NSPCC study finds 1 in 5 11 to 17 year olds abused and neglected in childhood

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."