§ Mr. JenkinsTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to reduce the number of children suffering from physical abuse and neglect. [75307]
§ Mr. HuttonIn collaboration with colleagues across Government, I have made protecting children from abuse and neglect a key priority. We have a substantial programme of work under way to help make sure that children are protected from harm and that they are given the best possible start in life. This programme includes
root and branch reform of the regulation system, introducing checks on the full range of children's care services, and strengthening safeguards;an extensive range of reforms, set out in the Government's response to the Children's Safeguards Review, to improve the protection of all children living away from home;Stronger systems for preventing unsuitable people from working with children; anda thorough revision of the Government guidance on child protection to improve the handling of cases where children are suffering, or at risk of suffering, abuse and neglect. The new guidance will also emphasise the importance of agencies working together to help families and children under stress, to help prevent abuse and neglect taking place.Child protection will also be improved through the three year "Quality Protects" programme to improve local authority children's services. As part of the Quality Protects programme local authorities must take action to bring their child protection services up to standard. They will be required to show how they:
- carry out thorough and prompt assessments of children's needs;
- have good case records;
- draw up and implement child protection plans which are then reviewed regularly;
- ensure that all children on the child protection register have an allocated social worker;
- know what outcomes they want for children in need of protection and assess whether these are being achieved; and
- have a human resource strategy which identifies the skills and knowledge needed by child protection staff.
§ Mr. JenkinsTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will estimate the number of children under the age of five years who have died following abuse or neglect in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement. [75306]
§ Mr. HuttonReliable information on the number of children who die following abuse or neglect is not available. Not all such deaths will be recognised and in300W some cases the cause of death may be unclear or wrongly attributed. Currently, local Area Child Protection Committees are required to review cases which involve an incident leading to the death of a child where child abuse is confirmed or suspected, or a child protection issue arises which is likely to be of major public concern arises. Local authorities are required to inform the Department or the Welsh Office (as appropriate) immediately they become aware of any such case. We are improving the consistency and reliability of information provided through this route by revising the child protection guidance "Working Together Under The Children Act 1989—A guide to arrangements for inter-agency co-operation for the protection of children from abuse" and associated measures.