More than half of the children on the Angus child protection register are in families with alcohol- or substance-abusing parents, according to the latest figures.
At the end of March there were 59 children on the Angus protection register, a 20% reduction from the 2011 figure of 74 and 36% less than the count of 92 in 2010.
In Angus the rate of registrations per 1,000 population aged 15 and under has fallen from 5.7 in 2008 to 3.4 in 2011.
However, the district still has a higher proportion on the protection register than most of its comparative authorities and it remains ahead of the 2.8 per 1,000 population Scottish average.
Physical neglect continues to be the main category of registrations, although the 39% figure to the end of March was a decrease of 18% on the previous year.
Angus Child Protection Committee chairman Tim Armstrong told social work councillors: ”The past year has been a very busy one for the committee. The focus of its work is on the continued development of child protection services in Angus and on addressing the areas identified for improvement by HMIE in their most recent inspection.”
He added: ”The profile of children in need of protection in Angus continues to change, with increasing numbers affected by parental misuse and domestic violence.”
For the period to the end of March, the figures revealed 32 youngsters, 54% of registrations, are affected by parental substance misuse compared to 45% in 2011, with alcohol a growing problem.
Domestic abuse continues to show a year-on-year increase and since 2009 those numbers of registrations have doubled.
During 2011/12 there were just short of 2,400 police child concern reports considered by the committee’s early screening group.
Of these, 838 (35%) were as a result of domestic abuse an increase of 169 (25%) compared to 2010/11.
Mr Armstrong added: ”Numbers on the child protection register show a gradual increase, but at one stage this year there was a particular drop and there can be a number of reasons for that.
”The numbers can go up and down and there are times when a large family grouping may need these safeguards, which can shift the situation.
”We have been placing a lot of effort into early intervention to avoid children getting to the stage where their name has to be put on the register.
”That good work is beginning to show a gradual decrease.”
The main priorities for the three-year period to 2015 include reducing the impact on the lives of children affected by domestic abuse and advancing the early intervention substance abuse programme.
”The work continues to be enhanced by partnerships and through good links developed with other local partnerships.
”These include the Angus Adult Protection Committee, Angus Violence Against Women Partnership and the Angus Alcohol and Drugs Partnership,” added Mr Armstrong.
”Over the past year much activity has been carried out on measures to ensure members of the public and staff across a wide range of services know when to report concern and who to contact.
”This is an area which will continue to remain a high priority for the CPC again this year.”
Social work convener Councillor Glennis Middleton said: ”This is a very important report and we should recognise the very hard work that everyone working in their field does.”