CYP Now - Big increase in suicides among vulnerable children known to social services

The number of suicides among children who are either in care or are known to social services as being at risk of abuse or neglect has increased by more than 30 per cent in the last year, it has emerged.

Figures published by Ofsted show that there was an increase in the number of suicides reported by local authorities from 35 in 2016/17 to 46 in 2017/18, a rise of 31.4 per cent. It represents the highest level of suicides among at-risk children in recent years - in 2015/16 there were 26, and in 2014/15 there were 29.

The true number of suicides could be even higher as councils are required to notify Ofsted within five days of a death occurring, when the precise cause may be unclear. There is no requirement for councils to update Ofsted once a cause of death has been established.

Register Now to Continue Reading

Thank you for visiting Children & Young People Now and making use of our archive of more than 60,000 expert features, topics hubs, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:

What's Included