Not Reporting Child Abuse 'should Be Criminal Offence'

[AB Editor]

Does this feel like the beginning of a culture where we have to snoop on our neighbours for the state?

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-24772777

Take away the very emotive subject of child abuse and you're left with someone being punishable for being a witness, or having some knowledge of a crime. Is it fair to punish someone for that?

While this is only focused on teachers currently, and only child abuse, it could easily spread out into something a little more distasteful for the general population...

Thoughts?

[Gromit]

The previous Labour Government set up ContactPoint a register of every child that could be accessed by professionals. If a teacher or doctor had any suspicions a child was being harmed they could log it on the childs file for all to see.

Rather than arresting doctors and teachers, they should encorage them to use such a system.

However, the coalition axed ContactPoint to save money.

[Gromit]

Ed, Read about ContactPoint here

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ContactPoint

[jomifl]

Mrs. jom used to be a teacher. The problem wasn't spotting child abuse and neglect, it was making the authorities (which were in thrall to the pc brigade and the latest social theories) listen and do anything.

[Canary42]

Sandyroe makes an excellent point (not at all flippant IMO) - who decides what defines abuse.

Just look at You've Been Framed to see other examples of what I consider abuse where children are hurt or frightened just for the sake of £250. Not as sinister as Savile perhaps, but illustrative of an uncaring attitude which may develop in further detriment to the child.

And as regards the OP, since when has it been distasteful to protect innocent children.

[AB Editor]

Gromit - I have no idea why successive governments cannot get any kind of central database to work. An interesting read though, I'd only heard the closure headline previously and it does seem to be one of the many good ideas that become a farce as the requirements become increasingly twisty.

[anotheoldgit]

AB Editor

Surely a little overreaction, stemmed from what is after all only a suggestion

This is not only focused on teachers, but also doctors and social workers.

And since these professions are in a position to notice any abuse that has obviously taken place, they would be failing in their duty not to report it, and if they failed that duty they should be charged with negligence, just as a policeman would be if he similarly failed in his duty.

If all this saves even only one child's life, that can't be a bad thing surely?

[AB Editor]

I'm always worried about "scope creep" AOG.

Some interesting positions taken on this thread. Thanks everyone.

[mikey4444]

AOg...I agree with you wholeheartedly here !

[LazyGun]

Again, a well meaning intention with the potential for abuse of its own, I guess - rather like CCTV cameras, in a way.

Although it does seem right to me that professionals that come into regular ontact with children should have, as part of their duty of care toward children, a statutory obligation to raise the issue of child abuse if they suspect it. That case of the young lad of polish extraction who was attending school incredibly malnourished, rummaging in bins looking for food, is a case in point- the teachers were aware, but no formal report or complaint was made that I am aware of...

[mikey4444]

We are still waiting on the full report of the Daniel Pelka enquiry LG, but I will have a guess as to the outcome...nobody will be guilty of anything, at any time. If the professionals that stood around and watched Daniel and did nothing thought that a Plod would turn up at their door afterwards, then maybe it would have concentrated their minds little bit better.