Written question asked by Lord Field of Birkenhead (Labour) on Tuesday, 21 February 2012, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 23 February 2012. It was answered by Tim Loughton (Conservative) on Tuesday, 28 February 2012 on behalf of the Department for Education.

Children: Protection

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps the Government is taking with parents to reduce the incidence of child neglect.

Answer: The Government continue to support the development and implementation of a number of evidence based interventions for families where children are on the edge of care, including a particular programme focusing on child abuse and neglect. These are therapeutic interventions with a recognised evidence base which have demonstrated effectiveness in significantly improving parenting skills.Maltreating children is wholly unacceptable and the Government strongly believe that the responsibility lies within us to prevent children from suffering harm and to help those who have been abused or neglected. In line with this, the Government have agreed with the recommendations put forward by Professor Munro to provide support to children and families as soon as a need is identified.The Department also funds a range of family support services delivered by the voluntary sector, such as Family Lives, Gingerbread and the Family Rights Group. Parents can turn to these organisations to seek advice and support in their parenting or if particular issues are a concern, such as involvement with children's services.

Secondary information