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Record number of families dragged into child protection system who need help not judgement
A record number of children were subject to child protection investigations in England last year, according to new data released by the Department for Education. At the same time, the number of children deemed to be at risk of significant harm has fallen.
Many families are being dragged unnecessarily into a child protection system when resource would be better spent on providing support, Family Rights Group warns.
Over 195,000 children were subject to a child protection enquiry in 2024/25. However, for 4 in 10 of those children the investigation did not result in a child protection plan, which means the child was not found to be suffering from significant harm.
Child protection investigations are intrusive. Families have a sense of foreboding that it could lead to their children being removed to the care system. They can cause significant stress and anxiety for families already dealing with challenging circumstances.
The figures released by the Department for Education today confirm a longer-term trend of increasing levels of investigation. The number of child protection enquiries has risen by 66% since 2012/13, whilst the number of children subject to a child protection plan has increased by 17%. Whereas in 2012/13 there were 23,080 children who were investigated for child protection concerns but were found not to have suffered/be at risk of significant harm, that number has risen to 85,120 children in 2024/5 – in other words almost a fourfold increase.
Cathy Ashley, Chief Executive of Family Rights Group, said:
“More and more families are being subject to the stress and anxiety of child protection investigations without it concluding that a child is at risk of significant harm.
“That means many families are being dragged unnecessarily into an intrusive system. One which views the challenges they are facing through the lens of risk and blame, when what they often require is effective, non-judgemental support and help.
“It is a common experience of the families who contact Family Rights Group’s national advice service seeking help. We’re seeing too much time and resource wasted on unnecessary and expensive investigation when it could be spent on earlier support which keeps families safely together.
“This data underscores the urgency with which the Government and local authorities must move forward with reforms to early help and family support. And why families should be offered a family group conference as early as possible, to ensure there is wider support around children to address concerns, to avert challenges escalating.”
Footnotes:
Our calculations based on DfE data release on 30th October 2025.
In 2024/25, there were 195,250 children subject to Section 47 child protection enquiries. Over the same 12-month period, 110,130 children were subject to a child protection plan. On this basis we estimate that 56% of enquiries resulted in a plan being made.
In 2012/13, there were 117,350 children subject to child protection enquiries. This has risen to 195,250 children in 2024/25. We calculate this is a 66% increase over the period.
In 2012/13, there were 94,270 children subject to a child protection plan. This has risen to 110,130 in 2024/15. We calculate this is a 17% increase over the period.
In 2012/13, there were 117,350 children subject to child protection enquiries and 94,270 children subject to a child protection plan. We estimate that 23,080 children and their families were subject to child protection enquiries that did not find significant harm.
In 2024/25, there were 195,250 children subject to child protection enquiries and 110,130 children subject to a child protection plan. We estimate that 85,120 children and their families were subject to child protection enquiries that did not find significant harm.
85,120 children is 3.7 times larger than the 23,080 children in 2012/13.
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