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Baby P sparks rise in protected youngsters
The number of vulnerable children in Northamptonshire who are subject to child protection plans has risen to 232 this year.
In 2008 the number of children with protection plans dropped to 157 – its lowest number in more than a decade – but the figure rose to 226 last year and has seen a further increase this year.
The rise is believed to be linked to reports into the Baby P case, which surrounded the death of 17-month-old Peter Connelly, and it is expected figures nationally will also increase.
The figures were revealed in the safeguarding report for 2009-10 which has been released by Local Safeguarding Children Board Northamptonshire
.
In the report, board vice-chairman Adrian Bell said: "Child abuse is everybody's business and is preventable not inevitable.
"The key to our success lies in a shared responsibility across all agencies and effective joint working throughout the county.
"Early intervention is vital and the board has continued to ensure that policies, procedures and training programmes are in place to strengthen our frontline response to protect those children in need."
The plans are used for children where there are "significant safeguarding concerns". They show how a child will be protected and focus on developing the child's education, health, family, social relationships, parental capacity and environmental issues.
The area with the highest percentage of children with child protection plans is Wellingborough and Rushden.
The two areas combined account for 34.1 per cent of the children with protection plans in Northamptonshire.
They are followed by Kettering and Corby which together account for 26.3 per cent.
Between April 2009 and March this year there were 55 child deaths in the county, of which 18 were unexpected. The largest number of deaths, accounting for 30 fatalities, involved babies aged up to 28 days.
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Sunday 27 May 2012
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