Legal News

The government’s Children’s Minister Edward Timpson has responded to the findings of a report by the think tank, the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ), which revealed a catalogue of failings in child protection across the UK.

Mr Timpson said that case studies in the report which highlighted the failure of some local councils to protect children from child abuse were “distressing”.

He added that there was “more to do” to make sure vulnerable children and young people were protected from child abuse.

“All children have a fundamental right to protection from abuse and neglect. The distressing case studies in this report show how important it is for vulnerable children to receive timely support,” Mr Timpson said.

The report highlighting failings in child protection – Enough is Enough – calls for a Royal Commission to be set up to advise on the restructuring of England’s social care and mental health services.

The report identifies failings in child protection as a result of local councils not intervening early enough to prevent child abuse or neglect – and says that in England there exists a group of “lone children” who have fallen beneath the radar of child protection services, with the result that they are not being cared for either by their parents or by the State.

Out-of-date information also means that the real extent of failings in child protection in England cannot be assessed accurately.

Director of the CSJ, Christian Guy, says:

“Child protection and mental health failures in England are like an open
wound.

“Many of the problems uncovered in this report have been building under successive governments – and we urgently need a Royal Commission to fully understand the extent of these issues.

“It’s not good enough that we have to wait until we hear the child neglect horror stories before anything is done.”

The CSJ report Enough is Enough highlights child neglect and child abuse cases which include a six-year-old boy who was allowed to remain living with his mother, who was a crack-cocaine addict. The boy suffered severe neglect as a result and was later discovered with rotting teeth and surviving off food and shelter provided by a neighbour.

In another case, a teenage girl – who had been emotionally and physically abused – was allowed to live intermittently with her father. However, it was later discovered that she had been sexually abused by men who had been introduced to her by her father.

The report is based on 20 cases of child abuse and child neglect from the London charity, Kids Company.

The Children’s Minister said that the government had already made changes to child protection by making the system less bureaucratic and more focused on the needs of children, with the aim of improving standards of care.

Mr Timpson added that most councils were making sure that child protection services did not fail because of budgetary constraints. Since 2010, government spending on child protection has risen by an estimated 1.2%.

Mr Timpson said:

“The vast majority of councils are protecting child protection budgets.

“We are clear that we won’t hesitate to take swift action if any council fails to fulfil its duty to protect every child.”

Duncan Lewis Childcare Solicitors

Duncan Lewis is a leading firm of specialist childcare solicitors and can advise on a range of matters, including children taken into Local Authority care and care proceedings, child contact and residence following divorce or judicial separation, child abuse and Court of Protection.

Duncan Lewis is also a leading firm of Legal Aid solicitors and can advise on childcare law and family law under UK law or Islamic law.

For expert legal advice on childcare law, contact Duncan Lewis childcare solicitors on 020 7923 4020.