Best children's home provision in west

Similarly, the WHSCT has the highest number of places in statutory children's homes per 10,000-population aged under 18 at 10. There are no independent children's homes in the Western Trust

The statistics were revealed in a new report by the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (DHSSPS) on Children Order Statistical Trends for Northern Ireland 2003/04 to 2008/09.

The new report also reveals that between 2004 and 2009, the number of children on the Child Protection Register in Northern Ireland increased by 76 per cent, from 1,417 to 2,488 respectively.

The number of Child Protection Investigations increased by 48 per cent (928), from 1,928 to 2,856 respectively.Child Protection Registrations increased by 90 per cent (867) from 962 in 2003/04 to 1,829 in 2008/09, whilst de-registrations from the Register rose 22 per cent (250) to 1,404 in 2008/09 from 1,154 in 2003/04.

At March 31, 2009, there were 2,463 looked after children in Northern Ireland, an increase of 1 per cent from 2008, and a fall of 2 per cent since 2004.

Whilst in recent years, the proportion of Looked After Children in care for three years or more fell from 53 per cent in 2006 to 50 per cent in 2009.

The age profile of Looked After Children from 2004 to 2009, indicates an increase in the proportion aged 16 or over, which rose by four percentage points from 16 per cent to 20 per cent respectively.

The number of children placed in foster care increased by 17 per cent, from 1,376 in 2007/08 to 1,607 in 2008/09. This compared with a 25 per cent drop in children placed with family during the same period.