Protecting children is key aim within two joint strategies

The Northumberland Safeguarding Children Board (NSCB) Neglect Strategy 2015-18 sets out the multi-agency approach to tackling this crucial issue.

The report says: ‘At the year-end (2014/15), 51 per cent (182) of Child Protection Plans in Northumberland were under the category of neglect.

‘In addition to children who are subject to child protection plans, there are also children who are not yet in receipt of statutory child protection services, but who are being offered early help due to concerns relating to neglect and those whose needs and protection plans address more obvious concerns such as emotional abuse who may also be suffering neglect’.

It also warns that while sexual exploitation is dominating the media, neglect remains the most common form of child abuse and numbers of recorded cruelty and neglect offences in England and Northern Ireland are now the highest they have been for a decade.

Meanwhile, the Early Help Strategy 2014-17 ‘sets out how children, young people and their families will receive the right intervention as early as possible to tackle problems and prevent issues escalating.

‘Services will be delivered using a whole-family approach. Our interventions will be based on what works’.