NSPCC launches General Election campaign to protect children

The NSPCC is calling on parliamentary candidates to stand for children and throw their weight behind a new law to ensure social workers see at-risk children alone.

The law is part of a package of vital child protection reforms the Society wants introduced after the general election.  The charity’s ‘I stand for children’ campaign aims to make child protection a priority for the next Government so more tragic cases of abuse can be avoided.

Diana Sutton, head of the public affairs and campaigns unit at the NSPCC, said: “We need to make sure that the next elected Government keeps child protection high on its list of priorities.  And the public can play their role by letting the politicians know what they want done.”

Ofsted has found that when children are killed or seriously injured, the most significant failure involved professionals not seeing or speaking to children. The report also found that too often they took the word of parents at face value without considering the effects on the child.

Diana Sutton continued: “A change in the law would emphasise to everyone involved that the child must be seen and heard when concerns are raised. This would help professionals deal with uncooperative, manipulative or hostile parents who try to hide evidence of child abuse or neglect.”

The NSPCC’s campaign is also calling on candidates to commit to other child protection measures including:

• A better resourced child protection system and ensuring it is protected from cuts.
• Better protection for children living with domestic violence.
• More therapeutic services for children who have experienced abuse.
• Continued government funding of helplines for children and for adults concerned about a child.

Voters can lobby their parliamentary candidates at the NSPCC’s campaign website.

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