Protecting Our Children

Child protection – the facts and figures

• On average, at least one child is killed at the hands of another person each week in England and Wales. (Home Office)

• Across the UK, approximately 46,000 children are at risk of abuse now. (NSPCC)

• During the year leading up to March 2010, in England alone more than 22,000 children came into the care of the local authority due to abuse, neglect, acute family stress or family dysfunction. (Bristol City Council)

• The most common form of child abuse is neglect. A recent survey of local authorities revealed that the number of children referred to social workers due to suspected neglect or abuse increased by 52% in three years. (Association of Directors of Children's Services Sept 2010)

• Babies under one are more at risk of being killed than any other age group of children. They are nine times more likely to be involved in death or serious injury and almost three times more likely to be subject to a child protection plan. (NSPCC)

• The number of people convicted of sex offences on children under the age of 16 in England and Wales has increased by nearly 60% in six years. In 2005 there were 1,363 people convicted, while in 2010 there were 2,135. (Ministry of Justice)

• On 31 March 2010 there were 375,900 children in need in England, which was a rate of 341.3 per 10,000 children. On March 2011 there were 382,400 children in need in England, which was a rate of 346.2 per 10,000 children. (Department for Education)

• In a poll of more than 600 social workers, 82% said their caseload has increased over the past year. 10% of children's social workers have more than 40 cases on the go. (Community Care)

• Of the 81,446 children in Bristol, over 3,500 are on child protection plans, short breaks for disabled children, in care or are children in need - i.e. 1 in every 23 children. (Bristol City Council)

• In the year leading up to march 2011, 20,000 people contacted Bristol City Council because they were concerned about the welfare of children. (Bristol City Council)