The Children’s Society says that, according to government figures, almost 25,000 teenagers aged 16 and 17 in England – around 1 in 50 – are at risk of abuse or neglect, which is a higher proportion than any other age group.
The charity is campaigning for a change to existing child cruelty laws – which currently only allow prosecutions to be brought for neglect, ill-treatment and abandonment relating to children aged 15 or under.
The figures were released as part of the charity’s call for the government to make changes to the Serious Crime Bill, which was debated by MPs last week.
Furthermore, a survey of more than 1,000 parents, carried out on behalf of the Children’s Society, shows that 82 per cent would support a change in the law to protect older teens.
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