Cruelty to children

There are different forms of cruelty to children, i.e. emotional abuse, physical abuse, neglect and sexual abuse.

It is very hard to believe that any parent would harm a child, who relies on its love and protection. Sadly however, there are hundreds of reported cases of child cruelty in the UK each year and children affected have often no one to turn to for help.

Children that have been subjected to abuse/cruelty can be affected for the rest of their lives and it is therefore important that symptoms are recognised as early as possible. This will greatly help in providing appropriate treatment and the chance of recovery. In serious cases it may well be necessary for the child to be taken into care by other family members or social services.

There are a number of organisations, other than the social services, that provide help in the protection of children, such as the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC), Kidscape and Helpguide.

Knowing the harm and/or damage cruelty does to children it is the responsibility of adults to ensure their wellbeing and safety. I ask myself: Should we all do more in protecting children against abuse/cruelty?

http://www.lawandparents.co.uk/cruelty-to-children.html

http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/index/your_family/local_authority_services_for_children_in_need.htm#Who_are_children_in_need