Overview

The Child Maltreatment Bill aims to strengthen legal protection for children in England and Wales against various forms of maltreatment, updating existing legislation to provide clearer definitions and increasing potential penalties for those responsible for harming children.

Description

This bill primarily amends Section 1 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933. Key changes include:

• Expanded Definition of Maltreatment: The bill broadens the definition of "maltreatment" to explicitly include neglect (including abandonment), physical abuse, sexual abuse, exploitation, and emotional abuse.
• Clarified Definition of Harm: The bill clarifies what constitutes "harm," defining it as impairment of physical or mental health, or physical, intellectual, emotional, social, or behavioral development. A comparison to the expected development of a similar child will be considered when assessing the significance of harm.
• Increased Penalties: The bill increases the maximum penalties for those convicted of child maltreatment. On indictment, the maximum penalty is increased to ten years imprisonment or a fine, or both. On summary conviction, the maximum penalty is a fine not exceeding £3,500 or six months imprisonment, or both.
• Definition of Recklessness: The bill defines "recklessly" in the context of child maltreatment as foreseeing a risk of significant harm but unreasonably taking that risk nonetheless.

Government Spending

The bill does not directly specify any increases or decreases in government spending. The potential costs may include increased expenditure on prosecutions, child protection services, and potentially supporting victims of child maltreatment. No figures are provided in the bill text.

Groups Affected

The bill will affect several groups:

• Children: The bill aims to provide greater protection and improved legal recourse for children experiencing or at risk of maltreatment.
• Parents and Caregivers: Individuals with responsibility for children will face stricter legal consequences for intentional or reckless acts or omissions leading to significant harm.
• Child Protection Agencies: Agencies such as social services and the police will be required to operate under a more clearly defined legal framework for child protection.
• The Courts: The judiciary will handle cases under the amended legislation, potentially seeing increased caseloads related to child maltreatment.

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