Children in need census: guide to submitting data
Source: gov.uk (2025-11-18)

How local authorities should collect data from social care services to complete the annual children in need census.

The children in need census is an annual statutory census for all local authorities. You must complete statutory censuses by law unless there’s a good reason not to.

The census covers the financial year (1 April to 31 March).

It collects data on children referred to local authority social care services because their health or development is at risk. This includes:
- children in local-authority care (in placements in a residential home, in a foster family, or with relatives)
- children who are getting support from their local authority’s social care services
- children who are the subject of a child protection plan (https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/family/children-and-young-people/child-abuse/local-authority-involvement/child-abuse-child-protection-plans/)
- unborn children who will potentially need support from social care services
Important dates

2025 to 2026 census dates:
- census opens: Wednesday 1 April 2026
- deadline for loading data: Tuesday 30 June 2026
- deadline for submitting data: Friday 31 July 2026
2026 to 2027 census dates:
- census opens: Thursday 1 April 2027
- deadline for loading data: Wednesday 30 June 2027
- deadline for submitting data: Friday 30 July 2027
Submit your data

You’ll need to:
- register and log in with DfE Sign-in (https://services.signin.education.gov.uk)
- use COLLECT to submit your data
Contact your school or local authority approver, if:
- you want to request a DfE Sign-in username or password so you can access COLLECT
- ‘children in need census’ is not on the list of collections you can see in COLLECT
Get help using DfE Sign-in

If you do not know who your approver is, use the DfE Sign-in request form (https://help.signin.education.gov.uk/contact/form).

If you’ve forgotten your password, use DfE Sign-in (https://services.signin.education.gov.uk) to reset it. You will need to click ‘Start now’ and then the ‘I’ve forgotten my password’ link.

We’ll only be able to change the status of your data submission to ‘authorised’ once you’ve cleared all errors in the data in COLLECT.

Census documents

These documents will help you complete the census.

2025 to 2026 census guides
- census guide (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/children-in-need-census-2025-to-2026-guide)
- technical specification and validation rules (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/children-in-need-census-2025-to-2026-specification)
- COLLECT guides (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/collect-guides-for-schools-and-local-authorities)
- COLLECT reports specifications (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/children-in-need-census-2025-to-2026-reports-specifications)
2026 to 2027 census guides
- census guide (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/children-in-need-census-2026-to-2027-guide)
- technical specification and validation rules (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/children-in-need-census-2026-to-2027-specification)
- COLLECT guides (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/collect-guides-for-schools-and-local-authorities)
Get help submitting data

For complex questions, use the service request form (https://form.education.gov.uk/service/Data-collections-service-request-form). We aim to answer your question within 5 working days.

Feedback

Use the service request form (https://form.education.gov.uk/service/Data-collections-service-request-form) if you have any comments about our data collection service, including COLLECT and the helpdesk service.