Tuesday 15 April 2014

Mandatory Reporting - the wrong approach


I am sorry to see that those calling for mandatory reporting of child abuse in England have now managed to get 100,000 people to sign their petition.


My view is that mandatory reporting is entirely the wrong approach. It will increase the already prevalent blame culture and as a result will make child protection disasters more likely, not less.

Professional errors that resulted in Daniel Pelka’s tragic death did not spring from wilful neglect of duty. They sprang from people simply getting it wrong; not realising how bad Daniel’s situation was; being conned by his plausible mother.

Criminalising mistakes in child protection practice is a very bad idea. It will result in defensive practice, not safer children.