Call for help if it's needed

Saturday 11 April 2020

Anyone with concerns over a child or adult's welfare during the lockdown is urged to call for help, as your concerns will be taken seriously whatever the situation.

With families spending extended periods inside their own homes together, it is acknowledged that tensions may rise and incidents could occur.

There hasn't been any increase in reports of domestic violence or child abuse since the Bailiwick entered lockdown last month, but that doesn't mean it's not happening.

Guernsey Law Enforcement and child welfare agencies are urging anyone with concerns to speak out, and not to worry about wasting anyone's time.

Pictured: Deputy Heidi Soulsby, speaking at a previous press briefing on corona virus. 

Deputy Soulsby said her conversations with various sectors within health and social care have shown that the Bailiwick is following patterns set in the UK where referrals regarding vulnerable children have dropped off dramatically.

The President of Health and Social Care said that is not a good sign.

"The island's Safeguarding Children Partnership, which is a body that brings together agencies that provide services for children and families had a virtual meeting yesterday (Wednesday) to discuss child safeguarding in the current climate, and they advised me that while robust efforts are being made to attempt business as usual, operationally it is a challenge. 

"There are concerns that referrals into the multi agency support hub, that reviews child welfare issues, have plummeted over the past 3 - 4 weeks, to unprecedentedly low levels.

"With families' having to live in very close quarters, tensions in vulnerable households will inevitably rise, so it was anticipated this would lead to more not less referrals. 

"Vulnerable children are able to access school during the lockdown which provides some level of safety but many families have chosen not to make use of this.

"Now, although this situation has been mirrored in the UK thats not reassuring for us. I'd therefore like to ask any member of the public with concerns about a child and child safety to contact either the police in an energy or the multi agency support hub on 723182 and further information can be found on the partnership's website at iscp.gg and we'll add that information to the corona virus page at gov.gg."

Pictured: Head of Bailiwick Law Enforcement, Ruari Hardy. 

Deputy Soulsby's concerns were echoed by Ruari Hardy, the Head of Bailiwick Law Enforcement, who said Guernsey Police haven't seen any different in reports of domestic abuse compared to normal.

"Looking at figures locally, they're fairly consistent on what they would be ordinarily, so we haven't seen an increase or a spike but I certainly echo what Deputy Soulsby said about the child protection element.

"Some of our most vulnerable have regular contact for example through schools and clearly those avenues aren't there for issues to be picked up. 

"I would just replicate what's been said, that if people have concerns, please don't wait, raise those concerns with us, and obviously we'll deal with those in a very sympathetic way, but obviously if there needs to be an intrusive assessment to make sure everything is ok please don't hold back on making that call and we will do that."

Pictured top: File image.