The number of referrals, assessments, children on child protection plans and Section 47 enquiries have all risen in the last year, Department for Education statistics show.
The number of referrals in the year ending 31st March has increased by 4.0% this year, from 621,470 in 2016 to 646,120 in 2017, while the number of assessment increased by 6.2% from 571,640 in 2016 to 606,920 in 2017.
Section 47 enquiries within the year also increased, from 172,290 in 2016 to 185,450 in 2017, an increase of 7.6%.
The number of children on child protection plans rose by 1.5% to 51,080 at 31 March 2017.
However, the number of children in need has decreased. There were 394,400 in 2016 compared to 389,430 in 2017, a decrease of 1.3% at 31st March. There was also a decrease in the rate of children per 10,000 in the population, from 337.7 in 2016 to 330.4 in 2017.
Neglect was the most common initial category of abuse for children in need who were the subject of a child protection plan as 48.1% of children in need at 31st March had neglect as their initial category of abuse.
