From Children’s Social Work Statistics: Child Protection – 2024-25 published today:

On 31 July 2025, 2,087 children were on the child protection register, representing a 1% decrease on 2024 (2,111) and a 24% decrease on 2015 (2,741).

https://www.gov.scot/publications/childrens-social-work-statistics-child-protection-2024-25/

The equivalent figure for England was 49 420, per head of population more than twice as high.

https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/children-in-need/2025

What might explain this shocking contrast?

• Proportionally 4 times as many children in England & Wales face domestic abuse compared to Scotland.¹
• Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services hit 90% target for fifth time in a row. ²
• In less than 4 years child poverty in England predicted to be 45% greater and in Wales, 58% higher than in Scotland, affecting millions of them. ³
• There are currently NO publicly detailed specific cases of child rape ‘grooming’ gangs being actively investigated by Police Scotland. ⁴
• Three quarters of a million children in poverty, in England or Wales would not be in poverty if they lived under a government following SNP policies like the Child Payment. ⁵
• Official figures reveal far lower rates of sexual offence committed by children and adolescents in Scotland. 6

Blog posts with the official sources included:

1. https://talkingupscotlandtwo.com/2026/03/09/shock-as-proportionally-4-times-as-many-children-in-england-wales-face-domestic-abuse-compared-to-scotland-but-uk-labour-have-no-real-plan-to-deal-with-that/
2. https://talkingupscotlandtwo.com/2026/03/03/despite-1-320-more-referrals-scotlands-child-and-adolescent-mental-health-services-hit-90-target-for-fifth-time-in-a-row-but-in-media-silence/
3. https://talkingupscotlandtwo.com/2025/12/20/in-less-than-4-years-child-poverty-in-england-predicted-to-be-45-greater-and-in-wales58-higher-than-in-scotland-affecting-millions-of-them/
4. https://talkingupscotlandtwo.com/2026/02/21/there-are-currently-no-publicly-detailed-specific-cases-of-child-rape-grooming-gangs-being-actively-investigated-by-police-scotland-as-uk-government-considers-700-groups-and-115-000-victims-in-jus/
5. https://talkingupscotlandtwo.com/2026/01/27/three-quarters-of-a-million-children-in-poverty-in-england-or-wales-would-not-be-in-poverty-if-they-lived-under-a-government-following-snp-policies-like-the-child-payment/
6. https://talkingupscotlandtwo.com/2026/01/04/official-figures-reveal-far-lower-rates-of-sexual-offence-committed-by-children-and-adolescents-in-scotland/