August 26th, 2009 by Shyla

The law in the UK about how old a child can be before they can be left on their own is very vague. There is no specific law that says a particular age. The law says that a parent can be prosecuted for wilful neglect if a child is left alone, unsupervised in a way that may cause unnecessary injury or suffering to their health.

It may be that a family has no local support or cannot find or afford childcare. They may not have relatives nearby who could help. As a community it would be good if more people offered to help and reached out to families rather than watching and waiting for an opportunity to report child abuse.
At no time should a baby every be left alone. Even for a short time this can be deadly and is definitely neglect. A baby or a child under the age of 9 who is seen to be left alone should be reported to the authorities immediately. The police will then visit the home and ensure that the child is safe.

The NSPCC recommends that children under the age of 13 should not be left unsupervised and that children under 16 should not be left alone over night. Of course, your 11 year old may be considerably more mature than someone else’s 14 year old so some common sense has to be used on the part of parents.

August 24th, 2009 by Lianne

Child abuse is a dreadful thing to imagine. Most of us think of the very worst cases that tend to make headline news and are heart breaking to even hear of.

But neglect is still a form of child abuse. It is harder to spot sometimes but is just as damaging in the long term as anty other sort of abuse.

As a parent I know that there are times for all of us when the pressure of having a child or children can make it difficult to cope. Children have so many demands that it would be impssible to meet all of them ALL of the time. This doesn’t mean that our children are neglected.

Neglect is a perpetual, ongoing failure to provide for your child’s basic needs. The signs of neglect are;

• Child is poorly clothed and will not have adequate protection from the elements.
• Child is absent from school frequently for no reason.
• Child is underweight and not growing at a normal rate
• Child is left home alone or looking after younger siblings on a regular basis.

If you feel concerned that a child you know is being neglected contact your local health worker or a charity such as the NSPCC who will listen to your concerns anonymously and take appropriate action.

August 23rd, 2009 by Lianne

NSPCC: The Children’s Charity

Child abuse is an appalling crime, and if the media is to be believed, it is something that is growing rapidly out of control. More and more headlines detail the atrocities that people wreaked upon those they should be striving to protect.

It is beyond belief that people can do this to an innocent child. And as vexing as looking after a child can be, nothing could excuse the beating of a child.

Unfortunately, once this type of abuse is discovered, it can often be incredibly difficult to get that child out of harms’ way, and into a loving and safe home. The resources that are available are limited, and in constant need of funding – do your part, get involved today.

August 21st, 2009 by Lianne

There Is A Life After Abuse

Understanding why the abuse has happened is often a key part of moving on – but trying to fathom out the mind of someone that can subject an innocent child to this is difficult. Professional help is not always easy to find, but it should be sought out as soon as possible.

Many cases of abuse involve family and friends refusing to believe it has happened – and telling the victim of this. This can, obviously, add to the stress and problems that the victim will go through, but finding someone to support them through it will help.

Maintaining their self-esteem and identity is hard enough in this situation, but there is help out there, and it should be sought out. A councilor or psychiatrist will talk through everything with the victim, helping them to process the abuse and be able to, eventually, move on with their lives.

Although time cannot be turned back and the abuse erased, life can continue.

August 12th, 2009 by Lianne

Tracy Connelly,  Steven Barker, and his brother Jason Owen, have been named publicly as the convicted murderers of Peter Connelly, (famously known as Baby P). The vicious monsters that took his innocent life and inflicted such shocking and atrocious injuries to the little boy have been sentenced and are now segregated from the general prison population in their respective prisons. This has been done for their safety. Personally I don’t think they have a right to this. They are evil and have no right to special protective treatment.

Steven Barker is in Wakefield Prison, which has housed some of the UK’s most dangerous criminals. Tracy Connelly was in Holloway originally, where Myra Hindley and Maxine Carr served time. She has since been moved to County Durham, to Low Newton Prison.

Barker will be eligible for parole in just 8 years even though he has been convicted of this gruesome murder as well as the rape of a 2 year old girl.

Connelly could be released in as little as 3 years while Owen could be free and in our communities in just 2 years.

All 3 will be given new identities and will be given protection by the authorities to ward against vigilante attacks.

Putting these measures in place to protect these horrible creatures seems unjust when poor little Peter received no such protection from anyone!

In my honest and outraged opinion these monsters should face the public and pay the full price for their crimes, not enjoy the protection of the state for them.

August 11th, 2009 by Lianne

There are few things more disturbing or upsetting in the world than the thought of anyone abusing a child. Whether it is physical, sexual or psychological cruelty, or neglect, it is simply abhorent for most people to imagine. Our minds shudder away from the very thought of it.

But it is vital that awareness is raised and that people DO think about it if we are to bring an end to the torment of the thousands of children who are suffering at he hands of their abusers.

On Saturday 26th September 2009 there will be a rally held in London, starting at Temple Place, Westminster. The aim of the rally is to raise awareness of child abuse. The rally is to be attended by men and women, young and old, who are all survivors of childhood abuse. They will be joined by their families and friends in a united show of support to let the world know that abuse can happen to anyone, but that it will not be tolerated.

Other participants in the rally will include various groups which promote healing and self help for abuse victims, as well as support groups set up for females, families, and kids who are living with the effects of child abuse.