Today’s Education in the media blog looks at our campaign aimed at tackling child abuse and plans to boost English language teaching to help integrate communities.
Together, we can tackle child abuse
Today, Thursday 15 March, is the official launch of a new phase in our ‘Together, we can tackle child abuse’ campaign, which is raising awareness and encouraging people to act when they suspect child abuse or neglect.
The campaign will :
- Inform the public about the different types of child abuse and neglect;
- Educate people on how to spot the signs; and
- Reassure people on how the reporting process works as well as supporting them through it.
The launch follows new research from YouGov, which reveals the extent of public confidence in reporting child abuse or neglect. According to the new analysis, more than a quarter (26 per cent) of adults surveyed said they had worried about the welfare, neglect or abuse of a child, of which over two-fifths (42 per cent) did not report their suspicions to someone with child protection responsibilities.
The campaign has received coverage on Good Morning Britain, Press Association and LBC Radio is running a week-long partnership. Tomorrow, Friday 16 March, Minister Zahawi will round up the week with an interview discussing the campaign and its aims.
Minister for Children and Families Nadhim Zahawi said:
Keeping children safe from harm is everyone’s responsibility. It is important people voice their concerns, no matter how small they think they are.
I hope that through the launch of this campaign, we improve people’s confidence in spotting the signs of abuse or neglect, so that they feel empowered to report them. Any information passed on to professionals could be the difference between a child living a happy life, or facing the trauma of abuse or neglect.
Local councils, police chiefs, charities and Government will work in partnership to urge the public to report any suspicions.
Isabelle Trowler, Chief Social Worker, said:
The public may be nervous about reporting suspected child abuse or neglect, but people don’t have to be absolutely certain about whether a child is being abused. If you have a feeling that something’s not right, talk to the local children’s social care team who will look into it.
Information is usually gathered from many sources, and any individual’s report would form one part of a bigger picture – but the public, especially parents, can provide vital information we can act on.
Integrated Communities strategy
Yesterday, Wednesday 14 March, the Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government published the Integrated Communities Strategy.
The Integrated Communities Strategy Green Paper, to which £50m will be committed over the next two years, seeks views on the Government’s proposals to boost English language skills, increase opportunities for more women to enter the workplace, and promote British values and meaningful discussion between young people.
Education plays a crucial role in bridging divides in society. At the core of our Integrated Communities strategy.
The announcement has been covered in the media by The Times, Mail, Guardian, Daily Star, Sun, Metro and Telegraph.
Education Secretary Damian Hinds said:
We want to make sure that all children learn the values that underpin our society – including fairness, tolerance and respect. These are values that help knit our communities together, which is why education is at the heart of this strategy.
It’s also important that children are taught in a safe environment and that we can act quickly if children are at risk or being encouraged to undermine these values. Together, with Ofsted and communities across the country, we will build on the work already underway to achieve this.
We want to start a debate on the Integrated Communities Strategy, to find the most effective ways to address integration challenges. The Consultation will run for 12 weeks to 5th June.
Read more about the Integrated Communities Strategy on gov.uk here.