the time in working days between the assessment start date and the assessment end date.
  3. Rates per 10,000 of the population of children aged under 18 years are calculated using Office for National Statistics (ONS) mid-year population estimates for children aged 0 to 17 years in England.

C3 Children in Need factor identified at end of Assessment

Filename
c3_children_in_need_factors_identified_at_end_of_assessment_2018_to_2020.csv
Geographic levels
Local authority; National; Regional
Time period
2018 to 2020
Content

Episodes with assessment factor information in the year ending 31 March, and factors identified at the end of assessment.

Variable names and descriptions

Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:

Variable nameVariable description
Alcohol_Misuse_childAlcohol misuse (child)
Alcohol_Misuse_parentAlcohol misuse (parent)
Alcohol_Misuse_personAlcohol misuse (person)
Child_sexual_exploitationChild sexual exploitation
Domestic_Violence_childDomestic violence (child)
Domestic_Violence_parentDomestic violence (parent)
Domestic_Violence_personDomestic violence (person)
Drug_Misuse_childDrug misuse (child)
Drug_Misuse_parentDrug misuse (parent)
Drug_Misuse_personDrug misuse (person)
Emotional_AbuseEmotional abuse
Episodes_with_assessment_factorNumber of episodes with assessment factor information
Faith_linked_abuseAbuse linked to faith or belief
Female_Genital_MutilationFemale Genital Mutilation
GangsGangs
Going_missingGoing/being missing
Learning_Disability_childLearning disability (child)
Learning_Disability_parentLearning disability (parent)
Learning_Disability_personLearning disability (person)
Mental_Health_childMental health (child)
Mental_Health_parentMental health (parent)
Mental_Health_personMental health (person)
NeglectNeglect
OtherOther factors
Physical_AbusePhysical abuse
Physical_Disability_childPhysical disability (child)
Physical_Disability_parentPhysical disability (parent)
Physical_Disability_personPhysical disability (person)
Privately_fosteredPrivately fostered
Self_harmSelf-harm
Sexual_AbuseSexual abuse
Socially_unacceptable_behaviourSocially unacceptable behaviour
TraffickingTrafficking
Unaccompanied_asylum_seekerUnaccompanied asylum seeker
Young_CarerYoung carer
Footnotes
  1. An episode of need may have more than one factor identified at the end of assessment recorded.
  2. Figures exclude the category ‘no factors identified’. This category is only used for cases which are closed following assessments resulting in no further action.
  3. Factors identified at the end of assessment include only those factors which are deemed relevant at the end of a child’s assessment.

C4 Section 47s and Initial Child Protection Conferences

Filename
c4_children_in_need_section_47s_and_icpcs_2013_to_2020.csv
Geographic levels
Local authority; National; Regional
Time period
2013 to 2020
Content

Section 47 enquiries and initial child protection conferences in the year ending 31 March.

Variable names and descriptions

Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:

Variable nameVariable description
Duration_0-10_daysDuration between start of Section 47 enquiry and ICPC (0-10 working days)
Duration_11-15_daysDuration between start of Section 47 enquiry and ICPC (11-15 working days)
Duration_16-20_daysDuration between start of Section 47 enquiry and ICPC (16-20 working days)
Duration_21+_daysDuration between start of Section 47 enquiry and ICPC (21+ working days)
Duration_25th_PercentileDuration between start of Section 47 enquiry and ICPC (25th percentile working days)
Duration_75th_PercentileDuration between start of Section 47 enquiry and ICPC (75th percentile working days)
Duration_MedianDuration between start of Section 47 enquiry and ICPC (Median working days)
ICPCNumber of ICPCs
ICPC_childNumber of children undergoing an ICPC
ICPC_child_rateRate of children undergoing an ICPC per 10000 children aged under 18 years
ICPC_rateRate of ICPCs per 10000 children aged under 18 years
Section47Number of Section 47s
Section47_childNumber of children undergoing a Section 47
Section47_child_rateRate of children undergoing a Section 47 per 10000 children aged under 18 years
Section47_rateRate of Section 47s per 10000 children aged under 18 years
Footnotes
  1. If concerns regarding a child’s welfare are substantiated as result of a section 47 enquiry and the child is judged to be at continuing risk of harm then an initial child protection conference (ICPC) should be convened within 15 working days.
  2. The duration between start of a section 47 enquiry and initial child protection conference is calculated as the time in working days between the start of section 47 and the date of the initial child protection conference. For cases transferred in from another local authority, the duration is calculated as time in working days between the referral date and the date of the initial child protection conference.
  3. Rates per 10,000 of the population of children aged under 18 years are calculated using Office for National Statistics (ONS) mid-year population estimates for children aged 0 to 17 years in England.
  4. If a local authority identifies there is reasonable cause to suspect the child is suffering, or is likely to suffer significant harm, it will carry out an assessment under section 47 of the Children Act 1989 to determine if it needs to take steps to safeguard and promote the welfare of the child.

C5 Children in Need Referrals by Source

Filename
c5_children_in_need_referrals_by_source_2014_to_2020.csv
Geographic levels
Local authority; National; Regional
Time period
2014 to 2020
Content

Referrals to children's social care services in the year ending 31 March by source of referral.

Variable names and descriptions

Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:

Variable nameVariable description
AnonymousAnonymous
Education_ServicesEducation services
Health_ServicesHealth services
HousingHousing
IndividualIndividual
LA_ServicesLA services
OtherOther
Other_legal_agencyOther legal agency
PolicePolice
ReferralsNumber of referrals
SchoolsSchools
UnknownUnknown
Footnotes
  1. The source of referral is recorded for each new referral. Where there is more than one referral for the same child on the same day, the first referral should be recorded.
  2. 'Health services' includes referral from GPs, health visitors, school nurses, other primary health services, A&E and other health services.
  3. 'LA services' includes referrals from social care, other internal local authority services and external local authority services.
  4. A referral is defined as a request for services to be provided by children’s social care and is in respect of a child who is not currently in need.
  5. If a child has more than one referral in a reporting year, then each referral is counted.
  6. 'Individual' includes referrals from family members, relatives, carers, acquaintances and self-referrals.

C6 Referrals by Month

Filename
c6_children_in_need_referrals_by_month_2013_to_2020.csv
Geographic levels
Local authority; National; Regional
Time period
2013 to 2020
Content

Referrals to children's social care services, in the year ending 31 March by month of the year.

Variable names and descriptions

Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:

Variable nameVariable description
AprilApril
AugustAugust
DecemberDecember
FebruaryFebruary
JanuaryJanuary
JulyJuly
JuneJune
MarchMarch
MayMay
NovemberNovember
OctoberOctober
ReferralsTotal number of referrals in the year
SeptemberSeptember
Footnotes
  1. A referral is defined as a request for services to be provided by children’s social care and is in respect of a child who is not currently in need.
  2. If a child has more than one referral in a reporting year, then each referral is counted.

D1 Child Protection Plans

Filename
d1_child_protection_plans_2013_to_2020.csv
Geographic levels
Local authority; National; Regional
Time period
2013 to 2020
Content

Child protection plans starting, ending and at any point during the year ending 31 March, children subject to a child protection plan at 31 March.

Variable names and descriptions

Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:

Variable nameVariable description
CPP_anypointNumber of child protection plans at any point in the year
CPP_anypoint_rateRate of child protection plans taking place at any point in the year per 10000 children aged under 18 years
CPP_At31Number of child protection plans at 31 March
CPP_At31_rateRate of child protection plans at 31 March per 10000 children aged under 18 years
CPP_child_anypointNumber of children on child protection plans at any point in the year
CPP_child_anypoint_rateRate of children on child protection plans at any point in the year per 10000 children aged under 18 years
CPP_child_endNumber of children ending child protection plans in the year
CPP_child_end_rateRate of children ending child protection plans in the year per 10000 children aged under 18 years
CPP_child_startNumber of children starting child protection plans in the year
CPP_child_start_rateRate of children starting child protection plans in the year per 10000 children aged under 18 years
CPP_endNumber of child protection plans ending in the year
CPP_end_rateRate of child protection plans ending in the year per 10000 children aged under 18 years
CPP_startNumber of child protection plans starting in the year
CPP_start_rateRate of child protection plans starting in the year per 10000 children aged under 18 years
Footnotes
  1. A child becomes the subject of a child protection plan if they are assessed as being at risk of harm, at an initial child protection conference.
  2. If a child is the subject of more than one child protection plan during the year, each plan is counted.
  3. Rates per 10,000 of the population of children aged under 18 years are calculated using Office for National Statistics (ONS) mid-year population estimates for children aged 0 to 17 years in England.

D2 Child Protection Plans starting in the year by Category of Abuse

Filename
d2_cpps_starting_by_category_of_abuse_2013_to_2020.csv
Geographic levels
Local authority; National; Regional
Time period
2013 to 2020
Content

Child protection plans starting during the year ending 31 March, by initial and latest category of abuse.

Variable names and descriptions

Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:

Variable nameVariable description
CPP_startNumber of child protection plans starting during the year
Emotional_InitialInitial: Emotional abuse
Emotional_LatestLatest: Emotional abuse
Multiple_InitialInitial: Multiple
Multiple_LatestLatest: Multiple
Neglect_InitialInitial: Neglect
Neglect_LatestLatest: Neglect
Physical_InitialInitial: Physical abuse
Physical_LatestLatest: Physical abuse
Sexual_InitialInitial: Sexual abuse
Sexual_LatestLatest: Sexual abuse
Footnotes
  1. The initial category of abuse is that assessed when the child protection plan commenced.
  2. The latest category of abuse is the most recent category of abuse assigned to the child protection plan. The latest category of abuse may be the same as the initial category of abuse.
  3. A child becomes the subject of a child protection plan if they are assessed as being at risk of harm, at an initial child protection conference.
  4. If a child is the subject of more than one child protection plan during the year, each plan is counted.
  5. The 'Multiple' category refers to instances where there is more than one main category of abuse. Children included in this category are not included in any other category of abuse, therefore a child is counted only once overall.

D3 Child protection plans with subsequent plan

Filename
d3_cpps_subsequent_plan_2013_to_2020.csv
Geographic levels
Local authority; National; Regional
Time period
2013 to 2020
Content

Child protection plans starting in the year ending 31 March and child protection plans which are a second or subsequent plan.

Variable names and descriptions

Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:

Variable nameVariable description
CPP_startNumber of child protection plans starting during the year
CPP_subsequentNumber of child protection plans which were a second or subsequent plan
CPP_subsequent_percentPercentage of child protection plans which were a second or subsequent plan (%)
Footnotes
  1. A child becomes the subject of a child protection plan if they are assessed as being at risk of harm, at an initial child protection conference.
  2. If a child is the subject of more than one child protection plan during the year, each plan is counted.

D4 Child Protection Plans at 31st March by Category of Abuse

Filename
d4_cpps_at31march_by_category_of_abuse_2013_to_2020.csv
Geographic levels
Local authority; National; Regional
Time period
2013 to 2020
Content

Children who were the subject of a child protection plan at 31 March, by initial and latest category of abuse.

Variable names and descriptions

Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:

Variable nameVariable description
CPP_At31Number of children who were the subject of a child protection plan at 31 March
Emotional_InitialInitial: Emotional abuse
Emotional_LatestLatest: Emotional abuse
Multiple_InitialInitial: Multiple
Multiple_LatestLatest: Multiple
Neglect_InitialInitial: Neglect
Neglect_LatestLatest: Neglect
Physical_InitialInitial: Physical abuse
Physical_LatestLatest: Physical abuse
Sexual_InitialInitial: Sexual abuse
Sexual_LatestLatest: Sexual abuse
Footnotes
  1. The initial category of abuse is that assessed when the child protection plan commenced.
  2. The latest category of abuse is the most recent category of abuse assigned to the child protection plan. The latest category of abuse may be the same as the initial category of abuse.
  3. A child becomes the subject of a child protection plan if they are assessed as being at risk of harm, at an initial child protection conference.
  4. The 'Multiple' category refers to instances where there is more than one main category of abuse. Children included in this category are not included in any other category of abuse, therefore a child is counted only once overall.

D5 Child Protection Plans at 31 March by Length of Time

Filename
d5_cpps_at31march_by_length_of_time_2013_to_2020.csv
Geographic levels
Local authority; National; Regional
Time period
2013 to 2020
Content

Children who were the subject of a child protection plan at 31 March, by length of time as the subject of a plan.

Variable names and descriptions

Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:

Variable nameVariable description
1_2_years1 year but less than 2 years
1_2_years_percent1 year but less than 2 years (%)
2_years+2 years and over
2_years+_percent2 years and over (%)
3_6_monthsMore than 3 months but less than or equal to 6 months
3_6_months_percentMore than 3 months but less than or equal to 6 months (%)
3_months3 months or less
3_months_percent3 months or less (%)
6_months_1_yearMore than 6 months but less than 1 year
6_months_1_year_percentMore than 6 months but less than 1 year (%)
CPP_At31Number of children who were the subject of a plan at 31 March
Footnotes
  1. The duration of a child protection plan at 31 March is calculated as the time between the child protection plan start date and 31 March of the reporting year.
  2. A child becomes the subject of a child protection plan if they are assessed as being at risk of harm, at an initial child protection conference.

D6 Child Protection Plans Reviewed within Timescales

Filename
d6_cpps_reviewed_within_timescales_2013_to_2020.csv
Geographic levels
Local authority; National; Regional
Time period
2013 to 2020
Content

Children who were the subject of a child protection plan at 31 March, and who had been on a plan for at least three months and had reviews carried out within the required timescales.

Variable names and descriptions

Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:

Variable nameVariable description
CPP_At31_3MonthsChildren who were the subject of a child protection plan at 31 March and who had been the subject of a plan for 3 or more months
Reviewed_within_timescalesReviewed within the required timescales
Reviewed_within_timescales_percentReviewed within the required timescales (%)
Footnotes
  1. A child becomes the subject of a child protection plan if they are assessed as being at risk of harm, at an initial child protection conference.
  2. Statutory guidance states that a child should have a review of their child protection plan within the first three months of being the subject of the plan, and then subsequently at intervals of not more than six months.

D7 Child Protection Plans Ending in year by Length of Time

Filename
d7_cpps_ending_by_length_of_time_2013_to_2020.csv
Geographic levels
Local authority; National; Regional
Time period
2013 to 2020
Content

Child protection plans ending, during year ending 31 March, by length of time as the subject of a plan.

Variable names and descriptions

Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:

Variable nameVariable description
1_2_years1 year but less than 2 years
1_2_years_percent1 year but less than 2 years (%)
2_years+2 years and over
2_years+_percent2 years and over (%)
3_6_monthsMore than 3 months but less than or equal to 6 months
3_6_months_percentMore than 3 months but less than or equal to 6 months (%)
3_months3 months or less
3_months_percent3 months or less (%)
6_months_1_yearMore than 6 months but less than 1 year
6_months_1_year_percentMore than 6 months but less than 1 year (%)
CPP_EndNumber of child protection plans that ended during the year
Footnotes
  1. The duration of a child protection plan which ended during the year ending 31 March is calculated as the time between the child protection plan start date and end date.
  2. A child becomes the subject of a child protection plan if they are assessed as being at risk of harm, at an initial child protection conference.
  3. If a child is the subject of more than one child protection plan during the year, each plan is counted.

D8 Child protection plans ending during the first six months of the year by length of time child remained in need

Filename
d8_cpps_ending_in_first_6months_by_length_of_time_2013_to_2020.csv
Geographic levels
Local authority; National; Regional
Time period
2013 to 2020
Content

Child protection plans ending during the first six months of the year ending 31 March, by length of time the child remained in need.

Variable names and descriptions

Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:

Variable nameVariable description
3_6_monthsMore than 3 months but less than or equal to 6 months
3_6_months_percentMore than 3 months but less than or equal to 6 months (%)
3_monthsLess than or equal to 3 months
3_months_percentLess than or equal to 3 months (%)
3_months_transferTransferred to another local authority
3_months_transfer_percentTransferred to another local authority (%)
6_months+More than 6 months
6_months+_percentMore than 6 months (%)
CPP_End_first_6monthsNumber of child protection plans that ended during the first 6 months of the collection year
Footnotes
  1. A child becomes the subject of a child protection plan if they are assessed as being at risk of harm, at an initial child protection conference.
  2. If a child is the subject of more than one child protection plan during the year, each plan is counted.
  3. The duration of a child protection plan which ended during the first 6 months of the year ending 31 March is calculated as the time between the child protection plan start date and end date.

ONS mid-year population estimates

Filename
ons_mid-year_population_estimates.csv
Geographic levels
Local authority; National; Regional
Time period
2012 to 2019
Content

Population aged 0 to 17 (age at mid-year) for years 2012 to 2019 based on 2011 census.

Variable names and descriptions

Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:

Variable nameVariable description
age_groupAge group
population_estimatePopulation estimate