Any new approach to child protection must have early support for families to prevent neglect at its heart

Responding to the announcement, Action for Children director of policy and campaigns Kate Mulley said:

“We know from our work on child neglect that the system needs to improve, as it is failing so many children by reaching them after crisis hits, rather than when concerns for their safety first arise.

“For this reason, an improved approach to child protection must focus on getting early support to families, with neglect as a priority – it is the most prevalent reason for a child protection referral, with up to one in ten children suffering from it in the UK.

“Action for Children has called for a national strategy to improve responses to neglected children and ensure a joined up approach among local services so that families get help when they need it.”