February 12, 2026 | Organisational Information and Performance , Procedures
Request Number: FOI/16582
Category: Organisational Information & Performance - Procedures
Subject: Child Protection Disclosure Scheme
Request and Answer
Your request for information has now been considered. In respect of Section 1(1)(a) of the Act we can confirm that the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) does hold information to which your request relates. The decision has been taken to disclose the following.
Question
Please provide the number of applications to the Child Protection Disclosure Scheme and of these how many were (i) granted and (ii) refused, in each of the last three calendar years ending December 2025.
Answer
01/01/2023 – 31/12/2023
Number Granted - 8
Number Refused - 54
01/01/2024 – 31/12/2024
Number Granted - 2
Number Refused - 57
01/01/2025 – 31/12/2025
Number Granted - 2
Number Refused - 20
The PSNI Child Protection Disclosure Scheme (CPDS) allows parents, guardians, or professionals to request information where a child may be at risk of sexual harm. Applications only progress where a specific child and a named individual with access to that child are identified. PSNI conducts checks to verify identity, assesses the risk, and undertakes multi-agency safeguarding review to ensure any disclosure is lawful, necessary, and proportionate. Any disclosure must be authorised by a senior officer, limited to the minimum information needed, and shared under strict conditions. Most applications do not result in disclosure due to these high thresholds.
Where the threshold is not met, safeguarding concerns are not dismissed. Applicants are signposted to social services, school safeguarding teams, or child protection referral pathways, and may be advised to seek support from relevant organisations. CPDS is not a background checking service, and any immediate risk should be reported via 999 or 101 to ensure timely safeguarding action.