The NSPCC, following research into 2,275 children aged 11-17 and 1,761 adults aged 18-24, has found alarming levels of severe abuse or neglect.
The NSPCC found that almost one in five 11-17 year olds had been physically attacked by an adult, sexually abused or severely neglected. 25% of the 18-24 year olds said that they had been subject to severe maltreatment during their childhood.
Andrew Flanagan, Chief Executive of the NSPCC said “Physical violence, neglect and forced sex are still harming the lives of hundreds of thousands of children and most of it remains unreported”. The report heightened concerns as to the strain faced by local authorities who are understaffed and underfunded and are only able to carry out child protection plans for a small proportion of cases meaning that a number of children are not receiving the support and protection they need.
The survey of 11-17 year olds found that one in fourteen children had been physically attacked by an adult which included being hit, kicked, beaten or attacked with a weapon with parents or guardians being responsible for 55% of the serious assaults.
One in twenty had been sexually assaulted either by an adult or a child or young person with 2% having been sexually abused by an adult.
There are currently around 46,000 children on local authority child protection plans or registers.
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