Working with Westminster

As the new coalition government takes shape the NSPCC will continue to call for child protection to be a political priority. Although it has already made welcome commitments to strengthen and reform children’s services it is vital that it takes an active and central role in protecting vulnerable children throughout the next Parliament including maintaining adequate funding for children’s services and appointing a Children’s Minister who can work at Cabinet level to make child protection a cross-departmental priority.

Prior to the election, the NSPCC’s I Stand for Children campaign, encouraged voters to get their local candidates to pledge that child protection will remain a priority concern. The campaign was a great success with nearly 15,000 people contacting their local candidates; and 908 of these candidates agreed to stand for children. Of these, 25 per cent went on to become MPs and now begins a period of work to make sure that newly elected MPs know the crucial part they can play  in keeping children safe.

The I stand for Children campaign included six key policy calls which the NSPCC will continue to push. These include making the internet safer for children – something we have campaigned on for several years – and the continuation of funding for helpline services.

In 2006 the government agreed to give £30 million over four years to help grow ChildLine and NSPCC Helpline services. Together with our supporters we strengthened ChildLine, taking the service online and increasing the number of counsellors listening to children each and every week and we expanded capacity at the NSPCC Helpline. We are seeking a continued partnership with government to deliver these vital services to protect children. Without such a partnership the NSPCC cannot ensure our essential frontline services will continue at their current expanded capacity and we cannot safeguard the investment both the government and NSPCC have already made for children.

Join our group of supporters if you would like to be part of the next campaign.

See also

I Stand for Children

Our ongoing campaigns

The NSPCC Helpline

How you can campaign for us