23 Aug NSPCC says neglect in Essex has reached record numbers
by Matthew Martino
The NSPCC refers an average of ten reports of child neglect every week to Essex Police and social services.
In 2016/17 the NSPCC Helpline dealt with 516 reports in this way following calls or emails from concerned adults – the highest number the charity has ever had to handle in Essex.
There were a further 73 contacts requesting advice about a child possibly facing neglect in Essex during 2016/17.
Child neglect was mentioned in more than a quarter of all calls to the NSPCC Helpline in the last year. This rise shows that more people are willing to speak up about the issue.
Neglect happens when a child’s needs aren’t met and is down to several reasons; they range from parents not having the skills, support or funds, to having mental health issues.
A growing number of people contacting the NSPCC Helpline also described parents as having a problem with alcohol and drugs, with some of them regularly leaving their children unsupervised so they could go drinking with friends.
