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Call for school and care home staff to have legal duty to report suspected child abuse Call for school and care home staff to have legal duty to report suspected child abuse
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The Lib Dems are set to call for "mandatory reporting" of child abuse in the wake of a stream of high-profile paedophile cases.The Lib Dems are set to call for "mandatory reporting" of child abuse in the wake of a stream of high-profile paedophile cases.
The move will be proposed on Sunday at the party's Glasgow conference and, if adopted as policy, will place the Lib Dems at odds with their Conservative coalition partners, who are reluctant to introduce the measure on grounds of cost and fears of overwhelming numbers of complaints clogging up oversight systems. That concern is shared by some children's charities.The move will be proposed on Sunday at the party's Glasgow conference and, if adopted as policy, will place the Lib Dems at odds with their Conservative coalition partners, who are reluctant to introduce the measure on grounds of cost and fears of overwhelming numbers of complaints clogging up oversight systems. That concern is shared by some children's charities.
In July, David Cameron told parliament that "it may well be time" to make it illegal not to report abuse. But any legislation has been postponed until the conclusion of the government's inquiry into historical child abuse, now to be chaired by Fiona Woolf. The decision to delay action was criticised by the Lib Dem home affairs spokesperson, Baroness Walmsley, who said it amounted to "kicking the issue beyond the election and into the long grass". In July, David Cameron told parliament that "it may well be time" to make it illegal not to report abuse. But any legislation has been postponed until the conclusion of the government's inquiry into historical child abuse, now to be chaired by Fiona Woolf. The decision to delay action was criticised by former Lib Dem home affairs spokesperson, Baroness Walmsley, who said it amounted to "kicking the issue beyond the election and into the long grass".
Walmsley and Paul Butler, the Anglican bishop of Durham, have already tabled an amendment to the serious crimes bill, currently going through parliament, which will call for introduction of "mandated reporting" of abuse. If agreed, this would make it a duty for staff working in regulated activity – in schools, care homes for the young and the elderly, NHS facilities and some sports centres – to report known abuse or suspicion of abuse to a designated officer in the local authority.Walmsley and Paul Butler, the Anglican bishop of Durham, have already tabled an amendment to the serious crimes bill, currently going through parliament, which will call for introduction of "mandated reporting" of abuse. If agreed, this would make it a duty for staff working in regulated activity – in schools, care homes for the young and the elderly, NHS facilities and some sports centres – to report known abuse or suspicion of abuse to a designated officer in the local authority.
The Walmsley/Butler amendment is also proposing legislation to train staff to recognise early signs of abuse and protect those who report it, and a campaign to encourage children to feel secure in reporting their concerns.The Walmsley/Butler amendment is also proposing legislation to train staff to recognise early signs of abuse and protect those who report it, and a campaign to encourage children to feel secure in reporting their concerns.
Campaigners such as Tom Perry of pressure group Mandate Now! believe such a measure would go a long way not just to protect children but also end a culture of cronyism and cover-up within institutions. Perry is driven by his own experiences at Caldicott, a private boarding school attended by Nick Clegg, where serious sexual abuse by several teachers occurred over decades, despite numerous alarms being raised. Its headmaster was jailed, aged 80, in February 2014, after 10 years of investigations. "It is extraordinary," said Perry, "that child abuse is a crime, yet reporting it is entirely discretionary."Campaigners such as Tom Perry of pressure group Mandate Now! believe such a measure would go a long way not just to protect children but also end a culture of cronyism and cover-up within institutions. Perry is driven by his own experiences at Caldicott, a private boarding school attended by Nick Clegg, where serious sexual abuse by several teachers occurred over decades, despite numerous alarms being raised. Its headmaster was jailed, aged 80, in February 2014, after 10 years of investigations. "It is extraordinary," said Perry, "that child abuse is a crime, yet reporting it is entirely discretionary."
Last week it emerged that a senior teacher at Thorpe Hall school in Southend, Essex, took hundreds of secret photographs of young boys undressing at the school and a local public swimming pool over a 14-year period. He took his own life the day after Essex police approached him.Last week it emerged that a senior teacher at Thorpe Hall school in Southend, Essex, took hundreds of secret photographs of young boys undressing at the school and a local public swimming pool over a 14-year period. He took his own life the day after Essex police approached him.
Anger in Southend is stoked by the knowledge that the National Crime Agency knew, via the Canadian police, that Martin Goldberg was a purchaser of paedophile videos. But more than two years elapsed between that tipoff and Essex police's arrival on Goldberg's doorstep.Anger in Southend is stoked by the knowledge that the National Crime Agency knew, via the Canadian police, that Martin Goldberg was a purchaser of paedophile videos. But more than two years elapsed between that tipoff and Essex police's arrival on Goldberg's doorstep.
Further calls for mandatory reporting are also likely to follow the publication later this month of the Department of Health's delayed report into Jimmy Savile's abuse at Stoke Mandeville hospital in Buckinghamshire. It is expected to reveal that staff were intimidated into failing to report their fears about the DJ's behaviour over 40 years volunteering at the hospital.Further calls for mandatory reporting are also likely to follow the publication later this month of the Department of Health's delayed report into Jimmy Savile's abuse at Stoke Mandeville hospital in Buckinghamshire. It is expected to reveal that staff were intimidated into failing to report their fears about the DJ's behaviour over 40 years volunteering at the hospital.
Organisations concerned with protecting children have urged caution on the issue. The NSPCC backs a new law to help staff report concerns and make it a crime to cover up abuse. But the charity is concerned that mandatory reporting would lead to "swamping" by large numbers of "nuisance" complaints.Organisations concerned with protecting children have urged caution on the issue. The NSPCC backs a new law to help staff report concerns and make it a crime to cover up abuse. But the charity is concerned that mandatory reporting would lead to "swamping" by large numbers of "nuisance" complaints.
Donald Findlater of the child protection charity Lucy Faithfull Foundation agreed. "I worry that introducing mandatory reporting will overwhelm the child protection system," he said. "We're seeing police child protection officers sidetracked into investigating misdeeds in historic cases: that's child protection officers taken away from protecting a child who may be at risk today."Donald Findlater of the child protection charity Lucy Faithfull Foundation agreed. "I worry that introducing mandatory reporting will overwhelm the child protection system," he said. "We're seeing police child protection officers sidetracked into investigating misdeeds in historic cases: that's child protection officers taken away from protecting a child who may be at risk today."
But other campaigners say that in Australia and the US, where similar measures are in place, there has been no rise in nuisance reports. Walmsley said the fears of the NSPCC were "illogical": "Mandatory reporting has been the law in Australia for years. It has been analysed by academics. They have found that, of course, the number of reported cases has risen, but the proportion of those that were not substantiated was exactly the same. So MR has not been a licence for a lot of fallacious reporting."But other campaigners say that in Australia and the US, where similar measures are in place, there has been no rise in nuisance reports. Walmsley said the fears of the NSPCC were "illogical": "Mandatory reporting has been the law in Australia for years. It has been analysed by academics. They have found that, of course, the number of reported cases has risen, but the proportion of those that were not substantiated was exactly the same. So MR has not been a licence for a lot of fallacious reporting."
• This article was amended on 6 October 2014 to correctly describe Baroness Walmsley as a former Lib Dem spokesperson on home affairs