Current neglect laws are failing to protect children and need to be urgently reviewed, according to a report published today by Action for Children.
The charity claimed the law does not cover all forms of neglect, while its report revealed two-thirds (67%) of parents say a clear law on child neglect would help them to meet their responsibilities.
Nearly three-quarters (72%) of the 1,092 parents surveyed by the charity said there is no common understanding of what ‘good enough’ parenting is.
I’ve spoken to a few social workers recently who are struggling to evidence the long-term impact of chronic neglect, particularly emotional, at a time when many also say thresholds are rising. Although there are more care applications, social workers are issuing proceedings less often, some say, because of impossibly high thresholds and limited budgets.
We’ve got some work on child neglect in the pipeline so watch this space. In the meantime, you might find the following three social work guides helpful: Reference manual – child neglect; Guide to the impact of neglect in infancy and Guide to risk assessment of neglect
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