THE NUMBER of children in need in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole has risen above pre-pandemic levels, new figures show.

The Children's Society said the pandemic had a significant toll on children’s wellbeing and left them more exposed to problems at home.

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole had 3,013 children in need on March 31 this year, up 12 per cent from 2,695 a year before.

It was also up 32 per cent on the 2,281 children in March 2020, who were largely identified before the pandemic.

The rate of children in need in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole was 395 per 10,000 children this year, well above England's overall rate of 334 per 10,000.

The recent figures are from the Department of Education's annual children in need census, which includes unborn children and young people on social care and protection plans, those looked after by local authorities, disabled children, and young people over the age of 18 still receiving support from children's services.

There were 5,795 referrals made during the year to March 2022 in the area. When a child is referred to children’s social care services, an assessment is then carried out to identify the primary need for services.

A total of 5,201 assessments were carried out in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, with ​521 finding the child was not in need.

Primary needs for social care services in the area included abuse or neglect – making up 49 per cent of cases where an assessment identified a need. At 15 per cent, family dysfunction was also a significant need.

Councils were also asked for the first time last year to record the number of cases where criminal exploitation was a concern, including the exploitation of children in drug dealing. There were 27 cases where criminal exploitation was flagged as a concern in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.

On March 31 this year, 388 child protection plans were in place for children who were considered to be at risk of harm.

The Department of Education said the return to in-person classes after Covid-19 restrictions was likely to have contributed to the increase, with 650,270 referrals made last year.

A spokesperson from the department added: "It is vital that children are safe and supported in order for them to thrive, no matter their background."

They said the department is "strengthening links" between social care and education to keep the vulnerable children and young people engaged in education alongside providing funding for pupils with social workers or in care.