Wilful neglect laws for children's professionals unlikely before 2017

The government has confirmed the consultation over the introduction of wilful neglect laws for children's professionals will take place at the same time as a lengthy separate consultation on plans to bring in mandatory reporting of child neglect and abuse through the Serious Crime Act.

Home Office minister Lynne Featherstone says the consultation has been timetabled to conclude 18 months after the Serious Crime Act, which became law earlier this month, gained Royal Assent. Even without delays this will mean any new laws would be unlikely to reach the statute books before early 2017.

Association of Directors of Children’s Services (ADCS) president Alan Wood welcomed the lengthy timescale as being “necessary to get a sensible framework”.

But the ADCS remains concerned that such a law is unnecessary and may harm recruitment in teaching and social work.

He said: “Any individual professional that knowingly fails to pass on information about the suspected abuse of children already faces professional censure and more serious repercussions. The most common reason people fail to report the sexual exploitation of children and young people is because they simply don’t recognise it for what it is.  

“We must, as a matter of urgency, ensure that all professionals, and the public, are aware of the signs and symptoms of sexual exploitation and how best to raise concerns with the appropriate agency.
 
“ADCS is concerned that this move may, if passed, serve to deter people from entering teaching or social work at a time when it has never been more important to encourage the best-quality staff and managers to join and stay in these highly challenging jobs.”

The College of Social Work chair, Jo Cleary urged ministers to ensure that the views of frontline social workers are taken into account during the consultation.

She said: “We hope that good evidence and the expertise of practicing social workers will be central to the process. Whoever is in government after May must make careful decisions and be fully aware of the dangers posed by piling more pressure onto an already stretched child protection system. Creating a persecutory environment for social workers will only discourage people from entering the profession, and negatively impact on retention."

She added that criminal sanctions would not be the most effective way to protect young people from sexual exploitation.