Child abuse in Barking and Dagenham still threat, despite figures
The number of children on child protection plans is falling but a children’s charity says the levels of abuse in the borough and beyond are still far too high.
A total of 227 children were subject to child protection plans in Barking and Dagenham as of March 2012, charity the NSPCC said.
In 2011, it was 275 youngsters and the previous year it was 345.
However, the NSPCC, which runs services in the borough, said there are many more abused youngsters who are not on the radar of local authorities.
A new report by the charity, called How Safe Are Our Children?, estimates that for every child in the UK subject to a protection plan or on child protection registers, another eight have suffered maltreatment.
You may also want to watch:
Colin Peak, NSPCC regional head for north London and east of England, said: “Abuse and maltreatment can have a devastating effect on a child’s mental and physical health.
“When we discover abuse we must do everything we can to protect children from further harm and help them recover.”
Most Read
- 1 School pupil among Indian Covid variant cases in Barking and Dagenham
- 2 Jailed: Dagenham car burglar after 100mph pursuit in Romford
- 3 Love Island promo filming in Barking 'a great opportunity' for college students
- 4 Barking man charged with sexual assault during crackdown on violence against women
- 5 Barking Indian restaurant owner fined over waste disposal
- 6 Drivers escape injury in Dagenham crash
- 7 Indian variant of Covid-19 - what's the situation in London?
- 8 Barking man appears in court charged with mother-of-two's murder
- 9 Man, 20, found stabbed in Barking
- 10 Former east London police sergeant sentenced after pleading guilty to harassment
Mr Peak said child protection services are already working in overdrive so more must be done to prevent abuse from happening in the first place.
“By identifying and supporting vulnerable children and their families early, we can stop abuse before it starts and set a new course to give children a brighter, happier future,” he added.
