Serious child abuse reports to NSPCC Helpline at all time high

Calls to the NSPCC Helpline reporting suspected child abuse and neglect have reached record levels, the charity reveals today.

Last year (April 2010 to March 2011), trained NSPCC counsellors working on the 24-hour freephone (0808 800 5000) service referred 16,385 serious cases to police or social services. This is 37 per cent higher than the previous year and the biggest annual increase in referrals to the Helpline yet recorded.

Recent NSPCC research found nearly one in five secondary school children in the UK has been severely maltreated during childhood, most commonly through neglect (1). There are currently around 46,000 children of all ages on a local child protection plan or register. 

The NSPCC is calling for a major shift in UK child protection policy towards earlier and more effective intervention in child cruelty cases. This relies on people taking swift action to report any concerns about a child being maltreated.

Almost half (46%) the people who contacted the Helpline last year were reporting concerns so serious they needed to be passed on to the authorities - up from 39 per cent the previous year. (2) 

John Cameron, head of the NSPCC Helpline, said: "We must pick up on children's problems as early as we can to stop their abuse. Social workers cannot be in the community all the time. But members of the public can be their eyes and ears.

"The NSPCC Helpline provides advice and counselling to people who have concerns about a child. It also brings abused and neglected children to the attention of local agencies and act as a gateway to local services.

"The increase in referrals over the last year shows more people want to play their part in keeping children safe. We refer only the most serious cases to local agencies for further investigation. More than one in three of these cases involve families previously unknown to local authorities."

Last year, the Helpline made 12,296 referrals about suspected child cruelty following contacts from neighbours and members of the public - up 4,588 (60%) from the previous year.

Other people contacting the Helpline included parents, other family members, and professionals such as teachers or health workers.

The biggest increase in referrals last year was for neglect, which jumped 81 per cent to 6,438 cases. Neglect remains the top reason for people contacting the helpline. We also referred 4,113 cases of reported physical abuse, 1,520 cases of sexual abuse and 2,932 cases of emotional abuse.

John Cameron continued: "The rise in serious child abuse calls shows our Helpline is needed as much as ever. It only takes a few seconds to contact us. We urge people not to hesitate even if they have doubts. It could be the difference between life and death for a child."

Anyone with concerns about a child should call the NSPCC Helpline on 0808 800 5000. They can also email help@nspcc.org.uk or make a report online at www.nspcc.org.uk/helpline

Read a summary of the NSPCC Helpline figures for 2010/11

Ends

Media office on 0207 825 2533/2514 Out of hours 07976 206 625

Notes to editors:
(1)The initial findings from the NSPCC study were released in February 2011.

 (2) Other calls, emails, and online contacts resulted in the person being given information or advice or directed to another organisation.

The NSPCC was awarded a Government grant worth £11.2 million over the period 2011-2015 for continued investment in ChildLine and the NSPCC Helpline.
 
The NSPCC is the UK's leading children's charity specialising in child protection. Our vision is to end cruelty to children in the UK and we make a difference for all children by standing up for their rights, listening to them, helping them when they need us and by making them safe. The NSPCC runs projects and services across the United Kingdom and Channel Islands, including ChildLine, the UK's free, confidential 24-hour helpline for children and young people and the NSPCC Helpline for adults concerned about the safety of a child.