Internet related child sex offences

The NSPCC has released figures following a Freedom of Information (FOI) request to police forces in England and Wales looking at internet-related sex offences. Figures from 39 police forces who responded to the FOI show that: 5,653 police-recorded child sexual offences in 2016/17 had an online element, an increase of 44% from 2015/16 figures; nearly 100 offences were committed against children aged 10 and under; 13 was the most common age of the victim (where recorded). The NSPCC is calling on the government to introduce strict online safety measures including: an independent regulator to hold social media companies to account; minimum standards that internet companies must meet to safeguard children; safer social media accounts for children with default privacy settings.

Source: NSPCC  Date: 01 June 2017

Children and Social Work Act 2017

The Children and Social Work Bill received Royal Assent on 27th April 2017 hours before the previous Parliament came to a close. The Bill has had a difficult passage and not all proposals survived the process. In particular, the controversial plan to allow local authorities to opt out of certain child protection regulations was removed long before Royal Assent.

The majority of the new Act relates to social work and will setup a new independent regulator to be called ‘Social Work England’. Other sections of the Children and Social Work Act 2017 cover:

• promotion of the educational achievement of previously Looked After Children;
• the introduction of compulsory relationships education in primary schools;
• the introduction of relationships and sex education in secondary schools, which may take into account the ‘religious background’ of pupils

The content of the relationships and sex education programme is yet to be set, but will cover safety in forming and maintaining relationships, the characteristics of healthy relationships, and how relationships may affect physical and mental health and well-being.

Maintained schools and academies will need to ensure that there is a designated staff member for previously Looked After Children, which includes those who were cared for under a special guardianship order, and young people who have been adopted.

Local Safeguarding Children Boards (LSCB) will be abolished under the regulations in the new Act, and ‘safeguarding partners’ will instead make local arrangements for safeguarding and promoting welfare of children. Safeguarding Partners are the local authority, health commissioning groups and the police; and although the local authority might also include ‘relevant agencies’, education is not specifically mentioned.

The Act creates a national Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel (CSPRP) to look into serious child safeguarding cases in England which raise issues that are complex or of national importance.

Consultation on Scotland’s strategy for preventing and eradicating violence against women and girls

The Scottish Government is consulting on the draft Delivery Plan for Equally Safe, Scotland’s strategy for preventing and eradicating violence against women and girls. The deadline for response is 30 June 2017.

Source: Scottish Government  Date: 19 May 2017

Health and well being of children and young people

The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) has published a report following a review of sustainability and transformation plans (STPs) – the proposals put together by the NHS and local councils to meet the health needs of the local population. The review of 44 STPs in England found that: the majority contain little mention of the health and wellbeing needs of children, except in relation to child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS); and the majority do not demonstrate appreciation of the life-long impact of poor health in childhood.

Source: RCPCH  Date: 16 May 2017

Further information: State of child health short report: sustainability & transformation partnerships (PDF)

Children affected by domestic abuse

Children & Young People Now reports that Buttle UK has released figures following analysis of grant-giving which shows that: it received 9,909 referrals about children affected by domestic abuse during 2016, an increase in referrals of 33% on the previous year; 3,384 of these referrals related to children aged four or under.

Source: Children & Young People Now  Date: 15 May 2017

Further information: Buttle UK

Care applications

Cafcass has published its monthly care application statistics for England. In April 2017 Cafcass received a total of 1,029 care applications. This figure represents a 16% decrease compared with those received in April 2016.

Source: Cafcass  Date: 16 May 2017

Preventing child sexual abuse: the role of schools

The Children’s Commissioner for England has published a report looking into the current provision of education programmes related to the prevention of child sexual abuse in schools in England. Findings from 1,093 primary and secondary schools who responded to an online survey of head teachers show that: around half of primary schools reported that they teach topics related to sexual exploitation and abuse, compared to almost 90% of secondary schools; more than a third of primary schools and 15% of secondary schools do not hold specific sessions with pupils to allow them to raise concerns; 34% of primary schools and 16% of secondary schools do not have a confidential/secure place where pupils can disclose abuse; 20% of primary schools and 12% of secondary schools  do not have a designated person that pupils can go to if they have a concern.

Source: Children’s Commissioner for England  Date: 19 April 2017

Further information: Preventing child sexual abuse: the role of schools (PDF)

Survey reveals concerns over mental health

Teenage mental health charity stem4 has reported findings from a poll of 500 12-to-16 year olds looking at mental health problems. Findings include: 79% of young people surveyed have reported feelings associated with poor mental health since starting secondary school; exam worries (41%), work overload (31%) and friendship concerns (28%) were the top anxieties recorded. A survey of parents found that: 35 % fear that poor mental health will leave their children unable to enjoy their teenage years; and 28% felt their children were liable to suffer from poor mental health as adults if they do not benefit from suitable support sooner rather than later.

Source: stem4  Date: 27 March 2017

Further information: Guardian

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Childhood neglect and abuse: evidence review

The Department for Education (DfE) has published an evidence review examining the effects of abuse and neglect on children, and whether different placement types affect their outcomes. Findings from the review of UK research from 2000 to 2016 includes: neglect is the most prevalent form of maltreatment; providing earlier, effective and holistic support to parents, whilst keeping the child’s welfare in mind, can reduce the risk of maltreatment; the age of the child at entry to care has been consistently found to be associated with the stability of placements and children’s well-being; positive changes to the caregiving environment can help children to recover from their experiences of maltreatment; children and young people may also need specialist therapeutic support to help them recover from adverse impacts of maltreatment and to make sense of their experiences.

Source: DfE  Date: 27 March 2017

Further information: The impacts of abuse and neglect on children; and comparison of different placement options: evidence review (PDF)

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Children’s social work statistics: Scotland

The Scottish Government has published Children’s social work statistics for the period 2015-16. Figures show that at 31 July 2016 there were 2,723 children on the child protection register and 15,317 looked after children; 691 of these children were both looked after and on the child protection register. The number of children on a child protection register and looked after children have both decreased by 1% since 2014/15.

Source: Scottish Government  Date: 28 March 2017

Further information: Children’s social work statistics: Scotland, 2015-16 (PDF)