1. Northern Ireland Findings from the Child Welfare Inequalities Research Project (CWIP) Dr Lisa Bunting (QUB), Dr Gavin Davidson (QUB) and Claire McCartan (QUB)

2. THE NORTHERN IRELAND STUDY
Investigating the relationship between area level deprivation and child welfare interventions (CPR/LAC)
Data accessed via the Honest Broker Service
All open cases at 31st March 2015 involving children (0-17 years old) recorded on SOSCARE
Postcode at time of referral linked to Super Output Area (SOA)
SOAs are a small area geography SOAs with an average population of 2,000 people.

4. SOSCARE and Official Statistics
CPR – 100 less in BHSCT
LAC – 200 less in BHSCT and 100 more in SEHSCT and WHSCT
Family or origin postcode?
Aggregate returns?
Manual inclusion of cases not on SOSCARE?

5. Distribution of NI Child Population by Deprivation Decile

6. NI CPR and LAC rates by deprivation decile
Children in the most deprived areas:
CPR x 6
LAC x 4

7. Gender

8. Age
Same gradient but:
0-4 year olds in the most deprived areas have even higher rates of being placed on CPRs
16-17 years old age groups in the most deprived areas have the highest LAC rates

9. Reason for CPR Registration
Same gradient in relation to neglect, physical abuse and emotional abuse
Sexual abuse relatively unchanged

10. Legal Status

11. CPR Rates by HSCT

12. LAC Rates by HSCT

13. UK Comparisons - CPR

14. UK Comparisons - CPR

15. UK Comparisons - LAC

16. UK Comparisons - LAC

17. Why is NI Different?
Same broad legislative base, same threshold criteria, similar regional guidance and assessment process
Do we process cases differently?
Significantly higher referral rates - 65% higher than England in 2013/14 and 48% higher in 2015/16
Significantly higher levels of deprivation
Deprivation drives referral rates (Hood et al., 2016)
High demand LAs tend to screen out more referrals and divert more cases to non-statutory services
Much lower proportion of cases in NI proceed to investigation- 50% less
Assessment – difficulties with comparability but lower in NI

18. Why is NI Different?
Do we have better, more integrated support? Well developed community and voluntary sector
Development of integrated Family Support Hubs since 2009 which cover all of NI
Links with anti-poverty policy, family support and area level initiatives (e.g. neighbourhood renewal areas)
Is it attitudinal?
Poverty more widespread?
Better recognition the impact of poverty

19. SO WHAT?

20. Next steps?
Policy
Alignment between anti-poverty policies, child protection, family support policies and social work strategies
Services/Practice
Continued investment and development of family support hubs
Services which focus on income maximisation and debt relief services
Research/Data
Routine collection of data on family background
Extension of case study work to Northern Ireland