The Borough has above the national average of children under protection plans

Councillor Donna Martin, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services

The Borough has above the national average of young people subject to child protection plans, a Department for Education report shows.

Rochdale Borough had 71 children per 10,000 under protection plans between April 2014 and March 2015 compared to a national average of 54, however, the Borough was just under the Greater Manchester average of 72.

Of the 10 local authority areas in Greater Manchester, Salford has the highest number of children per 10,000 under protection plans with 103 and Bolton the lowest with 38.

In 2013 Rochdale Borough Council was given an improvement notice following a review of its children’s services in the wake of the child grooming case, in which nine men were jailed. At the time, Ofsted described the local authority arrangements for child protection in the borough as “inadequate”.

That notice was lifted earlier this year. Councillor Donna Martin, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, said at the time: “I think this really shows the progress made in Rochdale and acknowledges that the council has worked together.”

Child protection plans  

• A referral is made by a member of the public or a professional to the local authority's child protection team or police
• The child protection team will first assess if the child is at immediate risk of danger
• The plan will detail the risks and the actions needed to keep the child safe
• The plans are designed to protect the most vulnerable children from sexual and emotional abuse, neglect and physical injury
  
  Source: NSPCC