Referrals from the NSPCC helpline to agencies in the South East about children living with domestic abuse have increased by more than 60% during the pandemic.
The latest figures reveal that the average monthly number of referrals about this issue, since lockdown measures were first introduced, is 63% higher than for the first 3 months of last year.
In all, 1,174 referrals were made to the police and other agencies in the South East between April and December last year, with the monthly average rising from 80 before the first lockdown to 130 in the months following.
The NSPCC is receiving an average of over 30 contacts a day from adults worried about children living with domestic abuse – across the UK – since the start of the crisis.
Concerned neighbours have increasingly reported hearing non-stop arguing and kids crying to the charity’s confidential helpline for adults worried about children.
The NSPCC’s frontline teams are concerned that the risk of young people suffering the toxic consequences of domestic abuse has been heightened.
Last year, the Government amended their landmark Domestic Abuse Bill to recognise that children do experience domestic abuse and could also be victims. This followed years of campaigning by the NSPCC and other children’s charities.
As the Bill enters Committee Stage this week, the NSPCC is now urging parliamentarians to put pressure on the Government to accept a further amendment that will place a statutory duty on local agencies to provide community-based services so children can access support wherever they live. Without this, the charity fears funding for community-based services, that are crucial in helping children to recover, could be diverted to prioritise accommodation-based services that councils have a legal duty to provide.
Anyone who is experiencing domestic abuse or has concerns that someone else may be can contact the NSPCC’s Helpline for information and advice on 0808 800 5000, email [email protected] or fill in this online form.
i suspect that a lot of it, is because under normal circumstances, the parents would have told the kids to clear off out and play, once they had reached breaking point and cannot, as they are all under lockdown rules.
can anyone honestly say that being cooped up day in day out with your family, without a realistic break from each other is good for anyones mental health.
not to mention the fact that they should be at school, as well.
parents must be reaching the end of their patience with this Covid crap.
so many having their income slashed, their bills stacking up, the kids at home all day and not allowed out to play …something will give sooner or later
4,500,000 people in the UK are now on an NHS waiting list after cancelled treatments and screenings, and 70,000 UK households have been made homeless in the last 10 months.And how many children suffering? Tell me again how this is about health?
It’s not it’s genocide and dictatorship but sadly 90% can’t see that and blindly believe the evil government and msm.God if there is one help us all
covid death figures show 8000 people below the age of 65 have died – one twelfth of the total – didn’t need this lockdown – just needed to tell those over 65 to stay indoors until the vaccine was up and running.