Nine out of 10 teachers, police officers and social workers are regularly coming into contact with children they suspect are suffering from neglect, yet as many as 40% feel powerless to intervene, according to new research.
It reveals the number of members of the public calling for more support in reporting concerns has almost doubled in the past three years to 44%, while 14% of professionals have reported a rise in suspected child neglect over the past year.
Of these, nearly three-quarters (70%) believed a deterioration in parenting skills was a contributing factor to the increase, two-thirds (66%) greater poverty and more than half (55%) family breakdowns, the report by children's charity Action for Children said.
Those that feel unable to intervene suggested they find it difficult to do so due to a lack of available services, time and staffing, with 29% of professionals saying they feared spending cuts would make it more difficult to intervene in cases of child neglect.
The study found that a third (33%) of the general public who had concerns about a child did not tell anyone, mainly because they did not think they had enough evidence (34%) or were uncertain it was neglect (14%), while 15% said they were worried of the repercussions.
The charity said neglect is a factor in 60% of child deaths or serious injuries investigated by serious case reviews.
The report is the most comprehensive current review into child neglect, the second in an annual series by the University of Stirling for Action for Children.
Almost 6,000 people including the general public, a range of professionals and 27 local authorities took part in the research through interviews, polls and focus groups between June and October last year.
Dame Clare Tickell, the charity's chief executive, said: "It is of grave concern that one in every 10 children could be suffering neglect.
"We know that early help has the potential to transform the lives of children and families, yet today's report tells us that the public aren't being given the know-how they need and professionals' best efforts are being hindered by stretched budgets and a lack of resources."
UK 
