NSPCC in Greater Manchester says we must stop child abuse before it starts

NSPCC logo

Fewer children are dying as a result of homicide, assault or suicide today, but disturbing levels of child abuse remain according to a new report from the NSPCC.

The children’s charity, which runs local services to support vulnerable children and their families in Greater Manchester, is calling for a new approach to child protection aimed at stopping child abuse and maltreatment before it starts.

According to How Safe are our Children, for every child in the UK subject to a protection plan or on child protection registers another eight have suffered maltreatment. The charity estimates it would cost up to half a billion pounds every year to provide protection plans to just a quarter of these hidden children.

With 3,561 children on child protection plans across Greater Manchester last year, 2011/2012, NSPCC regional head of service Bernadette Oxley, said: “Abuse and maltreatment can have a devastating effect on a child’s mental and physical health so it is important these children have access to the support they need to overcome their experiences.

“When we discover abuse we must do everything we can to protect children from further harm and help them recover. But child protection services are already working to meet high demands, so we must prevent abuse from happening to so many children in the first place. By identifying and supporting vulnerable children and their families early we can stop abuse before it starts and set a new course to give children a brighter, happier future.

“We are working closely with statutory services and other partners in Greater Manchester to develop services that are based on some of the best models of child protection in the world.”

The Family Smiles programme is just one of the preventative services which the NSPCC offers in Manchester to prevent children experiencing abuse or neglect

The impact of parental mental illness on family life can be experienced in a variety of ways. Often families cope but if things become difficult parents don't always make the link between their illness and the harm it can do to their children.

Family SMILES helps both parent and child talk more openly about how things are for them. It aims to ensure children can live safely with parents who suffer from a range of conditions and know who they can contact for help.

Practitioners work with groups of children, using fun activities to give them factual information about mental health, including a “myth buster game” to dispel distorted thoughts about mental illness such as feelings of guilt and blame.

Parents attend separate sessions which focus on their parenting skills, their relationship with their child and making a safety plan to ensure their child is cared for safely if they suffer a relapse.

All of the NSPCC’s services are provided free both to the families we work with and to our partner organisations such as local authorities and the NHS, thanks to the generosity of the public who support us. By supporting our work, the public can help us continue to develop services to stop child abuse before it starts. By sharing the learning from our services we want to help transform the UK’s approach to child protection and keep every child safe. 

How Safe are our Children – launched by the charity yesterday is the first ever national child abuse tracker. Its new report presents 19 indicators of child protection in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The NSPCC will now monitor progress against the indicators on a regular basis.

To find out more about the services the NSPCC offers to local children and families or how you can support the charity’s work visit www.nspcc.org.uk