LGA RESPONDS TO NSPCC WARNING ON UNREPORTED CHILD ABUSE

Responding to the NSPCC survey on concerns about unreported child abuse during the coronavirus crisis, Cllr Judith Blake, Chair of the Local Government Association’s Children and Young People Board, said:

“Councils are very concerned about falling referrals to children’s social care. They are working with their partners and communities to try to identify children who may be at risk and putting in place plans to ensure that if referrals spike when children return to school, they are able to ensure children and families get the right help quickly.

“It is vital that councils receive the funding they need to support children, young people and families both during the current phase of the crisis, and through the recovery period, and that communities know how to spot signs of risk and how to report them.

“The impact of the pandemic on some children will be far-reaching, and it will be essential that the right services are there to support them.”