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

This is quite possibly the worst q and a session I have ever read on here.

As i said earlier I started off having no opinion what so ever about the nspcc.

I've now read their annual report, several of their research papers and looked at their web site in depth. Quite frankly I am appalled. And Feel in some ways their campaigns are sensationalist, poorly researched and stigmatising. They are harmful.

Their helplines strategically seem to be the respectable 'front' to mislead people into thinking more frontline activity actually takes place. And is a cheap way of collecting statistics. I think another charity would be better placed to run the help desks. It would be more transparent.

Their answers are pr froth, not real debate.

Ok good point about increased call volume.

Next idea. Mn gives back the sponsorship money, on the back od the strength of feeling of mners, and Asia that they answer the questions properly, and if they don't, we start a campaign in the media etc. And I only day they child give it back to make it seen that mn wouldn't accept money from a charity that doesn't do what it promotes/makes it all above board when it goes to the press.

*insist, say they should

The thing is, mners have given thought out, measured, intelligent questions that have not been answered with the same respect.

Sunshinenow, I think that a lot of us only began to research the NSPCC when it popped up with this Q&A on MN, asking for support (i.e. money) towards its 'babies matter' campaign.

I wasn't aware of the ASA judgements against it, for example, until this thread.

I have certainly had my awareness raised of the NSPCC, and I suppose I should thank MN for that.

And can mnhq answer the mitmoo thing?

Yes, just feels like they've copy and pasted web blurb.

They were very adamant on their 'no under 16s babysitting' stance.

SplatSplatSplat, Yes, I think the headline 'MNetters renounce NSPCC' is pretty powerful stuff.

Why on earth hasn't the NSPCC's CEO come on here to stem this tidal wave of damage?

I thought the answers were rather disappointing, as in the main they just rehashed information which was already published and had clearly been read by many before they asked their questions.

Exactly, linerunner. Mnhq???

I do think it is telling there hasn't been on positive response. It is like an AIBU gone wrong.

I would of thought someone would have come on to post a positive experience about being helped directly or having a professional relationship. People normally do. I have scanned back over the whole thread. I can't find one positive post. Very unexpected.

One response. Not on.

Perhaps the nscpp should directed to flounders corner [Grin]

It is late I am tired. That should be the nspcc directed to flounces corner

Wow. Just read this for the first time. Not what I expected.

Before this thread I really thought I was alone in disliking the nspcc-seems not. If public opinion is like this then who on earth donates?

people who never do any research i'm guessing charlotte.

i'm so glad it's not just me who thought the responses were pathetic. mn'ers had read that info and the questions were seeking further clarifications and specifics not the same info/blurb rehashed back at them.

When I worked in Children's services years ago the feeling was that the NSPCC were trying to discredit our work. They were angling for more statutory powers and trying to establish themselves as the first point of call.

They have no statutory powers despite what they say and their clever marketing leads people to believe that they actually do frontline work. Quite frankly when they say they have qualified social workers on their phone line, what a sorry waste of social workers.

14,000 children in 111 projects. For over 150 million squiddlies. Hardly vfm. Do you think the 14,000 and 111 includes the schools childline gonk stuff?

V evasive.

And how on earth did they extrapolate from this that we want more advertising awareness raising?

I'm assuming some actual direct action to improve the lot of kids doesn't appear in the strategic plan... Just more of the same.

I don't think this thread has necessarily changed my views on NSPCC, it has simply highlighted that I should trust my own judgement more or rather judgements of an older, wiser man. DP grandfather is quite an outspoken person but he also gives to a lot of charities. A weeks ago he mentioned the NSPCC and said he'd never give to them, when I asked why he simply said 'well what exactly do they do with all their money, other than make awful adverts? Smart bloke really.

Why was mitmoo banned?!

Sunshinenow: to be fair, people with direct experience of NSPCC might not wan to post about it on open forums.

I remain uncertain about the difference between advertising and awareness raising. I've seen loads of what I'd term adverts, but nothing else. Whose awareness still needs raising? What activities are counted as activity raising? The question about what they do, especially on advertising/awareness were ducked.

I won't however be taking them up on their suggestion of emailing them with more questions.

Putting that as the only way of follow up shows their woeful lack of awareness. I do not want to give them my email address and identify myself as a MNetter to anyone in RL.

Please remember ChildLine is part of NSPCC, as a volunteer counsellor for 3 years I can assure you we do amazing work with children and young people and regularly refer adults to the helpline. I am incredibly proud of the work ChildLine do.

I also read above some concerns that childline not answering as many calls due to bases shutting, this is not true, I hope you will believe me as a long time MNer and a volunteer counsellor - 2 bases shut and one base became online only due to money and funding. However this will mean that other bases are open longer and shift times have changed to cover this - as all the bases are not open at once, and our shift times have changed and increased to cover the demand from closures. Our answer time is fantastic, more and more children and young people are gwtting through and getting the support they need. All the time there are changed and improvements and we are always changing certain things in response to feedback.

I absolutely love volunteering for childline. I realy wish I could explain to you just how much support we offer some really vulnerable children.

Giraffe thank you so much for coming on and showing us something positive about the NSPCC.

Have you read the questions and answers? Do you have an opinion on them at all, as someone who works for a part of the organization?

I have just read them all just now yes. I feel quite crap just now - sore head, sore throat and temp so appologies for rubbish typing, spelling etc am in my death sick bed just now!

The criticisms of the policies/advice etc - bear in mind these are just an advisory fromt he research they have done. People coming on saying "But my 14yr old is great" that is up to individual families to use their common sence. The same as some 3yr olds you could leave playing in front room for 1 minute while you went to the parked car in driveway to get somethting out the boot, other 3yr olds would be swinging from the lights - it depends on the child.

I do feel that many of the posters for nspcc I see do not truley reflect the work we do. I think many people are unaware of what we do. Childline became part of the NSPCC in 2006. The issues we deal with wrt to children and young people are really relevant and current. And in times of resession when imo it is harder for children to access support because of money etc - so maybe less refferals for talking therapy etc then we are providing that.

I am often truley proud of the passion and dedication we will go to to get help for a young person. Sometimes I think publics view of us is a call to report/tell us something and we give a solution, but that is largely not what happens. Much of what we do is talking through options, support, just letting that child know that they matter, that they have a right to feel the way they do and that what they feel is valid. A big hurdle to overcome when you start with ChildLine is that you will not "fix" a situation right away. We do not demand names, addresses and send the police round (unless in life threatening situations, for more details on confidentiality see website) but we offer something unique - a chance to talk openly, explore the situation, cry about it, feel safe to talk, and we work with the child to explore all outcomes. This might be discussing and planning to disclose the abuse, when a child has been abused they feel out of control, we give them back the power and control and support them through the process. We have children that will phone back again and again, and offer regular calls and suppot them for years.

It is not just abuse though, bullying, self harm, suicide, family arguments, domestic abuse, worry about exams, homeslessness, run away etc the list is endless. And sometimes children just phone us because they are lonely.

I personally dont like chuggers, I give my time to volunteer as work as a nanny and dont earn a great deal. I have a teaching degree but am so passionate about childline that that is where I would hope to have a future. So while advertising tactics might not be the best, please don't "rubbish" the nspcc because from my small part of it I can assure you what we do is amazing and as a regular on here and not someone sitting in an office I hope you believe me! :)