How can we tackle child neglect?

The tragedy is that due to a lack of gathering the right information, children whose lives could be improved are needlessly put at further risk.

This week we’ve seen another devastating news story that demonstrates the consequences of child neglect. The story hit the papers when a three year old child with severe nappy rash was admitted to hospital, and it later transpired that the family in question had been known to several agencies (doctors, teachers, police and social workers) for 16 years. Those of you who’ve read the articles that have emerged recently will know that this child’s parents reportedly manipulated the agencies trying to help them in order to downplay the seriousness of what was happening in their home.

Thankfully, these children are all now in a safer place. But what can we do to make sure that neglect never falls through the gaps again? We need to ensure that multi agency services have the evidence, confidence and resources to get involved as early as possible, whether or not a couple like the one in Gloucestershire are doing their level best to stop that from happening.

We need to begin by making sure the right people are informed. For example, in a recent Freedom of Information request, it was established that 60% of English local authorities don’t know how many children in their area are likely to suffer from neglect. Bearing in mind that neglect is the most common form of child abuse and features in 60% of case reviews into the death or serious injury of a child, this is something that must be addressed as a matter of urgency. Sir Tony Hawkhead, Chief Executive of Action for Children (who sits on the same task force as our Chief Executive, Mark Darby as part of Iain Duncan Smith’s social justice initiative) recently said “The tragedy is that due to a lack of gathering the right information, children whose lives could be improved are needlessly put at further risk.” 

It’s cases like these that remind us of our most important goal, equipping agencies with the tools to work better, together. It’s the core of everything we do here, and we’re proud to know that pam is helping people to make a difference every day. From gang management to community policing, pam is changing the way people work around serious cases involving vulnerable people, and enabling them to engage in the collaborative communication that is essential to ensuring the safety of children just like the ones in Gloucestershire.

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