Organisations, Laws, and Policies: Their efficacy and shortcomings
The following significant pieces of legislation govern child protection in the UK:
Local authorities are legally required to look into and take action on allegations of serious harm, thanks to the Children Act of 1989, which established the premise of the fundamental importance of the child's wellbeing.
The Children and Social Work Act of 2017 replaced LSCBs with a new framework for safeguarding partnerships with the goal of improving outcomes for children in care.
To improve interagency collaboration, the Children Act of 2004 established local safeguarding children boards.
The Domestic Abuse Act of 2021 gave children who witness domestic abuse additional legal rights and access to support resources, recognising them as victims in their own right.
A historic investigation into constitutional abuse was the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA), which was started in 2015. 20 measures were recommended in its final report in 2022, one of which was a law requiring the reporting of known or suspected child sexual abuse. Campaigners, however, have criticised the government for acting too slowly, claiming that these proposals have not yet been fully adopted (The Times, 2023).
In providing helplines, therapy services, and advocacy, organisations like the NSPCC, Childline, and Barnardo's are essential. But their capacity is being strained. According to a recent study, due to a lack of funds, over 27% of children who sought assistance from support providers were turned away, and over half of those organisations have experienced budget cuts in the previous five years (The Times, 2024).
There is still a gap between policy and practice, notwithstanding the UK's advancements in enshrining child safety in law. Teachers, social workers, and medical professionals are among the numerous frontline professionals who still lack the necessary knowledge to recognise the early warning signs of abuse and react appropriately.