Country’s duty to vulnerable

The children at risk of neglect

IT’S IMPORTANT that the significant increase in the number of vulnerable children deemed to be at potential risk of abuse, or serious harm, is placed in perspective. It does not automatically follow that there has been a corresponding rise in the number of such cases – it could be simply that social services staff, and the rest of the public sector, are not only more aware of telltale signs but are more willing to authorise child protection plans in order to avoid criticism at a later date if a youngster comes to harm on their watch.

Welfare staff invariably do not receive sufficient credit for the invidiousness of their work – the anonymity of the children concerned means that their work invariably does not become public until after a harrowing neglect case has been the subject of a full investigation – and today’s report by The Yorkshire Post highlights the importance of both early intervention and the funding struggles facing town halls. With the Local Government Association forecasting a £2bn funding gap by 2020, it needs to be plugged if standards, and levels of supervision, are to be maintained.

As such, it is important that Theresa May’s government does not absolve itself of its share of responsibility by saying budgetary issues are a matter for the councils in question. Quite the opposite. Funding cuts by Whitehall mean many local authorities are at breaking point, and having to take unpalatable decisions that are already impacting upon the support and services made available to vulnerable people, from the very young to the elderly and infirm. Mrs May became Prime Minister because she was able to portray herself as a politician of compassion who cared for the voiceless and powerless. She now needs to put her words into action before her Government’s stance contributes to a child’s unnecessary suffering with potentially tragic consequences.