Leicestershire Police made over 4,000 child protection referrals to social services last year amid fears of domestic abuse during the Covid pandemic

Leicestershire Police made over 4,000 child protection referrals to social services last year amid fears of domestic abuse during the Covid pandemic.

The figure has been released by leading children’s charity the NSPCC.

A record number of calls was made across he country to the national organisation’s helpline from adults worried about the wellbeing of a child last year.

Some 4,298 referrals were made by Leicestershire Police in 2020/21.

That was slightly down on the figure of 4,936 for 2019/20.

Consultation on a landmark new Victim’s Law is closing this week.

The NSPCC is now urging Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab to “ensure all child victims of domestic abuse in England and Wales have access to specialist, therapeutic services in the community to support their recovery”.

“Domestic abuse can decimate a child’s confidence and sense of security day to day and can have a devastating impact on their emotional wellbeing and mental health,” said the NSPCC.

“The risk of this happening was exacerbated during the pandemic as children were trapped in homes experiencing abuse and largely cut off from vital support networks during lockdowns.”

Anna Edmundson, the NSPCC’s head of policy and public affairs, said: “Sadly, we know these figures are the tip of the iceberg as domestic abuse often goes unreported.

“Domestic abuse can derail a childhood and it is unacceptable that support to recover remains patchy across the country - and what is available risks being axed by cash-strapped councils,” said Anna.

“We urge Dominic Raab to use the Victim’s Law to address this and ensure young victims of domestic abuse have easy access to professional services within their community so they can rebuild their lives no matter where they live.”