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150,000 children at risk of neglect or abuse.

Almost 150,000 children are being seen by social workers as potential victims of neglect or abuse, according to government figures that disclose the full scale of the problem for the first time

Almost 150,000 children are being seen by social workers as potential victims of neglect or abuse, according to government figures that disclose the full scale of the problem for the first time. Nearly 40,000 children in England were judged to be at such grave risk of harm that they were put on “child protection plans” and faced being taken into care, 10% more than previously thought.

The figures, from the Department for Education, came in a census of “children in need” of additional support, taken on 31 March this year.

148,300 children were receiving support from social workers because they were suspected of suffering, or at risk of, abuse or neglect. 59,100 children known to councils to be suffering from “family dysfunction” and another 38,500 were in families facing “acute stress”.

A total of 375,000 children aged under 17 were receiving additional help from social services, health workers, specialist teachers and other staff in England.

The Minister for Children, Tim Loughton, promised to cut unnecessary bureaucracy and targets to help social workers do their jobs.

“Children’s social services are working under increasing pressure,” he said. “The care system is still experiencing the fallout from the Baby Peter case and pressures will remain challenging”.

“Social workers need more support and greater professional freedom so that they are able to spend more time with children and make better judgements.”

Read more at the Telegraph website