NSPCC study finds 1 in 5 11 to 17 year olds abused and neglected
in childhood
![](98840431.jpg)
NEARLY 1 in 5
secondary school children in the UK have been severely abused or
neglected during childhood. The finding comes from a survey of
2,275 children aged 11 to 17 and 1,761 adults aged 18 to 24 carried out by
the charity in 2009.
In all, 18.6% of the 11 to 17 year olds had been physically attacked by
an adult, sexually abused, or severely neglected. This is equivalent
to almost a million secondary school children across the UK. 1
in 4 of the 18 to 24 year olds (25.3%) also reported severe
maltreatment during childhood.
The study follows an earlier NSPCC survey of the childhood
experiences of 18 to 24 year olds in 1998 to 1999. Together, the two studies
reveal falling amounts of childhood abuse and neglect over the last
30 years, from when the respondents in the first study were born.
Des Mannion NSPCC regional head of service in the North West, said:-
“Our research gives a fuller and more up-to-date picture of
child abuse and neglect in the UK than we have ever had before.
Physical violence, neglect and forced sex are still harming the
lives of hundreds of thousands of children across the UK, and most
of it remains unreported. Steps are being taken to improve child
protection but the UK, and indeed the North West, still faces a
problem in tackling child abuse.
According to the research, many children are now treated less
harshly than in previous generations. We believe this is a result of
heightened awareness about what child abuse is and what needs to be
done about it. Progress can and is being made, in the fight against
cruelty to children.”
The surveys of 18 to 24 year olds show:-
► 25% of the young adults interviewed in 2009 reported severe abuse
and neglect during childhood
► The number of 18 to 24
year olds beaten up, knocked down, choked or threatened with a
weapon in childhood, had dropped from 13% in 1998 to 1999 to 10% in 2009.
Such violence on a regular basis had dropped even more sharply -
from 6% to 2% in 2009.
► 5% of young adults
had been raped or forced or coerced into sex acts before the age of
16, compared to 7% in the previous study.
► The number
suffering prolonged verbal abuse by adults during childhood had
dropped by more than a half – from 14.5% to 6%.
The survey of 11 to 17 year olds shows:-
► 18.6% had been physically attacked by an adult, sexually abused,
or severely neglected at home.
► 6.9% had been
physically attacked by an adult, which included being hit, kicked,
beaten or attacked with a weapon. Parents or guardians were
responsible for 55% of serious adult violence.
► 4.8% had been
sexually assaulted – either by an adult or another child or young
person. 3% of children had been raped or forced into sex by another
child and 2% had been sexually abused by an adult.
► Physical neglect,
such as malnourishment, was suffered by 1.4% of children. In all,
9.8% of children suffered severe parental neglect at some point in
their childhood. Lack of care or supervision which placed a child at
risk, and neglect of emotional needs was the most common form of
child maltreatment.
The findings raise concern that the vast majority of abused and
neglected children are not getting the vital help they need – either
from statutory services or informal support networks in the
community. Children’s services are under strain and cannot be in the
community all of the time to prevent this extent of child abuse and
neglect. There are currently around 46,000 children of all ages on a
local authority child protection plan or register, and 6,798 in the
North West.
Such lack of support can cause serious harm to children's
development and long-term health. The study indicates that severely
abused and neglected children are almost nine times more likely to
try and kill themselves and almost five times more likely to
self-harm than children who have not been severely abused or
neglected.
Des Mannion added:- “The scale and impact of child abuse
requires a major shift towards earlier intervention in child
protection. When children do not get the protection and support they
need when they most need it, they can be vulnerable to continuing
physical or mental harm and further abuse.
There are likely to be severely maltreated children in every
secondary school across the country including in the North West.
Some will face abuse and neglect while still at school. Others will
have suffered abuse and neglect in early childhood.
Teachers have a critical role to play in helping these children, as
school is often the main place of safety for a child outside of
their home. Teachers must be supported to identify possible signs of
abuse and neglect, like feeling suicidal. They can then work with
social workers, health and other professionals to prevent the
long-term harm caused by child maltreatment.”
Andrew Flanagan, chief executive of the NSPCC said:- “The
NSPCC is calling on people to be vigilant to the signs of abuse and
call our 24 hour Helpline if they are concerned about a child. And
we urge children themselves to contact ChildLine whenever they have
a problem." |
Pain Relief Pioneers Honoured
A MERSEYSIDE charity which has
helped to relieve chronic pain for thousands of sufferers, is to be
granted Freedom of the City of Liverpool. On Wednesday 16
February, the Pain Relief Foundation in Aintree, which carries out
groundbreaking research and supports one of the biggest pain relief
clinics in Europe, will be admitted to the Freedom Roll of
Associations & Institutions of the City of Liverpool.
Liverpool’s Lord Mayor, Councillor Hazel Williams, said:-
“Awarding the Freedom of the City is one of the highest civic
accolades we can bestow on an organisation, and the Pain Relief
Foundation is a very worthy recipient. They have made a huge
difference to many people’s lives and deserved to be recognised for
the wonderful work they do.”
Pain Relief Foundation co-founder and trustee, Prof John Miles,
said:- “We started the charity because we realised we didn’t
know enough about the causes of chronic pain – and there was no
funding for research into the subject. That was 32 years ago,
since when we have helped to develop many new treatments which are
used around the world.”
Established here in Liverpool in 1979, by Dr Sam Lipton, an
anaesthetist at Walton Hospital; Prof John Miles, a neurosurgeon at
the Walton Centre; and Dr David Bowsher, a Neurologist, University
of Liverpool, the centre has a well deserved reputation for
excellence in the field of pain relief.
The first Research Charity in the world to explore chronic pain, its
groundbreaking research has led to new methods of treatment being
developed at the Walton Centre Foundation Trust, helping to
establish the specialist neurosciences hospital as one of the
world’s leading centres of pain relief.
HUNDREDS IN MERSEYSIDE
EMPLOYED THANKS TO CYCLE SCHEME
HUNDREDS of Merseyside residents
have overcome transport barriers to gain employment through cycle
loan initiative WorkWise Wheels, widening the potential workforce
available to businesses.
WorkWise Wheels is co-ordinated by Merseytravel on behalf of
Merseyside Transport Partnership (MTP) and, since it established in
2009, almost 400 bikes have been given to people in areas where
there is limited public transport options, helping them to work in
companies otherwise out of reach. This equates to more than treble
the number of people assisted than originally anticipated.
Bikes have been given out to eligible applicants throughout the five
Merseyside districts. WorkWise Wheels is not only enabling people to
access employment, but also helping them remain in their jobs and
removing transport barriers longer term as three months after
receiving a bike, 85% were still working.
Neil Scales, Chair of MTP, said:- “The scheme has not only
helped people get to places of work they wouldn’t have ordinarily
been able to access, but has also ensured they travel there
sustainably. By widening the workforce available to businesses, we
have also helped employers overcome recruitment and retention
issues. We found that those involved in the scheme are travelling
five to nine miles to work. These figures are compelling,
demonstrating the distance job seekers are prepared to travel to
access employment given the right tools and support. It is evident
the benefits that initiatives such as this can have not only in
helping communities overcome travel barriers for work and leisure,
but also in improving their overall lifestyle, particularly in
disadvantaged areas. Cycling has a real role to play in providing
cheap and sustainable transport opportunities to address wider
issues such as unemployment, health and climate change.”
WorkWise Wheels is part of the European funded Let’s Get Moving
programme. It has successfully implemented a number of major
projects since it launched in 2006 and Neighbourhood Travel Teams
have provided transport solutions to more than 30,000 unemployed
residents accessing employment.
Across Merseyside Let’s Get Moving came to a close at the end of
last year, however Merseytravel has successfully secured funding for
WorkWise to continue its South Liverpool Loan to Buy Scooter pilot
until July, and Neighbourhood Travel Team activity will be delivered
as part of the City Region Employment and Skills strategy. The
Wirral Scooter scheme is also still currently running and a separate
scooter scheme for apprentices is ongoing until July 2011.
As work towards Merseyside’s third Local Transport Plan continues,
it will build on the success of WorkWise as a key initiative to help
meet the goal of ensuring equality of travel.
NO MORE UNIVERSITY
CUTS WARNS UNISON
DELEGATES at UNISON's Higher
Education Conference in Harrogate on 16 February 2011, voted to step
up their fight against Con-Dem Government cuts to universities.
Delegates were outraged at news that Imperial College London are to
charge the maximum £9,000 tuition fees. They warned that higher fees
and a lack of choice and quality courses will force UK students
abroad.
Head of Higher Education, Christina McAnea, said at the conference:-
"The Government's huge hikes in tuition fees are forcing young
people to go abroad where courses are often much cheaper. Those who
sign up to UK universities will be left with a stripped down service
suffering under the weight of savage cuts. Those who don’t want to
go to university or can’t afford the fees, look destined to join the
965,000, record number of young people unemployed. The members here
see first-hand the devastation that cuts are having on the lives of
the next generation. We will continue to defend the right for all
young people to have a fair chance at a decent education." |