Figures show the scale of Halton kids in need
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MORE than 1,000 children in Halton are classed as ‘in need’ according to shocking figures published by the Office For National Statistics (ONS) and Department For Education (DfE).
As of March 31, 2017, there were 1,080 Runcorn and Widnes youngsters suffering from issues such as neglect, abuse, family dysfunction, disability or illness, parental illness or disability, absent parenting and low income.
More than half of them, 598, related to neglect or abuse, which was more than the 587 counted last year.
Despite that increase, the number of Halton children in need fell from 1,187 in 2016, a decrease of 9%, largely due to a dramatic 19% drop in the number of youngsters in dysfunctional families from 439 to 355.
The data said there are no children in the borough classed as in need due to low income.
ONS statisticians reported that there were 23 youngsters struggling with disability or illness, 18 with a sick or disabled parent and 43 in families in acute stress.
Sixteen were grouped within the category of ‘socially unacceptable behaviour’.
Throughout the whole of 2016-17, there were 2,008 instances of children in need in Halton, up marginally from 1,997 in 2015-16.
Social services completed 1,158 assessments in 2016-17, down from 1,320 the year before, despite the number of referrals rising from 995 to 1,062.
The DfE said the number of youngsters in need across England decreased year on year from 394,400 in 2016 to 389,430 in 2017, a decrease of 1.3%, but the overall trend has remained stable since 2010.
The country’s most prevalent factor was domestic violence, which was found in 49.9% of cases, followed by mental health, ‘other factors’, emotional abuse, drug abuse and alcohol abuse.
Sexual exploitation was the cause among 4% of cases.