Traveller and Roma children referred to social work: FOI release

Information requested

1. The number of all children referred to Social Work Children & Families services in Scotland split by age, gender, ethnicity and region from 2012 until the present date

2. The number of all subject to child protection enquiries in Scotland split by age, gender, ethnicity and region from 2012 until the present date.

3. The number of all diabaled children being supported by Social Work Children & Families services in Scotland split by age, gender, ethnicity and region 2012 until the present date.

4. The number of all children living in foster care, residential care or in adoptive families in Scotland split by age, gender, ethnicity and region from 2012 until the present date.

Response

All of the data in this response relates to data collected by Scottish Government on Children’s Social Work Statistics.

1. The number of all children referred to Social Work Children & Families services in Scotland split by age, gender, ethnicity and region from 2012 until the present date.

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested. However, you may wish to contact local authorities directly who may be able to help you. The Scottish Government does not have the information you have asked for because the Scottish Government does not collect information on general social work referrals for all children across local authorities.

2. The number of all subject to child protection enquiries in Scotland split by age, gender, ethnicity and region from 2012 until the present date.

I attach a copy of some of the information you requested in relation to this point . The Scottish Government collects information on children subject to Child Protection Case Conference during the year – a meeting where the risk of harm or neglect of a child is addressed. Enclosed is a summary of children subject to Initial (concerning children not currently on the Child Protection Register) and Prebirth (concerning unborn children) Child Protection Case Conferences split by local authority, including age, sex, and ethnicity breakdowns for years that this data is available. Namely, 2012-13 publication when this data was first collected until the most recent 2020-21 publication.

3. The number of all disabled children being supported by Social Work Children & Families services in Scotland split by age, gender, ethnicity and region 2012 until the present date.

I enclose a copy of some of the information you requested in relation to this point. The Scottish Government collects information on disability of children who are on the Child Protection Register, and Looked After Children as at 31st July each year. Enclosed is a summary of disabled children (1) on the Child Protection Register, and (2) Looked After Children as at 31st July split by local authority, including age, sex, and ethnicity breakdowns for years that this data is available. Namely, 2011-12 publication until the most recent 2020-21 publication. Please take particular note the following caveat notes with regards to this data:

• A child can be on the Child Protection Register and looked after, and so may be counted more than once in Tables 3a and 3b.
• Until 2012 this category was presented as 'disability'. This was amended to additional support needs until 2015 because the information collected did not meet the definition of 'disability' outlined in the Equality Act 2010. The current binary question was introduced in 2015/16 for consistency with other parts of the UK For the purposes of consistency in the current analysis, data preceding 2015-16 is presented as binary categories.

 

• A child can be on the Child Protection Register and looked after, and so may be counted more than once in Tables 3a and 3b
• "Prospective adopters" refers to looked after children who are currently placed with prospective adopters, and does not refer to children already adopted.

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at http://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.

FOI 202200322241 - Information released

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