Research by Action for Children has revealed that nearly one-third of adults living in Cambridgeshire have concerns over the safety of a child in their neighbourhood.
Online publisher Cambridge-news.co.uk reports that, while nearly two-thirds of those questioned said members of the public should become involved if they have concerns about a neglected child, some respondents said they needed more information about where to get help or advice about their concerns.
Action for Children is calling for a national strategy to help members of the public report their concerns about child neglect.
Director of Children’s Services, Yolanda Hampshire, said:
“While our figures suggest an encouraging public awareness of child neglect, it is a scandal that people simply don't know what to do when they think a child is not being cared for – or where to go to raise the alarm that a child in their street may be in serious danger.
”Neglect is our biggest problem – the number one reason for child
protection referrals to social services, but there is no vision to tackle it.
“To protect more children, we need a national strategy to command political and public support for change – only this commitment from government will truly change children's lives.”
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