Kids Company
500 signatures reached
To: Leaders of all political parties.
STOP ABUSED CHILDREN BEING FAILED BY A BROKEN CHILD PROTECTION SYSTEM
Abused children desperately need us to show that we care enough to make our politicians act. Recent events in Rotherham have shown us the horror of children being raped and abused in the full knowledge of those who are meant to protect them.
Child protection and mental health services are failing and in crisis. But MPs aren’t taking responsibility for this.
We want an all-party commitment to piloting the new Independent Children's Taskforce's model when it's ready and to overhauling social and mental health services for vulnerable children if the model is successful.
Child protection and mental health services are failing and in crisis. But MPs aren’t taking responsibility for this.
We want an all-party commitment to piloting the new Independent Children's Taskforce's model when it's ready and to overhauling social and mental health services for vulnerable children if the model is successful.
Why is this important?
Children’s social and mental health services are failing to protect vulnerable children in the UK.
It’s not just Rotherham though. The NSPCC estimates that for every child on a child protection plan, there are another eight who are being abused or neglected.
500 Children’s Centres have closed since 2010 and 73% of Social Workers say they can’t do their jobs properly. Two thirds of local authorities have cut their budgets for child and adolescent mental health and 88% of Social Workers say that budget cuts have left children at increased risk of abuse. Huge numbers of unfilled social worker posts (3800 in England alone) are leading to untold misery for tens of thousands of children.
This is leaving children at risk and the workers who have to try and protect them, demoralised and struggling to cope.
“Enough is Enough”, a recent report from the Centre for Social Justice, describes the current child protection and mental health system as “abhorrent” and that suffering children face “grotesque injustice.”
Now an Independent Children’s Task Force, made up of child protection experts, has been formed by Kids Company’s SEE THE CHILD. CHANGE THE SYSTEM campaign. The task force will completely redesign child and adolescent social care and mental health services. We hope this petition will persuade all the political parties to support the Task Force's new delivery model - and to commit to piloting it in two Local Authorities so it can be put to the test.
It’s true that children can’t vote and vulnerable children are completely invisible. It shouldn't be like this and with your help we need to stand up for them and show politicians that we care. No child or young person should be left to suffer alone. This is the nation’s best hope of ensuring that all abused children can get the help they need, when they need it.
Please sign and share this petition now.
Find out more at: www.seethechild.org
Watch the film at: http://youtu.be/3rwkrp9Akps
The campaign and Independent Children's Task Force are supported by the following organisations; The NSPCC, Action For Children, Barnardo’s, The Children’s Society, National Children’s Bureau, The Royal College of Nursing, The Royal College of General Practitioners, The Royal College of Psychiatrists, The Health and Care Professions Council, The Royal Society for Public Health, The British Association of Social Workers, The National Association of Head Teachers, UNISON, The National Union of Students, The National Union of Teachers and the National Association of Social Workers in Education.
References:
NSPCC. (2014). ‘How safe are our children?’
Young Minds, 2014, Cuts to CAMHS services
Children and Young People Now, LGA warn of cuts, 2014
Children & Young People Now, Social Work posts unfilled, 2014
Community Care Survey of Social Workers. 2013
It’s not just Rotherham though. The NSPCC estimates that for every child on a child protection plan, there are another eight who are being abused or neglected.
500 Children’s Centres have closed since 2010 and 73% of Social Workers say they can’t do their jobs properly. Two thirds of local authorities have cut their budgets for child and adolescent mental health and 88% of Social Workers say that budget cuts have left children at increased risk of abuse. Huge numbers of unfilled social worker posts (3800 in England alone) are leading to untold misery for tens of thousands of children.
This is leaving children at risk and the workers who have to try and protect them, demoralised and struggling to cope.
“Enough is Enough”, a recent report from the Centre for Social Justice, describes the current child protection and mental health system as “abhorrent” and that suffering children face “grotesque injustice.”
Now an Independent Children’s Task Force, made up of child protection experts, has been formed by Kids Company’s SEE THE CHILD. CHANGE THE SYSTEM campaign. The task force will completely redesign child and adolescent social care and mental health services. We hope this petition will persuade all the political parties to support the Task Force's new delivery model - and to commit to piloting it in two Local Authorities so it can be put to the test.
It’s true that children can’t vote and vulnerable children are completely invisible. It shouldn't be like this and with your help we need to stand up for them and show politicians that we care. No child or young person should be left to suffer alone. This is the nation’s best hope of ensuring that all abused children can get the help they need, when they need it.
Please sign and share this petition now.
Find out more at: www.seethechild.org
Watch the film at: http://youtu.be/3rwkrp9Akps
The campaign and Independent Children's Task Force are supported by the following organisations; The NSPCC, Action For Children, Barnardo’s, The Children’s Society, National Children’s Bureau, The Royal College of Nursing, The Royal College of General Practitioners, The Royal College of Psychiatrists, The Health and Care Professions Council, The Royal Society for Public Health, The British Association of Social Workers, The National Association of Head Teachers, UNISON, The National Union of Students, The National Union of Teachers and the National Association of Social Workers in Education.
References:
NSPCC. (2014). ‘How safe are our children?’
Young Minds, 2014, Cuts to CAMHS services
Children and Young People Now, LGA warn of cuts, 2014
Children & Young People Now, Social Work posts unfilled, 2014
Community Care Survey of Social Workers. 2013
How it will be delivered
In person
