History of Child Protection Laws in the UK

When a child is born, the first instinct of the parents is to protect and safeguard the child. Children are vulnerable, and protecting them is only natural. As parents, we work day and night, just to make sure that our children live a happy and healthy life. We ensure that our children get the best education, both in academics and in practical life. We make sure they go to the best colleges and ace their assignments. We want our children to succeed in their academic careers. We want them to create the perfect dissertation, even if it means getting assistance from online dissertation services like British Dissertation Writing. We give our whole lives as parents to the betterment of our children.

Children have rights that protect them from exploitation. Almost all nations agree on the fact that child exploitation is morally wrong and an unpleasant thing to do. However, what if we tell you that this wasn’t the case before. We have come a long way in terms of human rights. Throughout history, we have had instances where children were exploited. However, with time, we have come to realize and accept the mistakes that we once did and dedicated our efforts for the betterment of children.

Issue of Child Labor

A child shouldn’t be allowed to work or used in an exploiting manner. Child labour is one of those issues that are global. Throughout history, we have used and manipulated children. Child labour is still an issue in some parts of the world, mainly third world countries. A working child can face serious psychological as well as physical damage that may have lifelong consequences. Many countries have worked hard on this issue, highlighting the dangers of it and bringing policy change into their countries.

After world war II, we have done great work for human rights. Children's rights are human rights, and it is time now that we erase this problem from the face of the earth. We have to protect our children from misuse and exploitation, and that can only happen with global policies.

The problem of Child Abuse

As discussed before, children are vulnerable creatures. They are fragile, not in the physical sense but also in the emotional sense. We have to be careful when dealing with them. Child abuse is a serious problem that unfortunately our world is buried under. Across the world, we can easily find numerous cases of child abuse.

Now, there are many forms of abuse. There is the physical abuse that refers to the physical damage done by someone to the child. There is emotional abuse that refers to the emotional mistreatment of a child. It is also known as psychological abuse. Yelling, cursing, or insulting a child constitutes child abuse. There are some major negative implications of the psychological abuse of a child. In most cases, the severity is such that a child never outgrows the abuse. It is life-threatening.

There is also sexual abuse of children. Victims of such a crime suffer from physical as well as emotional trauma all their life. Harming children is a crime in the United Kingdom. The law is set in place to protect the vulnerable children of the country.

Neglecting of a Child

The protection from abuse and neglect is a law of the United Kingdom that safeguards the rights of children. We have already discussed the various forms of child abuse; it is now time that we talk about what is meant by neglect. As abuse, neglect has many forms. The government of the United Kingdom acknowledges four types of neglect. Physical, emotional, educational, and medical neglect. Let’s unpack each one of them.

Physical neglect refers to the lack of food provision, lack of shelter provision, proper clothing, and lack of supervision. As talked about before, children are vulnerable creatures. In their early ages, they are completely dependent on their guardian. It is the duty of the guardian to ensure these rights by law. If they fail to do so, they can expect serious consequences. Similarly, emotional neglect refers to the inability of meeting the emotional needs of a child. A child needs proper nurturing, and if the guardian is found to ignore, humiliate, or violate these rights, they are held accountable under the law.

Coming to educational neglect, if a parent fails to ensure the right to education for the child, it is a crime. Education has become a necessary human right, and rightly so. Ensuring the right to education is important when it comes to children. It is important for their societal development, making them responsible citizens. Lastly, medical neglect is the neglect of medical care that includes refusal of doctor’s recommendations or refusal of medical care.

Responsibilities of Parents toward their Children

When a child is born into this world, the first social agency it meets is the parents. Parents have a huge responsibility on their shoulders when it comes to their children. They are to care for their children, ensuring that their children get the best of everything. They are to maintain and ensure the rights of children. They have to make sure that they don’t abuse their children, intentionally or unintentionally. A child is the responsibility of his parents until the legal age. The general legal age across the world is 18 years old. However, it can differ from country to country.

Moreover, it is the duty of the parents to ensure that they bring up their child in the best of manners. Children are blank canvases, and it is up to their parents to paint them into responsible individuals. Socialization plays a key role in that. A child’s socialization is predicated on the environment he or she is brought up in. As parents, it is our duty to provide them with the best environment. However, this isn’t the case. Statistics show that 80% of adults have faced some kind of abuse in their childhood days. Be it a case of domestic mismanagement, yelling, or humiliation. As United Kingdom citizens, it is now time that we pay attention to our children.

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