One in four children referred to social care before they are five, study finds

More than one in four children in Scotland are referred to social care before their fifth birthday, research has found.

A study by the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) also found one in 17 youngsters are investigated over concerns about child protection, and one in 38 are subject to compulsory measures of care before their fifth birthday.

The study, published in the peer-reviewed British Journal of Social Work, found 13,784 youngsters had been notified to children’s social work before their fifth birthday because of concerns about their welfare.

Researchers collected data from all 32 local authorities in Scotland.

Conducted in 2019, the study requested information about how many children born in the year ending July 31, 2013 had reached the various stages of the child protection process before they were five.

It found the likelihood of a child being investigated over their welfare varied between local authorities and was not wholly due to differences in levels of social deprivation.

The likelihood of being investigated for abuse ranged from almost one in five in Clackmannanshire to just over one in 50 in Aberdeenshire.

Dumfries & Galloway, Falkirk, Midlothian and South Ayrshire had some of the highest rates of children investigated.

UCLan emeritus professor of social work Andy Bilson, who carried out the study, said: “This study shows the high rate of social work interventions in children’s lives.

“It also shows that a family’s chance of being investigated for abuse depends very much on where you live. This matters because a wide range of research and Scotland’s own care review shows how families and children are harmed by being investigated unnecessarily.

“Sadly, even though we are seeing such large numbers of children referred to children’s services, we still see tragic cases of child abuse slip through the net.

“Local authorities have been put in a position of fear of missing a child being harmed to the extent that resources are so focused on investigation and children in care, leaving increasingly little left to support families and prevent harm.”

Independent researcher Marion Macleod, who also worked on the study, said: “Local authorities in Scotland are being put in an impossible position by the Government and are bound by statutory legislation that isn’t tailored to the needs of the local area.

“Instead, what is needed is more investment into early years, mental health services, community groups and improved parent advocacy so that the families can get help instead of being victimised.”

Scottish children’s minister Clare Haughey said: “Every child deserves to be loved and protected from harm, and we will be carefully considering the contents of this report.

“The most recent statistics show the number of children on the child protection register in Scotland has decreased and is the lowest rate of any nation in the UK. The number of looked-after children is also at its lowest level since 2006.

“Since the period covered by this study, the Scottish Government has introduced whole family wellbeing funding which aims to transform how family support is delivered.

“We have committed to investing at least £500 million over this parliamentary term on funding this support, which is focused on early intervention and prevention, ensuring families can access help before they reach crisis point.

“This funding is in addition to our bold actions to tackle child poverty, including the Scottish Child Payment – a benefit that is only available in Scotland.”