Campaign successes

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Changing the law for children

Over the years, we've influenced laws and policies to promote children's rights and their safety.

The NSPCC lobbies the Government and Parliament on legislation and social policy that has an impact on children's lives. This work includes responding to Government proposals, presenting evidence to Parliamentary committees, MP's and Ministers and making representations on behalf of children. Find out about our current and ongoing work.

Since the launch of the FULL STOP Campaign, through our lobbying and influencing activities, we've contributed to the following changes in legislation which have helped protect children and young people:

Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999
The NSPCC secured a major change in the legislation to allow young witnesses to give all their evidence pre-trial rather than have to go through a cross-examination in an adult trial. It also secured the help of intermediaries to help young witnesses give their evidence.

Protection of Children Act 1999
This placed a duty on regulated organisations to refer an individual working with children to the POCA list of disqualified people if they have harmed or put a child at risk and been dismissed or moved away from children as a consequence. It also made it an offence for regulated organisations to knowingly employ someone who is disqualified.

Criminal Justice and Court Services Act 2000
The NSPCC secured a number of changes to the Sex Offender Act 1997 to strengthen children's protection from sex offenders. It introduced a ban on those who have committed the most serious sexual offences from working with children.

Sexual Offences Act 2000
The NSPCC worked closely with the Government to give young people aged 16 and 17 more protection from exploitative sexual behaviour by adults in a position of trust.

Education Act 2002
This made it a requirement for all schools, local education authorities and Further Education colleges to make arrangements to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.

Criminal Justice Act 2003
Introduced indeterminate sentences for dangerous, predatory sex and violent offenders who are likely to pose a serious and continuing risk to children.

Sexual Offences Act 2003
Provides up-to-date offences and gives children much stronger protection against images of child sex abuse on the internet, prostitution, trafficking, abuses of trust and within families.

Children Act 2004
The Act introduces a number of important changes the NSPCC has long called for, such as a Children's Commissioner for England, Local Safeguarding Children Boards, better information sharing and screening groups to review child deaths.

Children and Adoption Act 2006
The NSPCC helped ensure there is a better and more consistent way of determining whether a child is at risk in contact cases. Elsewhere in the bill, new measures are introduced to give family courts a greater range of options to choose from when deciding on contact managements for families after parental separations.