What do we know - Data | Leeds Safeguarding Children Partnership

The new Audit and Review group has the responsibility for the monitoring, oversight and analysis of data. For the coming year, the audit plan will be responsive to the analysis of data, with a workplan that includes wider data analysis from across the partnership.

The local authority performance team provide a rich source of data for the Audit and Review group to consider and analyse. This reflects the openness of the local authority to have their data considered by agencies with a view to identify challenges and seek opportunities.

There are plans in place to review the data dashboard in line with the LSCP priorities and to include wider partners data.

Child Protection Systems

Child protection data is routinely examined by children’s services and findings shared and analysed as required across the partnership, via subgroups.

As of March 2024, there were 690 children with a child protection plan (CPP) in Leeds equating to a rate of 39.6 children and young people with a CPP per 10,000 children aged 0-18. This is an increase from 601 the previous March 2023 a rate of 35.2. The England rate for 2023 was 43.2 per 10,000. At the end of July 2024 there were 670 Leeds children on a child protection plan

When official data is published later in the year, we anticipate the Leeds rate will remain below national, regional core city and statistical neighbour averages. The comparative rates for children on a child protection plan for March 2023 were:

Leeds	35.2
Core cities	47.7
Statistical neighbours	51.3
Yorkshire and The Humber	50.8
England	43.2

July 2024 analysis of children on a child protection plan shows that children from a mixed ethnic background are over-represented when compared to the current reception to Year 11 school population (10.3% compared to 7.5%), children from an Asian background are under-represented (7.0% to 12.1%) with children from a black ethnic background on a child protection plan slightly above the school population (10.2% to 9.2%).

Figure One- Child Protection data by category

In line with previous years, the number of children experiencing emotional abuse remains the key reason of children being subject to a CPP in Leeds.

The age categories of children requiring a CPP have broadly remained the same over the four years of data in Figure Three, although this year has seen a 2% reduction in under 1s having a CPP and slight increases in the other age groups.

Those aged 10-15 years make up the largest category of children with a CPP, followed by those agreed 5-9 years old, which has been the picture across the 4 years outlined and is in line with the national trend across England.

Figure Two- Child protection data by age

Child protection data

To ensure that the needs of children and families who require the support and safety of a child protection plan are addressed as quickly as possible, it is vital that these take place within an appropriate timescale. Last year concerns were highlighted regarding the low levels of initial child protection conferences being held on time. Assurance was provided, in relation to the cause of this low level and that safety and improvement plans were in place.

Throughout the year further developments and improvements have been made and sustained, by the end of the year there was significant improvements with 80.3% of conferences being held in time.

Timescales for review child protection conferences were not impacted in the same way, with 85.3% held in time as of March 2024.

The Audit and Review group will continue to monitor this performance measure.

Children Looked After (CLA)

The latest official statistics are from the 903 Children in Care data for 2023. Consistent with authorities across England Leeds is seeing growth in the child in care population. While Leeds compares well in terms of long-term trends in recent years 2019-23 the Leeds rate of increase is marginally above comparators (7 children per 10,000 compared to 5 or 6 children for comparator groups). Leeds 2023 rate of children in care of 84 per 10,000 ranks 6th of 11 with statistical neighbours, rates range from 57 to 144. Leeds rate is 4th of 8 core cities with a range from 57 to 156 children in care per 10,000.

The age profile of the Leeds children in care population is similar to England. Children aged 10-17 make up 62% of our Looked After population from 44% of our child population. Ages 16 and 17 make up 22% of the Leeds care population and 10% of the child population.

Children from mixed ethnic backgrounds are over-represented in the care population and those from Asian backgrounds under-represented relative to the Leeds population. Nationally published (March 24 for 2022/23) data identifies that 60% of Leeds Children Looked After of statutory school age have an identified SEN similar to 58.1 percent in England.

Care starters by reason for care entry Abuse or Neglect is the main reason why a child starts care, consistently over 60% of cases. While the proportion is consistent the number of cases has grown by 32% or 88 children between 2019/20 to 2023/24. In 2019/20 there were 111 cases with starting care reasons of absent parenting, family dysfunction and family in distress, in 2023/24 there were 186 cases with one of these reasons.

Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking Children Between 2018 and 2020, numbers fluctuated between 50 and 60. From 2021/22 to 2022/23, numbers rose to mid-70s. In 2023/24 the number rose to around 100 by December 2023 and was then stable to March 2024. Since March 2024, a further increase has been seen to 120. Under the National Transfer Scheme Leeds’ current ‘threshold’ is 172. In 2023/24 these children represented 27 per cent of the overall CLA cohort growth.