Ellie Ames 28 August 2024

Child neglect ‘normalised’, professionals warn

Child neglect ‘normalised’, professionals warn image
Image: Andrew Angelov / Shutterstock.com

Child neglect has become ‘normalised’ amid financial strain on families and a lack of early support, a major children’s charity has heard.

A survey by the NSPCC found that 54% of staff in healthcare, police, social care and education in England had seen a rise in child neglect cases in their professional lives.

Most respondents (83%) said there were not enough services to provide support for children and families experiencing neglect.

Half of teachers (52%) reported that children’s social care had responded slowly to a neglect referral.

Neglect was the top concern reported to the NSPCC helpline in 2023-24.

NSPCC head of policy Anna Edmundson said: ‘Resources and early help services that would help support children and families where neglect is a concern are at an all-time low, while economic pressures on families are at an all-time high.

‘This combination is proving disastrous for children and families.’

The charity urged the Government to introduce a national strategy to tackle the issue, and called for a focus on neglect in plans to reform children’s social care.

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