There were over 400,000 children in need in 2025 (as at 31 March), equivalent to around 1 in every 30 children. The number of children in need increased in 2025, but the associated rate fell for the third consecutive year. Both the latest number and rate in 2025 were higher compared with 2020. Whilst the number has fluctuated over the years, the rate declined annually, except in 2022 when it rose following COVID-19 restrictions on school attendance being lifted (see referrals section for more information).
Number and rate (per 10,000 children) of children in need at 31 March, 2020 to 2025
2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number | 389,260 | 388,490 | 404,310 | 403,090 | 399,460 | 402,400 |
| Annual change | -10,250 | -770 | 15,820 | -1,220 | -3,630 | 2,940 |
| Annual percentage change | -2.6 | -0.2 | 4.1 | -0.3 | -0.9 | 0.7 |
| Rate | 330.1 | 329.6 | 343.7 | 338.7 | 331.2 | 330.3 |
| Annual change | -9.7 | -0.5 | 14.1 | -5 | -7.5 | -0.9 |
Episodes of need in the year ending 31 March
An episode of need begins when a child is referred to children’s social care services and is assessed as being in need of children’s social care services. An episode of need ends when the case is closed and the child is no longer deemed to be in need of children’s social care services. Episodes of need exclude referrals which require no further action or where a child is subsequently assessed as not in need. However, episodes of need do include children awaiting a referral to be considered, an assessment to start, or, for an assessment which has started, the assessment to be completed. A child can have more than one episode during the year but episodes should not overlap.
The number of episodes starting in 2025 increased by 2,200 episodes or 0.6% compared to the previous year. Conversely, the number of episodes ending decreased by 3,000 episodes or 0.8%. In 2021, the number of episodes of need starting and ending fell to the lowest point in the series (which started in 2013), likely attributable to COVID-19.
Throughout the series, the number of episodes starting has been greater than the number of episodes ending. It should be noted that a child can have more than one episode during the year.
Duration of episodes of need in the year ending 31 March
Almost half (47%) of all episodes ending in 2025 lasted 3 months or less, whereas 1 in 10 lasted for two years or more. This pattern is similar to previous years.
Children in need at 31 March by characteristics
Sex
In 2025, males continued to be slightly over-represented in the children in need population: 55% were male, compared to 51% of the overall child population (as shown in the latest ONS mid-year population estimates (opens in new tab)).
Ethnicity
Where ethnicity was known, 67% of children in need were white in 2025. 33% were from all other ethnic groups combined, up from 25% in 2015 and slightly higher than the 27% reported for the overall child population in the 2021 census (opens in new tab).
Age
The children in need population is aging and those aged 10 and over now comprise the majority (60% in 2025, up from 48% in 2015).
In 2025, young people aged 18 or over who continued to receive support from children’s services accounted for 15% of children in need. Unborn children accounted for 2%.
Children in need at 31 March by sex, ethnicity and age, 2015 and 2025
| 2015 (%) | 2025 (%) | Change (pp) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sex | Female | 45.5 | 43.3 | -2.2 |
| Male | 52.5 | 54.7 | 2.2 | |
| Unknown or Indeterminate/Unborn | 2.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | |
| Ethnicity | White | 75.1 | 67.4 | -7.7 |
| Mixed | 7.8 | 9.6 | 1.8 | |
| Asian or Asian British | 6.8 | 8.7 | 1.9 | |
| Black or Black British | 8.2 | 9.7 | 1.5 | |
| Other Ethnic Groups | 2.1 | 4.6 | 2.5 | |
| Age | Unborn | 1.8 | 1.8 | 0.0 |
| Under 1 year | 5.3 | 3.9 | -1.4 | |
| 1 to 4 years | 19.6 | 13.4 | -6.2 | |
| 5 to 9 years | 25.0 | 21.4 | -3.6 | |
| 10 to 15 years | 30.1 | 32.0 | 1.9 | |
| 16 years and over | 18.2 | 27.5 | 9.3 |
Child in need (CIN) plans
Previously, there statistics were published as official statistics in development (opens in new tab) i.e. official statistics that are undergoing development (previously called experimental statistics). The evaluation of these statistics is now complete and they are being published for the first time in 2025 as official statistics.
This is the fourth year in the series; data quality has improved over time and all 153 local authorities provided useable data in 2025 for the first year. However, comparisons with or between years prior to 2025 should be made with caution due to data quality issues and missing data for some local authorities in earlier years.
CIN plans require a lower level of intervention and are distinct from child protection plans, which are put in place when a child is found to have suffered or is likely to suffer significant harm. Children on CIN plans and children on protection plans are also distinct from: children looked after by local authorities; care leavers; those who are disabled but not on a CIN plan; and those who may potentially be on another type of plan or arrangement.
There were 106,800 children on CIN plans as at 31 March 2025, representing over a quarter (27%) of all children in need at the same point.