Don Foster MP signs up to end Child Abuse Deaths

Bath MP Don Foster today backed a major NSPCC campaign, FULL STOP, which calls on the Government to take action to end the killing of children by their parents or carers.

Don Foster has signed a House of Commons Early Day Motion (EDM) which calls on the Government to take measures to stop these horrific deaths within a generation, and to set specific targets for reducing such killings by half over the next decade.
Official Home Office figures show that, at present, 1-2 children a week are killed by their parents or carers in England and Wales. But Don Foster and the NSPCC are demanding Prime Minister Tony Blair takes immediate action to end the deaths.
Don Foster said: “The problem of child abuse and cruelty at the hands of parents or carers is totally unacceptable.
“30,000 children are on child protection registers because they’re at risk of abuse. That list of potential murder victims grows by 600 children a week.
“If we don’t react to this tragic situation, then we send out the collective message that, as a society, we’re prepared to accept a couple of hundred infanticides a year as a fact of life.
“Simply by writing, or sending a postcard to Tony Blair, you can stand up for children’s rights.
“As I see it, there’s no alternative to taking action. But the Government needs to take the lead and make a commitment to combat this problem.
“Tony Blair should set up a systematic review of all child deaths, appoint a Children’s Commissioner, and promote the work of child protection professionals. Throughout society, a greater awareness of the signs of child abuse is needed.”
NSPCC Chief Executive and Director Mary Marsh said: “Many other European countries have far lower rates of infant homicide. There is nothing inevitable about child abuse. It can be stopped if all members of the public, professionals and charities in this field watch out for children’s welfare and act immediately on any warning signs of abuse. Our new campaign helps people to do so.”

ENDS.

Notes to Editors follow…

Notes to Editors:

• The EDM states: “That this House notes with alarm that one or two children are killed every week by their parents and carers; congratulates the NSPCC on its powerful advertising in support of its FULL STOP campaign to end child cruelty; accepts that we must all take responsibility for stopping child abuse and calls on the Government to make a commitment to end child abuse deaths within a generation with a specific target of reducing such deaths by half in 10 years.”

• The campaign hopes the public will send 20,000 postcards to the Prime Minister calling on him to take a number of measures to end child abuse deaths. 1345 postcards have now been sent to the PM. (Information correct at 12.38 pm.)

• Further details of the NSPCC can be found at: https://www.nspcc.org.uk/html/news/fullstopcampaign.htm

• Further details of the FULL STOP postcard campaign can be found at:
www.nspcc.org.uk/campaigning

• In the wake of the tragic death of Anna Climbie last January, the Liberal Democrats led calls for the Government to follow the example set by the Welsh Assembly and appoint a Commissioner for Children whose remit would stand outside the child protection system. Children's charities including the NSPCC, Childline and NCH Action for Children backed the call.

• The fact that the powers set out in the Care Standards Act are already being expanded by the Government demonstrates the need for a Children’s Commissioner, who stands outside and above the child protection system, and has robust powers to monitor the child protection system.

This article published: 18/09/2023

Published by Bath Liberal Democrats, 31 James St West, Bath, BA1 2BT. Printed and hosted by JPC Infonet, 2 St Georges Works, Trowbridge, Wiltshire, BA14 8AA. Your Privacy.