New Research From Charity Reveals Rise In Calls

Child abuse lawyers who are receiving a growing number of calls related to neglect have said new figures showing a rise in calls to the NSPCC regarding the issue are a strong sign of more people coming forward to tackle it.

The charity has revealed that its counsellors dealt with more than 12,000 contacts about neglect from the public between April 2011 and March 2012, which is believed to be the biggest number since its helpline was launched.

According to the NSPCC, the number of calls on neglect has doubled in the past two years and they have called for an investigation to be undertaken to consider the sharp increase.

Tracey Storey, a Partner at Irwin Mitchell’s London office, specialises in providing legal support to victims of child abuse and neglect, helping them to secure answers and vital support to help them deal with the physical and psychological trauma caused by such problems.

Commenting on these figures, she said: “These figures chime with our own experiences, in terms of seeing more and more people contact us regarding cases of neglect.

“While such an increase is a concern, there is the possibility that it could be linked to a growing number of people feeling able to come forward and talk about the problems of abuse and neglect that they have suffered – a vital issue if such problems are going to be tackled and prevented in the future.

“However, we share the concerns of the NSPCC and hope that a full investigation can be carried out to determine what other factors may have led to the rise.

“We also hope that more can be done to ensure that prompt investigations can be carried out into all cases to ensure that children are well protected and risks of abuse or neglect are determined at the earliest stage.”

If you have been the victim of child abuse, our child abuse solicitors could help you get justice and claim compensation. Call 0370 150 100 to talk confidentially to someone about making a claim or visit our Abuse & Criminal Injury Claims page for more information.