Our work in 2008/09
While last year saw the NSPCC make progress in its mission to end cruelty to children, further challenges have presented themselves.
Testing times
In society, the economic downturn means that more children and young people are at greater risk of harm. Research shows there is a direct link between financial stress and child abuse. Meanwhile, terrible cases of child cruelty, such as the case of Peter Connelly (who was known in the media as baby Peter), have shown just how vulnerable children can be. They have also shown the continuing weaknesses of child protection in the UK.
The wave of public outrage has demonstrated just how much people care, and there is a real appetite for effective solutions. The NSPCC and others must use this depth of feeling as a catalyst for change that benefits all children.
Last year the NSPCC made significant strides to improve our national helpline services, ChildLine and the NSPCC Helpline. We continued to influence the UK Government and other organisations to ensure children’s policy, practice and services reflect the latest thinking. Our local services meanwhile, worked directly with thousands of children and young people. At every step we involve children in our work, and ensure their views count.
Looking to the future
The impact of the credit crunch meant we did not achieve some targets last year, such as the recruitment of more volunteer counsellors for ChildLine. Rather than allowing financial limitations to reduce our ambition, we have taken the opportunity to reassess our priorities.
Our desire to end cruelty to children remains as strong as ever. To achieve this, we must increase the impact of our services by helping more children and using what we learn to drive change across the whole child protection system. The NSPCC must work with other children’s organisations to ensure the sum of our efforts is greater than our individual successes. We must also redouble our campaigning and influencing to create the right conditions in society to reduce the causes of cruelty and abuse.
With your help, we look forward to putting this vision into practice.
