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The National Care Standards Commission should help promote whistle-blowing as an integral part of workplace culture, according to the campaigning organisation Public Concern at Work.

Its legal officer, Anna Myers, told a conference on whistle-blowing organised by Community Care, PCW and umbrella body NCVCCO, that central government also had a role to play: "If there was a message from government that this is important, it would do a lot to promote a culture of whistle-blowing. But it's also something the NCSC could take on."

Acknowledging the culture of fear that surrounds whistle-blowing, Myers said: "People keep quiet because they only have a suspicion and don't feel they can prove it.

"They don't want to be seen as sneaks. All of us grew up in this culture and it's hard to change."

One of the obstacles to blowing the whistle is the process for doing so, said Myers. Many people are reluctant to report concerns to their line manager because they feel that they would not be listened to. A system that allows staff to bypass their line manager was needed, she said.

Myers added: "Whistle-blowers should be treated as witnesses not complainants. It should be a normal part of work, not deemed deviant behaviour. If you are dealing with children, you are giving the message that they should keep quiet," she said.

Lynne Berry, chief executive of the General Social Care Council, said at the event that whistle-blowing was a key part of upholding standards in the social care profession.