Keeping children safe: The case for reforming the law on child neglect

The current criminal law on the most common form of child abuse – child neglect – which was passed in 1933, fails to protect children in the UK as it does not cover all forms of neglect, particularly emotional neglect. Action for Children’s new report ‘Keeping children safe: The case for reforming the law on child neglect’, spearheads a new campaign urging the government to reform the law on child neglect to ensure that children are protected, parents are supported rather than criminalised, and neglect is prevented.
Neglect can have some of the worst and most long-term effects on a child’s brain, physical development, behaviour, educational achievement and emotional wellbeing and Action for Children is calling for this to now be recognised in law.