By Gavin Mackintosh –
Over 23,000 children could be suffering domestic abuse in London, according to new figures released by the London Assembly .
The statistics brought to the attention of The Eye Of Media.Com late yesterday, claims that 16,000 children in the capital have a mum or dad who is mentally ill, and more than 14,000 have parents who abuse drugs or alcohol. The newly released Department of Education figures, which cover 2017/18, also show that in London more than 3,000 children experienced all three problems simultaneously.
Children from such backgrounds are exposed to problematic developments in life, including academic failure, mental health problems themselves, and increased involvement in crime according to Scottish government research.
The report says that early neglect and trauma on children can have substantial negative outcomes later on in life. These potentially traumatic events are called Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). The Committee heard that children exposed to adverse events face an increased risk of experiencing poor health and social outcomes in adulthood.
EXAMINATION
The London Assembly Health Committee examined the combination of three ACEs which commonly co-occur (domestic violence and abuse, parental mental ill-health and parental alcohol and drug misuse) to assess how access to and support from services could be improved. Its report, ‘Connecting up the care’, calls for the Mayor and the London Health Board to create an action plan.
INFORMATION SHARING
Among the requirements of such a plan is the effectiveness of information sharing and data collection, which is key for services to function effectively. It also called for the promotion of multi-agency working, which is vital for person focused care, as there is unequal access to this for Londoners.
It additionally wants a trauma-informed approach adopted that makes people feel safer and more supported by services to improve outcomes.
Despite claims of a fall in funding, the Local Government Association says that councils in 2018 spent £770 million more on vulnerable children nationally than they had budgeted for, according to the Local Government Association.
The London Assembly’s health committee is now calling on the Mayor of London to take action and implement a plan to ensure agencies dealing with vulnerable children work together and share data and information.
A spokesperson for The London Assembly told The Eye Of Media.Com:
”The report on adverse children’s is in the Mayor ‘s hands to action it. We investigate issues that matter to Londoners by speaking with Londoners as well as experts on the ground on each relevant issue of concern, and hold the Mayor to account.
We follow up on the commitment made by the Mayor to address issues raised . We have Mayor’s question time every month before the Assembly and our Committee”.
Dr Onkar Sahota, chairman of the health committee, said he “strongly” believed that the Mayor should take action.
He said: “There are significant numbers of children in London experiencing trauma, either domestic abuse and violence, parental mental ill-health, drug and alcohol misuse and in many cases all three simultaneously.
“The Mayor says he is committed to providing every child in London with the best start in life and the health committee wants to hold him to this.”
VULNERABLE
An NSPCC spokesperson stressed the importance of protecting vulnerable children.
She said: “It is vital that every child is given the chance of growing up in a safe and caring environment – and if this does not happen, everything possible should be done to help them.
“The kind of experiences detailed in this report can have a profound impact on a child lasting into adulthood.
“However, this is not inevitable and with the right support children can thrive. It is so important for everyone to look out for the warning signs that a child is suffering – and to speak out to ensure they get the help they need.”
A spokesperson for the Mayor released a statement that admitted the importance of a “coordinated approach” to tackle the problem. It read:
“The Mayor is playing his part, and has introduced a public health approach to tackling violent crime via the Violence Reduction Unit, which has addressing adverse childhood experiences at its heart.
“But without the Government stepping up to the plate, reversing its cuts to public services and properly funding children’s mental health services and schools, it will be very difficult to reduce the number of adverse childhood experiences.”