A ventriloquist's dummy provides the chilling image for a new TV commercial designed to raise public awareness about child abuse. Provocative and disturbing, the advertisement suggests how a child may be manipulated by an adult abuser and unable to talk about the situation. Using special effects to make the face of the dummy look human, the fleeting ad may prompt viewers to think long and hard about this terrifying issue.
Shock tactics are exactly what the NSPCC says it is aiming for in its latest drive to put child protection at the top of the agenda. It has spent Pounds 1.9m on its latest TV campaign, which will potentially be seen by 30 million people over the next four weeks.
Running from 13 October, the campaign will remain high-profile for a few months and will be supported by ads on teacher websites to promote the NSPCC helpline. 'The aim is to highlight the message that child protection is everyone's responsibility - everyone should be able to recognise and respond to the signs of child abuse,' says the NSPCC's head of child protection, Chris Cloke.
Statistics bear out that there is a very real need for people to be more aware. According to this year's DfES Statistics of Education report, on average nearly 700 children are being added to child protection registers in the UK each week. A study from 2000, Child Maltreatment in the UK: A Study of the Prevalence of Child Abuse and Neglect, found that 7 per cent of children experience serious physical abuse at the hands of their parents or carers. The same study reveals that 6 per cent of children experience serious absence of care while another 6 per cent experience frequent and severe emotional maltreatment.
While Mr Cloke says that every adult needs to feel confident about reporting concerns, he believes the campaign is particularly relevant to early years practitioners. 'Nursery professionals have unique access to very young children,' he says. 'Their relationship with the child and its carers means that they have the opportunity to be an important link in the child protection chain.'
How to strengthen this chain is now at the centre of legislative debate.
The death of eight-year-old Victoria Climbie from abuse and neglect in 2001 demonstrated how tragic the consequences can be when the social services system breaks down. The subsequent Laming inquiry made recommendations for training and highlighted the need for agencies to work more closely together to prevent children slipping through the net in this way.
Amendments to the National Care Standards were welcomed last year as a practical move to protect young children. As part of these changes, nurseries are now required to designate a member of staff to child protection and tighter controls have been imposed on childminders, making it illegal for them to administer any kind of physical punishment.
However, many would like to see the introduction of a statutory obligation for all agencies to work together in an integrated way around the needs of children. Many hope that the Children Bill will effectively address this when it comes to its final reading.
Jennifer Bernard, consulting director for care, health and community at City & Guilds in London, stresses that investment in training for childcare workers is key. The NSPCC and City & Guilds have agreed recently to work together to develop a new, vocationally related qualification which builds on child protection awareness.
Ms Bernard says, 'If someone is a member of the public they may think, who do I tell and how do I do it? If the person is a professional they have to follow the correct procedure. It is hoped that no professional would dismiss a problem and think it is nothing to do with them. To ensure this doesn't happen, they need to be trained and have access to practical advice.'
The NSCCP expects calls to its helpline to soar during the campaign period.
Mr Cloke says, 'Young children who are suffering from abuse may not know the gravity of what is happening to them, but this does not mean nothing should be done. If a practitioner is concerned about a child it is important to respond to them appropriately, record your concerns and report them to a senior manager with child protection responsibilities.'
He adds, 'Obviously the younger the child, the less able they are to open up about their concerns. At the end of the day the responsibility lies with everyone - professionals, individuals, families and communities - to look out for these children and help them.' NW
TIPS FOR NURSERY STAFF
* Your nursery should offer regular child protection training for staff and volunteers. All workers should also have training in health and safety. If you don't already receive this you should take it forward to a senior manager.
* Be alert to changes in behaviour which may indicate that a child is being abused.
* Remember most children will collect cuts and bruises in their daily life.
An important indicator of physical abuse may be where bruises or injuries are unexplained and appear on parts of the body where accidental injuries are unlikely - for example, on the cheeks or thighs.
* Children who have been abused are sometimes purposely kept away from daycare and early education settings to allow injuries to heal and go undetected. Keep an eye out for any children who miss a significant number of days of nursery.
* A child who wants to communicate that something is wrong will approach someone they can trust. When listening to a child you should not ask any leading questions, but should allow the child to describe what is happening in their own words and talk freely.
* Children who are unable to play or make friends, or do not respond to positive attention, may be receiving no love, affection or attention. If a child is displaying these signs it is important to try to communicate with them.
* It is not your responsibility to investigate any concerns yourself. You can report any concerns directly to your local authority social services department, the police or the NSPCC Child Protection Helpline on 0808 800 5000.
