UK wide campaign focusing on child neglect

Editor
26 October 2009 - 3:42pm
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Tagged as:

• Children and families
• neglect
• Policy

Neglected children need help

The vast majority of us are unaware of neglect, and that it’s happening on our doorstep. Action for Children surveyed almost 2,000 primary school, pre-school, nursery and health professionals who come into regular contact with children and young people, to gauge their understanding of child neglect and its causes. The results reveal some key clear signals for frontline professional working in schools, nurseries and hospitals throughout the country who have alerted professionals to neglected children (a .pdf copy of the report can be downloaded below).
 
Neglect can have terrible effects on children, families, communities and society. The impacts can last a lifetime and are often passed from generation to generation.  However, while neglect is a complex problem with complex causes, more can be done. Policy makers need to pursue a more intensive policy of intervening as early as possible and spend more wisely on public services that focus on prevention and early intervention.
 
The recent report, Backing the Future, conducted in partnership between Action for Children and nef (the new economics foundation) has found that governments across the UK are failing to invest efficiently in the future of our society through our children and families. Not intervening early enough in work with families where children are neglected, means preventable social problems are not being addressed.
 
We need more of the targeted interventions that we know work for the most vulnerable children to improve outcomes and break the intergenerational cycle of neglect.
 
Please visit the website (www.actionforchildren.org.uk) to find out more about what Action for Children is doing and how you can support our campaign. One important way is to give your backing to holding a debate in the Northern Ireland Assembly on neglect of children and calling for a shift to services that intervene early.