Perfectionism has been shown to be related to depressive symptomatology in both adult and child populations. However, there are no known studies of levels of socially prescribed (SPP) and self-oriented perfectionism (SOP) in nonclinical children versus those with a clinically diagnosed depressive disorder. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to examine SPP and SOP as predictors of depressive diagnoses in a sample of 10- to 11-year-old children. Seven hundred and eighty-six children (390 boys, 396 girls) from primary schools in low socio-economic metropolitan areas completed the Children's Depression Inventory (CDI) and the Child and Adolescent Perfectionism Scale (CAPS) as part of a larger study. Children who scored above the clinical cut-off for the CDI also completed part of the Diagnostic Interview for Children and Adolescents-IV. Fifty children met criteria for a diagnosis of a depressive disorder. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to predict diagnostic status from SPP, SOP, gender, and intervention group. SPP was the only significant predictor of diagnostic status. Implications for the treatment and prevention of childhood depression are discussed.