DEATHS OF CHILDREN FROM CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT IN ENGLAND

Early day motion 950, tabled 14 January 2014 by John Hemming (Liberal Democrat). Signed by 8 members.

That this House notes that prosecutions for manslaughter and murder as a result of a child death in 2011 were 16 and in 2012 were 19, but in 2013 were 34; further notes that this would imply an increase in the number of child deaths from child abuse and neglect; further notes that Ofsted hold records of significant incident notifications as a result of deaths of children suspected to have occurred as a result of child abuse and neglect and that Ofsted did until 2012 provide lists of those notifications to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Yardley for his research and analysis; further notes, however, that Ofsted are now refusing to provide that information either through freedom of information or through a parliamentary question; further notes the thesis of the hon. Member for Birmingham, Yardley that the wrong children are taken into care as a consequence of the concentration on removing young babies from their mothers and the difficulty of assessing risk at birth given that risk factors change later in life; further notes that in 2010 1,400 babies under one month were taken into care, but in 2013 that figure was 2,013, a 45 per cent increase; recognises that the statistics are aligned with the thesis that more children are dying as a result of child abuse and neglect as a consequence of the concentration on younger children; and believes that this issue should be reviewed urgently.

Signatures by party: Liberal Democrat 3, Labour 2, DUP 1, Independent 1, Respect 1.