Mencap responds to Ofsted report, Protecting disabled children

Wednesday 22 August 2012

Dan Scorer, senior campaigns and policy manager at Mencap, says:

"Ofsted's report reveals worrying evidence that disabled children, including children with a learning disability, are not receiving vital child protection support. Research has shown that disabled children are over three times more likely to be abused than non-disabled children, so it is essential that child support agencies are responsive to this increased risk.

"The government is currently consulting on changes which,among other things, could remove statutory timescales for assessing whether a child is at risk of abuse. We are greatly concerned by this proposal and urge the Government to ensure that any changes to the system address the serious issues highlighted in Ofsted's report, as well as making the early identification of vulnerable children who are at risk of abuse an urgent priority."

Protecting disabled children: thematic inspection report can be found on Ofsted’s website www.ofsted.gov.uk