Australian National Review – 77 percent increase in child abuse investigations over the past decade

A record number of investigations into suspected child abuse cases has prompted councils to ask for emergency funding from the government in the upcoming budget.

The Local Government Association (LGA) is calling on Chancellor Rachel Reeves to intervene to protect services designed to protect children, following a 77 per cent increase in the number of investigations into suspected child abuse cases since 2013.

This equates to 618 cases per day – 66 more per day than in 2019 – with the cost of investigating these cases increasing by 11 per cent in the past year alone, the LGA said.

The analysis shows that inflation, wage pressures and soaring demand will leave local authorities in England facing a £2.3 billion funding gap in 2025-2026, rising to £3.9 billion by 2026 -2027, which means a deficit of £6.2 billion for the two countries. year.

Mental health of parents

Suspected child abuse cases include a high proportion of neglect and emotional abuse, and the latest government report suggests that a major cause of the increase in investigations is a significant increase in the number of parents with mental health problems or abusive relationships.

The 2023 figures showed there were 161,140 cases where the mental health of a parent or carer was believed to be a factor, and 160,140 cases where the adult was believed to be in a domestic violence relationship.

There were 71,580 cases where parent or caregiver alcohol abuse was considered a factor, and 67,000 cases where adult drug abuse was a factor. Neglect played a role in 82,260 cases.

The number of suspected cases of sexual abuse by an adult reached 18,810 in 2023, with 13,100 suspected cases of child-on-child sexual abuse, and 15,020 cases where child sexual exploitation was considered a factor.

Other factors included gang exploitation, a parent’s learning or physical disability, a child being a caregiver or showing signs of self-harm, and the child’s mental or physical health.

In the vast majority of cases, there was more than one factor that raised concerns for the child.

The cost of social care for children has risen dramatically in recent years, along with the rising costs of caring for the elderly, adding to the challenges councils face.

The LGA said the increase in inquiries is also due to schools making more referrals to children’s social services, with an increase of 8 per cent in five years, although this inevitably fell during the era of lockdowns and restrictions in 2020 to 2021. increased again.

‘Disturbingly high figures’

Arooj Shah, chair of the LGA’s Children and Young People’s Council, said: “It is deeply saddening when a child experiences suffering, and it is absolutely right that councils act where there are concerns.

“However, these worryingly high figures show the enormous pressure municipalities are under to step in and provide essential care and support.

“As a society, we must collectively do what we can to ensure that every child is safe from harm.

“This is why we are calling on the Chancellor in the Autumn Budget to provide an emergency cash injection into children’s social care, to help councils continue to provide this lifeline of support to vulnerable children.”

The number of children in child protection arrangements in 2023 was 50,780, which equates to 42 per 10,000 young people under the age of 18.

The regional rate of Section 47 investigations was highest in the North East with 234 cases per 10,000 children, followed by the South East with 187, and Yorkshire and the Humber with 180.

The lowest figures are found in the East of England (91), the South West (150) and the East Midlands (149).

Abigail Gill, deputy head of policy at the NSPCC, said: “More and more children need emergency help from children’s services, while spending on early intervention to help families before they reach a crisis point has been falling for years.

“Using the budget to increase spending on child care would be a lifeline to a struggling system and the children and their families across the country who depend on it.

“Additional spending should be focused on early support and family support, but should also be backed by a government commitment to the massive reform of the child protection system, which is urgently needed.”

A Department for Education spokesperson said: ‘Any case of child abuse, abuse or neglect is abhorrent.

“We know that municipalities need support. That’s why we’re committed to rebuilding relationships with partners, including local government, and working together to give every child the best start in life.

“We are also taking action to tackle abuse by investing £45 million in new multi-agency child protection teams, as part of a pilot bringing together local authorities, police, health and education to ensure that where children need protection, it happens quickly.”

PA Media contributed to this article.