Reports of child abuse soar in wake of Baby P case

CHILDREN’S charity the NSPCC said yesterday callers reporting serious child abuse to its helpline had jumped by more than a third since the death of Baby Peter two years ago.

The figures came as the industry’s main union, UNISON, warned that social workers were already overstretched and that morale is at “rock bottom”.

The charity said it believed Baby P’s death in August 2007 in appalling circumstances had triggered the rise in calls, with more people apparently willing to report abuse.