The Department of Education’s “Together, we can Tackle Sexual Abuse” campaign is aiming to set and establish a new “social norm” that encourages the public to report any concerns they may have about a particular child in their community.

The campaign highlights the role that everyone has to play in protecting young people from abuse and neglect. A recent study found that 37% of people living in the North West would be put off by reporting suspicions of child abuse or neglect as a result of the fear of being wrong, while some 29% would wait to have their suspicions confirmed before making a report to either the Police or the Local Authority. At this stage, it is likely that the damage will already have been done.

The drive behind the campaign is that the public can help by reporting any abuse or neglect that they come across in their daily lives – the public playing just as greater part as teachers and health professionals alike. Statistics show that more than 400,000 children in the North West of England received help after members of the public reported suspected neglect.

If you are worried for the welfare of a child, it is vital to act quickly and contact your Local Authority’s social care department. If you are unsure if your suspicions are right, the NSPCC advise that you should continue to talk to the child, keep a diary, talk the children’s teacher or health visitor, get someone else’s perspective and report your worries. Surely everyone working together, as the campaign is aimed at, will go some way in protecting children before it is too late? Only time, and future statistics, will tell if this will be the reality in the future.

Whilst we realise that making a claim for compensation will never rectify past events or reverse the irreparable damage caused, pursuing a claim can help to ensure our clients finally bring a sense of closure to their ordeals, and provide valuable resources to fund any medical treatment required by them. If you have suffered in this way, please do not hesitate to contact our specialist team today who deal with all aspects of abuse, Criminal Injuries Compensation Claims and claims against Social Services.