CHILD abuse figures in Kirklees are among the highest for 10 years.
New figures show there were 243 children on the district's child protection register on March 31.
The number equals that in 1997 and is the highest since 1993.
Neglect is the most frequent reason- locally and nationally - for children being put on the register.
Children also go on the register because of emotional, sexual and physical abuse.
The figures are in the 2004/05 annual business plan for the Kirklees Area Child Protection Committee.
Committee chairman Paul Johnson said: "Child protection services are under the spotlight as never before.
"Beginning with the publication of the controversial inquiry into the death of Victoria Climbie and ending with the publication of the Children's Bill, the groundwork has been set for significant change over the next few years.
"This will be both in terms of the work of area child protection committees and the way organisations work together in order to keep children safe."
The report says that nationally there were 26,000 on child protection registers at March 31, 2003.
The figure represents 24 children per 10,000 of the population under 18.
In Kirklees at the same date the rate was 21 per 10,000, but this went up to 26 per 10,000 on March 31 this year.
More than half (54%) of children on the register on March 31 last year were boys, 45% girls and one child was unborn.
In Kirklees, 17% of the children on the register were under a year old.
Some 34% were aged one to four years, 26% five to nine years, 22% 10 to 15 years and 1% were 16 or over.
The figures also showed that 160 (82%) of children on the Kirklees register were from white British, white Irish or other white backgrounds.
Twenty-one (11%) were from mixed backgrounds (white and black Caribbean, white and black African, white and Asian), 10 (5%) came from Asian backgrounds, two (1%) were from other ethnic groups and one child was unborn.
