Abuse claim could be a ‘cry for help’

Social services should play a major part in investigating allegations of abuse made by children against teachers in case they are a cry for help, a charity has said in the wake of new guidelines.

The NSPCC welcomed government guidance that the underlying reasons for allegations should be thoroughly investigated.

David Coulter, the charity’s education policy adviser, said opportunities to detect abuse at home or elsewhere were being missed by failures to investigate unfounded allegations.

“We support any guidelines that help to cast the net wider,” he said.