Neglect
Wirral Safeguarding Children Partnership – Neglect of Children and Young People
Neglect is the most common reason for a child to be the subject of a child Protection Plan in the UK and research from the NSPCC tells us that 1 in 7 secondary school age children and 1 in 20 children under 11 in the UK have been neglected at some point.
Common signs of abuse and neglect:
‘Seeing Beyond the Surface ‘ : The WSCP Independent Scrutineer Dr Andy Gill joined colleagues in October 2026 to deliver a presentation for multi-agency partners ,“Seeing Beyond the Surface”, which explores learning from a Pan-Merseyside review of childhood and adolescent neglect, including analysis of neglect data, local strategies and a multi-agency audit.
Key findings highlighted the importance of effective multi-agency working, understanding children’s lived experiences, recognising cumulative harm, and distinguishing poverty-related hardship from neglect. The review identified strengths in collaborative safeguarding practice, alongside areas for development in assessment quality, information sharing, educational inclusion, and whole-family approaches.
The presentation emphasises the need to act early, name neglect clearly, keep the child’s daily lived experience at the centre of practice, and use coordinated multi-agency interventions to achieve sustainable change and better outcomes for children and young people. The findings will inform the review of the WSCP neglect strategy, Cherish. Pan-Merseyside Neglect, October 2026
Multi-agency Neglect Strategy (June 2023):
The strategy has been developed by the WSCP partnership to help ensure agencies and practitioners recognise neglect and provide an effective response which will improve outcomes for children, young people and their families. Integral to the strategy is the identification and engagement of families at the earliest opportunity by preventative services.
In cases where professionals are aware of, or suspect neglect the Graded Care Profile 2 tool must be used with families. This is an evidence based tool for assessing the type and level of neglect in a family and can be used to assess changes and improvements over time. The tool is useful in helping to identify the appropriate help and interventions a family may require.
To use the Graded Care Profile 2 tool, professionals must become accredited by completing the GCP2 training offered by the safeguarding partnership. To access the training please register on the website and you will be able to see the courses here.
Further information about the GCP2 can be found here.
Video: Childhood neglect – Emily’s story