The children’s charity is calling on the government to introduce a national strategy to tackle the problem.
A survey from teachers’ union NASUWT found 53% of early years staff and 48% of primary school teachers had seen a rise in referrals relating to neglect.
It was the biggest reported increase of any form of abuse among both groups, ahead of sexual, emotional and physical abuse.
Across the UK, 35% of teachers said neglect-related referrals in their schools had increased, while 53% reported a rise in safeguarding referrals overall.
The NSPCC said concerns raised by teachers, who are usually some of the first people to spot signs of neglect, didn’t always lead to families getting support, with some unable to access services.
Separate research by the charity found 83% of professionals believed there weren’t enough local services to support children and more than half of teachers said social care took too long to assess neglect referrals.
One early years teacher who contacted the NSPCC Helpline described an incident involving a mother who arrived at school drunk to collect her two-year-old daughter.
‘She’d driven so we couldn’t let them go together and the mum just wasn’t in any state to be responsible for a two-year-old,’ they said. ‘We got one of her friends to come and get them and the friend said mum had been having a hard time and the child’s father had recently left the picture.’
Abigail Gill, acting head of policy and public affairs at the NSPCC, said: ‘Teachers play a crucial role in spotting early warning signs that a child may be experiencing harm’.
‘Despite the serious harm neglect causes, it still does not receive the attention or urgency it deserves from government,’ Gill continued. ‘We urge the government to put neglect at the heart of their reforms to children’s social care by introducing a national strategy that ensures professionals and families have the support they need to prevent neglect before it escalates into further harm’.
Matt Wrack, general secretary of NASUWT, agreed with Gill’s call for action.
‘The dismantling of structures to support multi-agency working and the under-funding of public services across health, social services and education over time has created a vacuum where teachers and school leaders are too often struggling to get external support to deal with neglect-related concerns about children,’ Wrack said.
‘Teachers are trying to do their best for the children they teach, but neglect is a serious child protection issue that needs a national level response.’
Image: Hardcore Brain/UnSplash
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