Ellie Chowns, MP for North Herefordshire, joined other MPs from across parties as NSPCC showcases Six-Point Plan to Protect Children.
Young people and those with lived experience of abuse given platform to influence policy decisions affecting their lives.
NSPCC calls on UK Government to commit to changing the law to better protect children as the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill and the Crime and Policing Bill go through Parliament.
This week, the NSPCC brought Ellie Chowns, MP for North Herefordshire, and other politicians together from across parties to showcase a six-point plan to protect children that, if implemented, would help stop child abuse and neglect.
On 11 March, the charity hosted an event in the House of Commons centred around the voices of young people and those with experience of abuse and neglect. This came at a critical time with major legislative decisions being made that will affect child protection and safeguarding, including in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill and the Crime and Policing Bill.
Public sector services are struggling to keep up with the demand of children needing support. Whilst the number of children in care in England now reaches over 83,000, spending on services that provide families with early, preventative help has plummeted.
In addition, half a million children suffer abuse or neglect a year in the UK. But waiting times for the services that support them have more than doubled since 2015.
The NSPCC’s newly launched Six-Point Plan sets out what the charity believes are the key issues that urgently need to be addressed by the Government to deliver better outcomes for children and families. These are:
- Reforming children’s social care:
Wholesale reform of the children’s social care system, backed by more ambitious investment in early help services for families at the Comprehensive Spending Review.
- Strengthening child protection:
Change the law in England to make it clear that children should not experience physical punishment.
- Supporting the early years:
Rebuild and reform preventative maternity services, health visiting services, and Family Hubs as part of the 10-Year Health Plan.
- Keeping children safe in education:
Strengthen safeguarding and support for home educated children through the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill.
- Protecting children online:
Introduce new legislation to tackle emerging risks and technologies such as Generative Artificial Intelligence (Gen AI).
- Supporting young victims and witnesses:
Guarantee access to therapeutic services for young victims and witnesses of abuse in the upcoming Victims, Courts and Public Protection Bill.
Chris Sherwood, CEO at the NSPCC, said: “There should be no greater priority for the Government than ensuring our children can grow up safe and well. But as it stands, the child protection system does not have all the tools it needs to take on this challenge.
“Public sector services are under significant strain and statutory funding is struggling to keep up with demand- with children and families experiencing the fall out from the lack of available early, preventive help and the vital services they rely on for support.
“With crucial legislation currently making its way through Parliament, MPs and Lords must act as champions for children to ensure these shortages are properly addressed. Our Six Point Plan to Protect Children lays out for lawmakers both the scale of the problems and a range of solutions.
“As the Government delivers its Plan for Change, the voices of children and young people need to be heard in the corridors of power and help shape the decisions directly affecting them. The event we hosted today showed that politicians across the divide recognise this and are ready to listen. “
Ellie Chowns, MP for North Herefordshire, said:
“The NSPCC’s Six-Point Plan outlines crucial steps to strengthen child protection and ensure every child gets the support they need. From reforming children’s social care to tackling online risks, these measures would make a real difference in keeping children safe.
“I am particularly passionate about the call to end physical punishment, a topic which I have previously tabled an amendment on. No child should experience violence, and the law must award children the same protections from harm it does adults. I urge the Government to take this plan seriously and act now to protect children from harm.”
Isla, is from the West Midlands and is a member of the young people’s board for change. She said “It’s a privilege to be at this event, it’s not every day a 15-year-old gets to speak in Parliament! It’s so important that young people are given a voice as too much damage happens to us when decision makers do not listen to the issues we are facing today.”
