MORE than half of people in Yorkshire and Humberside are worried about a neglected child in their area but feel powerless to intervene, according to a landmark report out today.
The report by children’s charity Action for Children has found a worrying picture of neglected children in the region getting trapped in, rather than caught by, the safety net in place to protect them.
It claims the public and professionals such as social workers, teachers, health workers and nursery staff are increasingly aware of child neglect, yet are unsure as to what to do.
Polls were conducted as part of a comprehensive UK-wide review of child neglect by the University of Stirling for Action for Children. More than 4,000 people – including the general public, a range of professionals, and 47 local authorities – took part in the research through polling and focus groups.
Of members of the public in Yorkshire and Humberside that the charity spoke to, more than half (54%) are worried about the welfare or safety of a child they know or who is living in their area.
However, of those who said they were worried, 46% did not feel able to tell anyone about their concerns, citing reasons such as not knowing enough about the signs of neglect, being fearful of the repercussions of being mistaken or having little or no evidence.
It comes as 86% of professionals in the region – including teachers, health workers and nursery staff – have revealed to the charity that although they regularly see cases of suspected child neglect, 11% of them have never been given guidance or training about neglect and how to tackle the issue.
The figures are just part of the wider UK picture. Nearly half of social workers questioned across Britain said they felt that the point at which they could intervene in cases of child neglect was too high (42%) and for those children who did meet the level at which they could intervene, many cited a lack of resources (52%) or support services to refer families to (43%) as obstacles. The percentage of social workers who say they feel powerless to intervene in cases of child neglect has gone up from a third since 2009.
