The NSPCC has revealed that its Helpline received thousands of reports from people worried about child neglect last year.
Between April 2024 and March 2025, the charity helpline received 4,515 contacts from neighbours and community members who were worried about suspected child neglect.
Most concerningly, nearly half of these reports (49%) were serious enough to require a referral to local safeguarding agencies.
The NSPCC says this represents a 17% increase in serious concerns from the year before and indicates a “crisis behind closed doors.”
Contacts from neighbours and community members about child neglect accounted for a quarter of all contacts received about neglect last year. They also represented a 32% increase in concerns of child neglect from those in the local community.
The main child neglect concerns shared with the NSPCC Helpline included children being left home alone, adult substance and alcohol misuse, a child not having their basic care needs met, unsafe living environments and emotional neglect.
Family challenges and lack of support can lead to child neglect
A number of challenges can lead to children experiencing neglect, such as their basic needs not being met. These can include financial hardship, lack of access to essential services and insecure housing.
Some families lack support and this means they are unable to address any emerging concerns, leading to children then being placed at significant risk.
The NSPCC says this data should serve as a “wake up call.”
The charity says that local communities “play an essential safeguarding role for children,” with community members and neighbours often in a position to spot the early signs of child neglect.
Child neglect can lead to physical and mental health problems, delayed development, and an inability to form secure relationships. This makes it essential that families receive timely and suitable support to prevent harm.
Anyone worried about the safety and welfare of a child is urged to report their concerns to the NSPCC Helpline by calling 0808 800 5000 or e-mailing help@NSPCC.org.uk – this can be crucial to preventing harm.
Community well placed to provide supportive actions for families
The data follows a recent NSPCC survey which found that 93% of respondents believe supportive actions can help families and children.
The report, ‘Small Acts, Big Impact: how communities can support families through everyday challenges,’ surveyed 6,500 adults from across the UK.
It found that most participants would be open to offering and receiving supportive actions. These were defined as “simple acts that can help families and children cope with difficult times in life,” and included personal support and practical help.
People were most willing to accept or offer supportive actions when it was someone they knew well, although there was also a willingness to support others in their community.
Child neglect is a ‘profoundly urgent crisis’
The NSPCC said they welcomed the government’s recent announcement of additional investment in children’s services, with a greater focus on prevention and early intervention but cautioned that the “stark rise in contacts about neglect,” meant it was “crucial the government gives greater attention to ensuring robust local support is in place to support children and families where neglect is a concern, so that families can receive help before problems in the home escalate.”
Their Senior Policy and Public Affairs Officer, Nick Treloar, said it was “heartening” to see so many community members coming forward to protect children and added:
“Neglect isn’t always obvious to spot and speaking up might feel hard, but it can be the turning point for a child in danger.
“Without early support, our fear is that children will keep slipping through the cracks. The government must wake-up to the profoundly urgent crisis of child neglect and commit to a national neglect strategy that gives families in England vital support before irreversible harm is done.”
Safeguarding children from harm
First Response Training (FRT) is a leading, national training provider delivering a wide and diverse range of training courses.
They can provide training in the fields of health and safety, first aid, fire safety, food safety, safeguarding, mental health, health and social care and other specialist subjects.
FRT work with hundreds of early years services, schools and other childcare and support groups across the UK, providing them with high quality training to meet EYFS and Ofsted guidelines.
Their training courses for early years include Paediatric First Aid, Safeguarding Children and Youth Mental Health First Aid. They also deliver courses in topics such as Understanding Mental Health and Anxiety Awareness.
A trainer from FRT says:
“It’s important that parents, carers and children have appropriate support when needed to ensure that every child gets the best start possible.
“Families across the UK are experiencing significant challenges and pressures, and this can in turn place children at significant risk of harm. It’s important that any concerns are addressed as soon as possible so the appropriate care, support and protections can be put in place to keep children safe.
“It’s vital that anyone who works with children and young people completes Safeguarding training so that they are aware of the signs of child neglect and know the correct action to take if they suspect a child is at risk.”
For more information about the training that FRT can provide, please call them today on freephone 0800 310 2300 or send an e-mail to info@firstresponsetraining.com.