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Article by
Mary Marsh
"There
has rightly been a huge groundswell of concern since
the terrible killings of Holly Wells, Jessica Chapman
and Milly Dowler. The NSPCC shares that concern. Yet
people should realise that most children are killed
at home by their parents."
Mary Marsh
Director NSPCC
Urgent reforms of the child
protection system are needed to cut child killings,
according to the NSPCC.
Over the last 30 years, hundreds of
children have been beaten, starved, burned, suffocated,
poisoned, shaken, strangled or stabbed to death by their
parents
Mary Marsh
Director NSPCC
The charity has described the
number of children who die through abuse as "a
national disgrace."
A new campaign will highlight how parents are responsible
for nearly 80% of child murders in England and Wales.
The campaign features a series a
posters showing empty parts of a house with street signs
reading Bedroom, Stairs and Hallway.
The images are designed to show that more children die in
the home than in the street.
The campaign includes a poll showing more than 70% of
parents are now more concerned for their children's
safety after the deaths of Soham schoolgirls Holly Wells
and Jessica Chapman.
The NSPCC said even though most child murders occurred in
the home, 63% believed children were more likely to be
killed by someone outside the family.
The charity's director Mary Marsh said while the
"vast majority" of children were well looked
after at home, hundreds had died through abuse.
"Over the last 30 years, hundreds of children have
been beaten, starved, burned, suffocated, poisoned,
shaken, strangled or stabbed to death by their
parents," she said.
Concern
"The level of child abuse killings in this country
is a national disgrace.
"There has rightly been a huge groundswell of
concern since the terrible killings of Holly Wells,
Jessica Chapman and Milly Dowler.
"The NSPCC shares that concern. Yet people should
realise that most children are killed at home by their
parents."
The charity wants to see better co-ordinated efforts
between local health and social workers - grouping
together to form local Child Safeguarding Teams.
National Child Safeguarding Boards in England and Wales
should be established to oversee the work of agencies and
more training and resources should be given to make sure
those working with children have "the skills,
experience and tools to do the job".
Inquiry
Ms Marsh said: "The government must reform the child
protection system to make it fit for the 21st Century. We
need to ensure that no more children slip through the
net."
Last month, Leanne Labonte, 20, and Dennis Henry, 39,
were jailed for killing their two-year-old daughter
Ainlee Walker who "lost the will to live" after
being starved and tortured.
Her body had 64 injuries, including at least 10 cigarette
burns, scalded feet and scratches when she was found at
the family's squalid home in Plaistow, east London.
She was never put on a local "at risk" register
although local agencies had concerns about her from
birth.
After the couple's Old Bailey trial closed, social
services launched an inquiry into Ainlee's care.
Sunday, 13 October, 2002,
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/2323755.stm
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