Newcastle North MP, Catherine McKinnell, has added her backing to a campaign to change the 80-year-old child neglect law, which doesn’t protect children from emotional abuse.

Catherine has signed an open letter from a cross-party group of MPs to Justice Minister Damian Green MP, which calls on his Department to review whether the Children and Young Persons Act 1933 is fit for purpose.

The letter is being sent ahead of the Second Reading of the Child Maltreatment Bill, which is scheduled to take place in the Commons on 22^nd November. The Bill, which is being introduced as a Private Member’s Bill by Mark Williams MP, builds on the campaign of charity Action for Children on this issue.

Catherine said: ‘Neglect is the most common form of child abuse, but our 80-year old law means the police are powerless to intervene in cases of emotional or psychological cruelty.

‘We have recently read about a number of very disturbing cases, such as that of Daniel Pelka, and it is absolutely vital that we have up to date laws in place that protect the most vulnerable children in our society.

‘Action for Children’s work in highlighting this gap is really important, and I am pleased to be able to lend my support to the campaign.’

Matthew Downie, Head of Campaigns and Public Affairs at Action for Children, said:

‘The current law only covers physical harm and not emotional or psychological neglect – like on-going humiliation, refusal to speak to a child or isolation or scapegoating. This just doesn’t match up with the modern understanding of neglect and the negative affect this has on a child’s development.

‘We have long been leading the campaign to update the law on child neglect, and – thanks to the support of MPs like Catherine – we finally have the opportunity to correct this out-dated law.”