Over 5,000 police calls to children’s homes in Western Trust area

There was a significant rise in call-outs over the five year period, according to information released in response to a Freedom of Information request.

The incidents included calls for service, bail checks, warrants and other police activity.

There were 5,049 calls over the five years: 739 in 2017; 781 in 2018; 1,249 in 2019; 1,029 in 2020; and 1,251 in 2021.

The number of call-outs to children's homes in the Western Trust was higher than anywhere else in the north with the exception of Belfast where the figure was 5,511.

In the South Eastern Trust there were 4,799; in the Northern Trust there were 1,896; and in the Southern Trust there were 1,522.

Of 18,777 calls-outs across the north over the five years the Western Trust accounted for 27 per cent.