24.04.2015

Social Services Experiencing Higher Levels Of Referrals In Wake Of High-Profile Cases

Schools have been making a much higher number of referrals over concerns about the abuse and neglect of their pupils, new research has revealed.

Figures from 46 local authorities showed that 300,000 children had been referred to safeguarding services by their schools in 2013-14, a dramatic 48% increase since 2010-11. Referrals from other sources rose by just 19%.

At more than one in five councils the number of cases doubled, while in Wakefield the number of referrals more than quadrupled from 283 to 1,344.

The rise comes in the wake of a number of high-profile child abuse cases, including those in Rotherham and Oxfordshire. Teachers now face up to five years in prison if they fail to report concerns about child abuse, prompting a higher number of referrals.

Lisa Valla, headteacher of London Colney Primary and Nursery in Hertfordshire, told TES that referrals to children's social services had risen significantly at her school.

"As a headteacher, my job is about keeping children safe but it's also about teaching and learning. So we've started to look at whether we need to employ a family worker specifically to work on the increasing number of cases we have open – and we're a small school," she said.

Scott Tolliss, a specialist abuse legal expert at Irwin Mitchell, said: 

Our child abuse solicitors are committed to pursuing cases to the best possible outcome, without causing any additional  psychological trauma to those affected. Call 0370 1500 100 to talk confidentially to someone about making a claim or visit our Abuse & Criminal Injury Claims page for more information.