- Children with a disability or mental health concern are more than three times as likely as those without these factors to be investigated by child protection services
- Regional disparities indicate that responses are shaped more by resource constraints and local thresholds than the needs of children
- Between 2015 and 2023 Section 47 child protection investigations involving disabled children increased by 145%
- Expert calls for a revision of child protection and assessment policies
New research published today has uncovered that there is alarming mistreatment of disabled children in England by child protection services.
The findings call for a change to national guidelines that have been deemed by parent-led groups and academics as too intrusive, resulting in systemic harm.
The research led by Professor Andy Bilson at the University of Lancashire, draws on nine years of Children in Need Census data from between 2015 – 2023, which shows that disabled children in England are increasingly receiving child protection responses that are too investigative instead of being supportive to their individual needs.
The research echoes how parent-led groups have felt for years - that the risk averse framework underpinning child protection services is leading to a culture of parent-blame.– Andy Bilson, Emeritus Professor of Social Work
It analysed Freedom of Information (FOI) requests to the Department for Education (DfE) to obtain data from the annual Children in Need Census. The data highlighted concerns that child protection services have become increasingly risk-oriented which has led to parents of disabled children being more than three times as likely as those of non-disabled children to be investigated in 2023.
Most investigations do not find harm and instead later deter families from getting help. And the high volumes of unnecessary investigations divert scarce resources from the practical support disabled children need, the study warns.
The findings support the sentiment many parents and practitioners have felt – that families of disabled children are too often investigated rather than helped, and that responses must be retargeted to identify and support needs in order to prevent family crises.
Andy Bilson, Emeritus Professor of Social Work at the University of Lancashire, said: “We know that there is a significant problem in how families with disabled children are treated by child protection services. The research echoes how parent-led groups have felt for years - that the risk averse framework underpinning child protection services is leading to a culture of parent-blame.”
Too many disabled children and their families have been harmed by unnecessary investigations when what they needed was support. We must shift towards care and practical help.– Andy Bilson, Emeritus Professor of Social Work
There are calls for a wider change to safeguarding processes, with the current Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill raising concerns for disabled people’s organisations. They believe that the Bill doesn’t go far enough for investment in SEND (special educational needs and disabilities) support and early help. Groups have also campaigned against the increase in monitoring and reporting duties, as they believe it risks further intensifying surveillance rather than increasing support.
The research outlines practical recommendations to improve assessments by child protection services which includes:
- Introduce a separate assessment pathway focused on identifying and meeting children’s needs where there is no indication of abuse.
- Review and co-produce safeguarding procedures with parents and disabled people’s organisations so assessments prioritise identifying and meeting support needs instead of defaulting to risk.
- Ensure practitioners are trained in disability and can access specialist expertise, so assessments accurately identify needs and distinguish disability from maltreatment.
- Amend Working Together and Ofsted guidance to require monitoring and better targeting of Section 47 investigations, reducing the many enquiries that do not lead to a child protection plan.
Andy added: “We must implement the report’s recommendations on policy and practice to create a fairer system. Too many disabled children and their families have been harmed by unnecessary investigations when what they needed was support. We must shift towards care and practical help.”
The full research paper is available to download.