Q&A about child protection with NSPCC - ANSWERS BACK

[RachelMumsnet]

We're joined this week for a Q&A with the NSPCC, the UK's leading child protection charity. Last week the NSPCC's All babies count campaign was our Campaign of the Week.

Your questions will be answered by Chris Cuthbert, from the All babies count campaign, Kam Thandi, NSPCC helpline team manager, and Jane Petrie NSPCC Parenting Officer. They will be answering your questions about the work of the NSPCC, the NSPCC helpline, the All babies count campaign, and how Mumsnetters can protect children. Send in your questions to the NSPCC before 5pm on Monday 6th February and we'll be linking to their answers from this thread on 16th February.

Chris says: 'It's great that mumsnet is supporting All babies count campaign. Almost a half of the most serious cases of child abuse and neglect relate to babies under the age of one. Evidence shows that with the right services in place it is possible to prevent many of these tragic cases. We hope Mumsnetters will support us by signing our online petition. I look forward to answering your questions about the campaign.'

Kam adds: Unfortunately we can't allow you to use the Q&A session to share concerns about a specific child. If you are worried about a child right now - even if it's just a doubt, please contact the NSPCC's free 24 hour helpline immediately for advice from our trained helpline counsellors.'

Call:0808 8005000
Email [email protected]
Text 88858
(If you are texting from the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man, 88858 will not be available to you. However, you can text the NSPCC Helpline on 0778 620 0001. This service is not free, and you will be charged at your standard network rate.)

This Q&A has been sponsored by the NSPCC

Waiting for the answers...

Yes, it is the 16th....

Yep, today is the day. Am waiting for some elaborate answers and hopefully a good debate too.

We all are on the same side in terms of wanting to protect children, but who is and should be doing what is the big question when resources are limited. No reason to fundraise in order to be able to get more money to fundraise only. And obviously if you support a group you also need to know what values you share and not.

It is getting a bit late

Did we scare them away?

Are they in a big meeting with their pr team, checking their answers? It's a bit of a poor show if they don't come back.

Not really going to improve their rep if they don't come back or are very very late with answers.

Could mnhq update instead?

Sorry for the delay. The archived Q&A is now ready and can be read in full here:

NSPCC Q&A

The NSPCC have asked us to post this message:

'The NSPCC are happy to respond to your feedback on their answers, including further questions if you feel there is more you want to know. You can do this by contacting their information service with specific questions, and they will respond to you directly. If you do so, please let them know it relates to the Mumsnet Q&A.

We feel it would be more appropriate to invite further questions to the NSPCC in this way, as it is the normal task of the Information service to handle these enquiries. Our team that have answered the questions during this Q&A are part of the NSPCC main services division and are unlikely to have time available to respond'.

What about Scotland NSPCC?

And you will be running MORE grief-porn ads?

Thank you, you have confirmed all my initial thoughts about the NSPCC.

much fudging over things sadly.

Well worth waiting for. Not.
Laughing at the 'we will do further responses'.Here's a general helpline number

A missed opportunity for the nspcc. And a waste of their sponsorship fee.

Anyone else notice that Mitmoo got a question answered...? Thought she was banned?

No, I didn't notice that Mitmoo was on the NSPCC thread; and yes, I thought she was banned and that mention of her discouraged.

How bizarre.

Has anyone read all the answers yet? (I need to set aside some time to do this properly.)

There is no question from Mitmoo on this thread.

And I can't even find that question on the thread.

Really disappointing, but not surprising. And the 'contact the right people' thing is a cop out. Why didn't the right people answer to begin with?

exactly Tee

I've asked them once already. Clearly that was not a good question "What are the National SPCC doing in Scotland" Why on earth would I ask them again privately >?

Too difficult to answer?, too complicated? too much for my poor little mummy-brain to comprehend ?>

That must be it.

I read through it. Most of the answers were, sadly, very much politicians' answers - a general rah rah about whatever message point they want to make but not actually answering the question.

Classic example:
Q from PlentyofPubeGardens "Mental health charities are working really hard at the moment to destigmatise people with mental health issues... You're in danger of doing a lot of harm here. Did you consult with any mental health charities before you created this campaign?"

A "NSPCC: We totally support the work of organisations like Mind, which are successfully campaigning to remove the stigma that can be attached to mental illness. In fact, we are launching a series of films for professionals in partnership with an award-winning documentary maker and parent-infant psychotherapist from the North East London Mental Health Trust.
This series aims to break down taboos and help professionals identify and work with parents experiencing mental health problems, and give them the support to develop secure attachment relationships with their babies. "

Which basically equates to "err, No. But let us take this opportunity to ignore that glaring error, fail to acknowledge your well founded concerns and instead rave about something else we're doing whose only connection is Mental Health."

Felt like an exercise in getting their message out and very much not an attempt to engage. Which is a huge shame.

mitmoo: How will local authority foster carers be affected by the benefits cap?

NSPCC: At the time of writing, the Welfare Reform Bill is going back to the House of Lords for consideration. Once this has happened, we think it will become much clearer who is going to be affected and in what way. As you will be aware, there is significant debate on this issue at the moment, and we will be monitoring the outcome.

How very odd....

I've just read the first three and feel that I am effectively re-reading the NSPCC's website.

Katie, I think you have it. We should ALL call and ask ALL the questions listed on this thread. Then write and compare answers here.

There answers are shoddy, they know this but refuse to be drawn into that fact so they refer you to the general help line.

so what was the point?

we'll give you some half-arsed answers but you can always call us up if you want answers

But then they could claim that their call line has had a massive increase in calls and that thousands more babies need the NSPCC's leaflets help.

Still, I think they should be challenged on their answers.

I presume that there is an NSPCC email address?

I shall be re-submitting ALL my questions for proper written answers.

Oh yes, in the OP - Email [email protected]