The Government is mulling the introduction of a new offence which would see parents or carers who harm the 'emotional, social or behavioural development' of a child face up to 10 years in prison.
The proposed change comes in the wake of a ‘Cinderella Law’ campaign from charity Action for Children. If the change was passed, Action for Children’s chief executive, Sir Tony Hawkhead, said it would be a “monumental step forward for thousands of children”.
While physical abuse towards a child can already be punished with a spell in prison, non-physical abuse is harder to prove and, as a definition of child is not written into law, it remains difficult for the police to gather the necessary evidence.
Conservative MP Robert Buckland, a supporter of the charity’s Cinderella Law, told BBC Radio 5 live that non-physical abuse could cause a child “significant harm”.
“You can look at a range of behaviours, from ignoring a child’s presence, failing to stimulate a child, right through to acts of in fact terrorising a child where the child is frightened to disclose what is happening to them.
“Isolating them, belittling them, rejecting them, corrupting them, as well, into criminal or anti-social behaviour”, he added.
The Ministry of Justice confirmed that it was “considering ways the law can support” the protection of all children from all types of abuse, including non-physical abuse. The measure looks set to be rolled out before the next election, although nothing has yet been confirmed.