Role of Media in Reporting Child Abuse Cases

Introduction
Different laws, policy and legislation are in place for the effective protection, support, and
welfare of the children. It provides a guideline to professionals and practitioners to carry out
their duties of safeguarding and protecting children in an effective way. Children Act 1989
and 2004, working together to safeguard children 2018 practice guidance are some of the
rules and guidance intended to protect and safeguard children. Media plays a vital role to
bring the attention of any child abuse cases which is happening in the society and the way in
which media deals with the case greatly impact the society.
Children Act 1989
The Children Act 1989 places a duty on local authorities to safeguard and promote the
welfare of children within their authority and provide different type of services according to
the need of the children. This act brought together the laws that protect children and made
them easier to follow. Moreover, it provides general guidelines by informing health
professionals and officials of their roles and responsibilities while working with the child of
suspected abuse. Children act 1989 provides right to protection from any exploitation or harm
along with right to provide safety and their welfare to children. One of the main principle of
this act is to create a best place for children to look after within own home. This is the
Paramount consideration for Welfare of children.
Children Act 2004
After the tragic death of Victoria Climbie, the Laming Inquiry was formed which provide
foundation for the formulation of this act. As a result of inquiry ‘Every Child Matters’
campaign was implemented, and this Children act 2004 came in force. This act sets out the
process for integrating services for children- creating Children’s Trusts and Local
Safeguarding Children’s Boards (LSCB). It places duty on all agencies to make arrangements
to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. Children act 2004 distinguish that there is
no much amend rather than children act 1989. This process provides and creates a post of
children's Commissioner in relation to provide better home care and safety from harm or
injury to children. Children act 2004 upgrade of children act 1989 in which one of the main
purpose to make country safer and better for all his children.

Working Together to Safeguard Children 2018
It is a Statutory guidance on inter-agency working to safeguard and promote the welfare of
children. This guidance covers the legislative requirements placed on individual services, a
framework for the three local safeguarding partners (the local authority; a clinical
commissioning group for an area, any part of which falls within the local authority; and the
chief officer of police for a police area, any part of which falls within the local authority area)
to make arrangements to work together to safeguard and promote the welfare of local
children including identifying and responding to their needs. It focuses on the core legal
requirements, making it clear what individuals, organisations and agencies must and should
do to keep children safe. In doing so, it seeks to emphasise that effective safeguarding is
achieved by putting children at the centre of the system and by every individual and agency
playing their full part.
It is a statutory guidance which relates to multi agency working. It is highlighted
through fulfill the expectations of working with different agencies in national level as well as
local area in order to keep children safe.
Role of Media in reporting child abuse case with example of high profile case
Child abuse is the major issue is our society which is not only confined within the family.
Media plays a vital role in reporting of child abuse cases that happens nearby or in any
geographical location across the world. As child abuse became a public issue, there is an
immense media attention to this matter (McDevitt, 1996). There are different roles and
responsibility of media to provide the information to people in any child abuse. Media
coverage plays a major role of source of information by creating awareness of issues in
public interest among survivors and parents. There is big role of media during presenting any
crime or any child abuse cases which can also involve policy makers and agencies to make
them accountable when it is necessary. During the media scrutiny there is need to respect the
privacy and rights along with dignity of any family or children involved. Media should create
an unbiased and factual report which can be trusted by all the stakeholders, general public
and the professionals included in children care. Reports that are presented by the media
should be carefully handled and it need to have fully backed up with evidence. There might
be a situation in which media should share information promptly and immediately to the
concerned agencies to protect or prevent harm or abuse to the children. Media needed to be
engaged in debate where is there an important issue (Bilson, and Martin, 2017). Debate
should be about the safeguarding and protecting children along with vulnerable adults who is