Child Protection Systems
Child protection data is routinely examined by Children and Families Services and findings shared and analysed as required across the partnership, via sub-groups.
As of March 2026, there were 674 children with a child protection plan (CPP) in Leeds, equating to a rate of 38.2 children and young people with a CPP per 10,000 children aged 0-17. This is an increase from 649 in March 2025, a rate of 37.3, with the rate for England for 2025 being 40.6.
what-do-we-know-data
When official data is published later in the year, we anticipate the Leeds rate will remain below national, regional core city and statistical neighbour averages. The comparative rates per 10,000 for children on a child protection plan for March 2025 were:
- Leeds: 36
- Core cities: 52.9
- Statistical neighbours: 49.2
- Yorkshire and The Humber: 48.5
- England: 40.6
An analysis of children subject to a child protection plan at the end of March 2026 shows that children from ‘any other mixed background’ are over-represented in the cohort (5.3%) when compared to the January 2026 School Census (2.9%); and that children from ‘Black African’ background are under-represented (3.9% compared to 8.3%). More children with a ‘White British’ background are in the child protection cohort (64.5%) than in the School Census (57.2%).
In line with previous years, the number of children experiencing emotional abuse remains the key reason of children being subject to a CPP in Leeds at 49.9%, with Neglect 31.1%, Physical abuse 16.3% and Sexual abuse 2.5%.
The cohort of children subject to a child protection plan is becoming older. Proportionally more children aged 10 upwards were subject to a plan at the end of March 2026 compared to March 2022 (45.0 per cent compared to 36.3 per cent), and fewer children aged four or under are subject to a plan across the same period (26.5 per cent compared to 33.1 per cent). The age bracket with the most children subject to a plan is the 10-15-year-old age bracket. This was the case at the end of March 2022 and March 2026, but there is an increase in the proportions: 31.5 per cent in March 2022, 35.9 per cent in March 2026.
Table Four- Child Protection data by age
| Age categories CPP | 2021/22 | 2022/23 | 2023/24 | 2024/25 | 2025/26 |
| Percentage of cohort < 1 | 7.6% | 8.5% | 6.5% | 6.8% | 5.9% |
| Percentage of cohort 1-4 | 25.5% | 21.4% | 23% | 21.6% | 20.6% |
| Percentage of cohort 5-9 | 30.5% | 31.3% | 29.3% | 26.5% | 28.5% |
| Percentage of cohort 10-15 | 31.5% | 32.6% | 34.3% | 36.7% | 35.9% |
| Percentage of cohort 16+ | 4.8% | 6.2% | 6.8% | 8.5% | 9.1% |
To ensure that the needs of children and families who require the support and safety of a child protection plan are addressed as quickly as possible, it is vital that these take place within an appropriate timescale. The full year data demonstrates that 62.5 per cent of all initial child protection conferences that were held in 2025/26 were within timescales, this is 15 percentage points lower than the 2024/25 full-year figure of 77.5 per cent but remains higher than the 2023/24 figure of 48%.
From review child protection conferences, 77.4 per cent that were held in 2025/26 were within timescales, this is 0.9 percentage points lower than the 2024/25 full-year figure of 78.3 per cent.
There is ongoing work to continue to improve these figures, and the Audit and Review group will continue to monitor this performance measure.
Children Looked After (CLA)
The latest official statistics are from the 903 Children in Care data for 2025. Leeds saw a greater reduction in children looked after numbers than comparator groups in 2024/25: a 3.1% decrease in Leeds compared to a 1.5% decrease in Core Cities, and a 2.1% reduction for the England figure whilst Statistical neighbours saw a 2.6% increase. Nonetheless, Leeds rate of children looked after per 10,000 of population at 85 remains higher than England (67), statistical neighbours (75) and Yorkshire and Humber (79), with core cities (93) being the only comparator with a higher rate per 10,000.
The age profile of the Leeds children in care population is similar to England. Children aged 10-17 make up 63.3% of our looked after population from 45% of our child population and ages 16 and 17 make up 25.7% of the Leeds care population and 11% of the child population.
Children from mixed ethnic backgrounds are over-represented in the care population and those from Asian backgrounds under-represented relative to the Leeds population.
Abuse or Neglect is the main reason why children start to be looked after in Leeds, at 64% of cases, compared to the 2025 England percentage being 57%. The second largest reason care started is Absent Parenting, with the majority of these being unaccompanied asylum-seeking children.
Unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (or separated migrant children as they are known in Leeds) had previously shown a 5-year trend of increase, from 50 in March 2021, rising to 102 in March 2025, with the number in July 2026 being 83. Under the National Transfer Scheme, Leeds’ current ‘threshold’ of 0.1% of the child population would be 176.
Education Data
Published data for the 2024/25 school year reveals that the attendance rate for Leeds primary schools has increased to 94.7%; it is now in effect at a similar level as the national average figure of 94.8%.
Attendance remains below pre-pandemic levels, when it was 96%. Secondary attendance has increased to 91.2% in Leeds, with national levels at 91.6%.
Missing over 10% of learning is recorded as persistently absent, and data demonstrates that this was the case for 14.3% of primary pupils, and 23.8% of secondary pupils in Leeds. It is important to note that both have reduced since 2023/24 but remain higher than national averages.
Missing more than 50% of learning is recorded as severely absent and data demonstrates that this is the case for 1.0% of primary pupils, and 5.0% of secondary pupils in Leeds. Both the secondary and primary figures are above the national averages of 0.9% for primary and 3.9% for secondary.
Primary suspensions have gradually increased over the past four years. In the 2024/25 year, the rate of suspensions in Leeds’ primary schools was 2.05%, below the national rate of 2.47%, but higher than the 2023/24 Leeds figure of 1.69%. Secondary have reduced from 27.63% in 2023/24 to 21.53% in 2024/25 and is now only slightly higher than 21.24% nationally.
Children missing education (CME) are children of compulsory school age who are not registered pupils at a school and are not receiving suitable education otherwise than at a school. This could be for a range of reasons including children who are awaiting a school place and children in receipt of unsuitable education. The DfE started to collect information from LAs in England during 2022/23, these statistics are developmental with more to do on definitions and data capture to be assured of consistency. However, this does not diminish the importance of children in being in education.
In Leeds 700 children were recorded as missing education on census day in the 2025/26 autumn term (0.6%). This figure has reduced from a high of 1,170 (1.0%) recorded as missing education in the previous autumn term school census.
A growing number of children are being educated at home. The local authority is notified of a child or young person becoming electively home educated (EHE) by the school.
At the end of March 2026, 1,774 children in Leeds were recorded as EHE, an increase of 255, or 16.8%, since March 2025. Reasons for home education include philosophical reasons, health-based reasons and dissatisfaction with local schools. Local authorities have no statutory duty to monitor the provision of education at home, however, under section 436A of the Education Act 1996 they do have a legal duty to make arrangements to identify children who may not be receiving a suitable education in their area.
At the end of March 2026, 1,026 young people (5.05 per cent) were recorded as Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET) in Leeds. This is 72 less than the March 2025 figure of 1098 (5.62 per cent).