NSPCC: Failing to report child abuse should be a crime
Peter Wanless, the NSPCC boss who is leading a review into the Home Office's handling of abuse allegations has said failing to report crimes against children should be an offence.
Campaigner: NSPCC plan 'will protect very few children'
A campaigner for mandatory reporting of child abuse says the NSPCC's proposal to make it a crime not to report known abuse "will protect almost nobody".
Jonathan West of the Mandate Now coalition of charities, said: "It is our opinion that the NSPCC proposal will protect very few children. To make it a crime merely to report known abuse will protect almost nobody, because abuse is very rarely known with certainty."
"Until an investigation has been carried out, all you have is a suspicion," Mr West added.
Mandate Now wants to go further than the NSPCC proposals by making it a crime to not report suspected abuse as well as known abuse.
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