Joe Benton

Labour Party | Bootle

NSPCC Full Stop campaign

The Government fully supports the aims of the Full Stop campaign and recognises the NSPCC's important work. Responding to child abuse is, and should be, everyone's responsibility: statutory agencies, voluntary organisations, parents and the wider public. The Government is committed to reducing the number of deaths of children through abuse and neglect: our Quality Protects initiative is central to delivering on this commitment.

A recent UNICEF report (February 2001), covering the period 1991-1995, states that the UK has the fifth lowest rate of child abuse deaths amongst the 15 most populous OECD countries (0.8 deaths per 100,000 children aged 0-14). However, this provides no grounds for complacency.

There is still more to be done to ensure that the high standards of child protection are applied in every case. That is why the Government commissioned the Joint Chief Inspectors' report on arrangements to safeguard children, which was published on 14 October 2002. It is also why we set up the statutory Inquiry, chaired by Lord Laming, into the circumstances leading up to, and surrounding, the death of Victoria Climbié. The recommendations of the Joint Chief Inspectors' report and those of the Victoria Climbié Inquiry will provide the Government with an authoritative basis for any reforms to child protection that may need to be made, and if reform is necessary the Government will implement it.

Setting national objectives is an essential first step to improving the effectiveness of children's social services. This is why the second of the Government's Objectives for Children's Social Services (published in 1999) is to ensure that children are protected from abuse and neglect and, as a key part of that, to seek to reduce child deaths arising from abuse or neglect.

The Department of Health has recently published the first of a series of biennial overview reports drawing out the key findings of a sample of serious case reviews undertaken in recent years. These reports will draw out common themes and trends and their implications for policy and practice. We will share these findings widely to enable practitioners and managers to learn from them. It will be important for professionals to consider how their own practice might be developed or improved as a result of these findings to help prevent avoidable injuries to, and deaths of, children.

In addition, the Government has introduced radical new initiatives such as the £885 million Quality Protects programme, Sure Start and Connexions. The Government is investing £11 billion in personal social services this year (2002/03).

In addition to the revised inter-agency guidance on safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children – Working Together to Safeguard Children, the Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and their Families, published in April 2000, is helping to ensure that where a child appears to be in need, their needs are properly assessed; and when a child is found to be in need, relevant services are provided.

Social services, the police and other professionals are there to protect children and help families, but to do so effectively they need the public's help and support. Members of the public, as well as professionals, should always contact social services if they believe that a child may be at risk of suffering, or is suffering, significant harm.

The NSPCC has made, and continues to make, a significant contribution in raising public awareness and understanding of the problem of child abuse. The Government is committed to sustaining and developing the close relationship it has already established with the Society. We all need to work together to create a better and safer future for children.

Yours sincerely

Joe Benton JP MP
Bootle