Child cruelty cases jumped by a quarter as England emerged from lockdown
10.06.2022 - 17:55
/ msn.com
months of neglect at the hands of father Thomas Hughes and stepmother Emma Tustin. Less than a fortnight later, two women were jailed following the death of 16-month-old Star Hobson, who suffered ‘catastrophic injuries’. Frankie Smith, the toddler’s mother, had her initial sentence for ‘causing or allowing’ the tragedy increased to 12 years, while her partner Savannah Brockhill got 25 years for murder.
In both cases, concerns were raised that telltale signs of abuse may have been missed during the isolation of lockdown. The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children NSPCC unearthed data confirming there has been a rise in offending. Freedom of information requests to forces across England showed there were 26,307 cruelty and neglect offences reported in 2021/22.
This is an average of 72 cases a day, and a 25% increase from 21,102 cases the year before, the NSPCC said. Of the 39 police forces in England, 36 responded to the charity’s requests for data. It comes two weeks after the publication of a review into the deaths of Arthur and Star, which showed the need for a reset of the child protection system.
Sir Peter Wanless, chief executive of the NSPCC, said: ‘The statistics we have released today demonstrate the worrying scale of abuse and neglect. This must be a priority for the government. ‘The evidence from a series of reviews have shown where and how to better resource and support a child protection system that works better for all those who need it.
Now is the time for action. ‘But our message isn’t just for politicians. It’s vital to remember that child abuse can be prevented.
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