Teachers don't know when to act on signs of child neglect
A new report says that neglected children are not getting the help they need because teachers don't know when to refer their concerns to social services.
Child Neglect in 2011, from the charity Action for Children, says that while teachers are able to identify and are often very concerned about child neglect, they are not referring children as often as they should because of misconceptions about 'high thresholds for access to services'. It suggests that training needs to focus on when and how teachers should act on their concerns, as well as on identification.
Child Neglect in 2011 can be downloaded from the Action for Children website. Subscribers to Optimus Education's Safeguarding Support Service can read our article Understanding child protection thresholds for more guidance.
