Last year the NSPCC referred 35 cases of neglect on Isle of Wight to the Police and children’s services following reports of suspected child neglect, latest figures have revealed.
In just 5 years there has been an increase of 191% in referrals being made to local authorities on the Isle of Wight when compared to the 12 referrals made in 2011/12.
Nationally, the NSPCC made 16,882 referrals to children’s services or the police in 2016/17, equivalent to 46 a day.
Child neglect was mentioned in 29% of the 66,218 calls to the NSPCC Helpline in the last year. This rise shows that more people are willing to speak up about the issue.
Neglect happens when a child’s needs aren’t met and is down to several reasons; they range from parents not having the skills, support or funds, to having mental health issues.
A growing number of people contacting the NSPCC Helpline also described parents as having a problem with alcohol and drugs, with some of them regularly leaving their children unsupervised so they could go drinking with friends.
These latest figures on neglect cases have been revealed in the NSPCC’s state of the nation report, How Safe are our Children? , and comes as children’s social care in England face unprecedented pressures, with more young people being taken into care, and more families needing support.
Common signs and symptoms adults may notice in a child who is being neglected include:
• Poor appearance and hygiene, they may be smelly or have unwashed clothes
• Living in an unsuitable home environment for example dog mess being left or not having any heating
• Left alone for a long time
• Untreated injuries, medical and dental issues; they may have skin sores, rashes, flea bites, scabies or ringworm
• Poor language, communication or social skills
• Seem hungry or turn up to school without having breakfast or any lunch money
Peter Wanless, Chief Executive of the NSPCC said:
“Neglect can have severe and long-lasting consequences for children, and can also be an indicator of other forms of abuse. This is why it is so important for anyone suspecting a child of being neglected to contact the NSPCC Helpline, so we can alert the authorities to quickly step in and help those in need.
“At the same time, it is vital we understand the true nature and scale of child neglect in the UK so we can collectively tackle the fundamental causes. Therefore, a Government commissioned, nationwide prevalence study on child abuse and neglect needs to be conducted, and sooner rather than later.”
Adults can contact the NSPCC Helpline 24 hours a day, 365 days a year on 0808 800 5000, or [email protected].
