NEW cases of children considered at risk of abuse or neglect in Worcestershire have risen by 40 per cent in just three months, new figures reveal.

But Worcestershire County Council has stressed the huge rise does not mean more children are actually being abused or neglected by their parents than before.

Rather, the council believes the increasing number of children put on to child protection plans, which rose from 273 to 323 between June and September, is an indication more ‘at risk’ children are being picked up earlier by the county’s social services department.

“Over the last two years there have been increasing referrals to social care, and as a result an increase in the number of protection plans,” said Anne Binney, the county’s head of integrated services to children, young people and families.

“It’s a general increase in awareness of issues which might affect the well-being of children.

“The whole idea is for us to intervene at an early stage. The protection plans are very successful – it’s actually a good thing that people are now more alert to child welfare.”

Putting a child on a protection plan is normally the first action taken by social services if a child is thought to be at risk from neglect.

Healthcare workers, police and social workers agree a plan with parents to better care for and safeguard their child. Children are normally only taken into care as a last resort.

The recent rise in cases emerged after county councillors sought reassurance about the quality of child protection in Worcestershire, following the case of Baby P in Haringey.

Liz Eyre, the council’s cabinet member for children’s services, told the full council that despite a national shortage of social workers – and the increasing demands on her own staff’s time – the department is performing well when it comes to protecting the young.

“The death of Child P In Haringey was a tragedy, and these events can happen elsewhere when adults are so intent on deceit and subterfuge to make sadistic acts,” she said.

“However, the recent (independent) review of children’s services in Worcestershire commented on the “outstanding prioritisation” of safeguarding issues in the county and go on to state that ‘child protection procedures are carried out very well’. But we can never be complacent.”