Thirtyone:eight, the UK’s leading independent Christian safeguarding charity, has published a set of key questions to equip voters who will be speaking to political candidates ahead of the general election on 4th July.
The questions, specific to where voters live, are centred on the key opportunities Thirtyone:eight has identified in its manifesto, to improve policy, legislation and guidance that offers greater protection from harm and abuse for all children and adults living in the UK.
With one in five children having experienced some form of abuse or maltreatment1, Leigh McFarlane, Public Policy and Research Manager for Thirtyone:eight says, “Parliamentarians, lawmakers, charities, and faith-based organisations must work together to strengthen and reform existing legislation, develop new laws, and maintain momentum in areas where there is still a lack of clear and effective policy and guidance. By equipping voters with questions to ask candidates they can be assured that who they vote for is prioritising what really matters – the safety of children and adults, and freedom from harm and abuse.”
Through its manifesto, entitled ‘Together we can - a manifesto for a safer society for all’. The charity is calling on the future government to include steps such as introducing robust mandatory reporting laws, introducing a statutory definition of grooming, closing the loopholes that allow convicted sex offenders to change their name and avoid detection, widening the scope of existing Position of Trust legislation, reforming the Access NI vetting and barring scheme in Northern Ireland, removing the defence for reasonable chastisement/punishment of children in England and Northern Ireland, and implementing the recommendations from the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse within England and Wales.
Justin Humphreys, Thirtyone:eight’s joint-Chief Executive says,
“For almost half a century now Thirtyone:eight has been at the forefront of safeguarding and child protection in the UK working as a trusted champion for the rights of all children, young people and adults at risk of harm. The legislative landscape surrounding safeguarding poses a number of significant challenges and opportunities for us that we address in this Manifesto. We want voters to be confident that who they vote for shares our vision of a world where every child and adult can feel, and be, safe.”
Find out more here: https://thirtyoneeight.org/manifesto