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Disclosure and Safeguarding: At-risk Children
13 April 2026
Lead MP
Lewis Atkinson
Sunderland Central
Lab
Responding Minister
Josh MacAlister
Tags
Safeguarding & DBSForeign AffairsChildren & Families
Word Count: 9105
Other Contributors: 7
At a Glance
Lewis Atkinson raised concerns about disclosure and safeguarding: at-risk children in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.
Key Requests to Government:
The MP asks the government to provide a clear timeline for implementing new safeguarding measures in the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill. He also requests resources for the implementation of a child risk disclosure scheme, similar to Clare's law or Sarah's law but focused on broader caregiver risks. The family believes that such a disclosure scheme would have made a difference in Maya's case.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Lead Contributor
The MP is concerned about the tragic death of Maya Chappell, who was killed by her mother's partner after a period of abuse. The case highlights systemic issues in information sharing and safeguarding between agencies, leading to missed opportunities for intervention. He emphasizes that the deaths of such children are not statistics but represent young lives cut short due to abuse or neglect. Across serious case reviews, the failure to share information is identified as the main area where improvements can prevent harm.
Ashley Fox
Con
Bridgwater
Mr Fox thanked the hon. Member for Sunderland Centra [6D [K Central and other Members, particularly highlighting the work of Maya's fam [3D [K family in campaigning for new legislation on child abuse and neglect. He me [2D [K mentioned that a petition with more than 110,000 signatures called for four [4D [K four significant changes: introducing a CRDS system to capture broader risk [4D [K risk histories of caregivers; requiring statutory services to disclose rele [4D [K relevant history when a risk is identified; establishing multi-agency proto [5D [K protocols where child contact or unsupervised access are being considered; [K and empowering professionals to initiate family safeguarding interventions. [14D [K interventions. He also referenced previous measures such as Sarah's law and [3D [K and Clare's law, highlighting the need for better information sharing and m [1D [K monitoring of individuals who pose risks to children.
Grahame Morris
Lab
Easington
Supports the creation of Maya's law to improve infor [5D [K information sharing and prevent harm, highlighting that more than half of s [1D [K serious case reviews cite communication failures as a primary cause. Emphas [6D [K Emphasises the need for proactive measures rather than reactive ones in saf [3D [K safeguarding children.
Liz Twist
Lab
Blaydon and Consett
I thank my hon. Friend for introducing the debate an [2D [K and support the need for a child risk disclosure mechanism. The system fail [4D [K failed Maya, showing that more needs to be done beyond Clare's law and Sara [4D [K Sarah's law. I urge the Minister to introduce measures ensuring protective [K non-abusive parents are informed of risks threatening their children.
Luke Akehurst
Lab
North Durham
The MP highlighted the tragic death of Maya Chappell [8D [K Chappell in County Durham and the failure of existing frameworks to protect [7D [K protect children from non-sexual physical abuse risks. He mentioned that ov [2D [K over 6,000 people signed a petition in his constituency, making it second h [1D [K highest in any UK constituency for this issue. The MP called for the introd [6D [K introduction of a child risk disclosure scheme similar to Clare's law but t [1D [K tailored specifically to children.
Mary Foy
Lab
City of Durham
Mary Foy highlighted the case of Maya Chappell, a tw [2D [K two-year-old girl from Durham who was murdered despite warnings raised by f [1D [K family members. She stressed that information is often kept in silos within [6D [K within child safeguarding reviews and argued for proactive risk disclosure [K to protect children earlier. The Government's response acknowledges the imp [3D [K importance of proactive information sharing but campaigners question if it [K guarantees proactively identifying, assessing and acting upon risks.
Robbie Moore
Con
Keighley and Ilkley
I commend the hon. Member for Sunderland Central on [K his speech and support Maya's law, advocating that all safeguarding organis [7D [K organisations should be duty bound to feed into the process in the best int [3D [K interests of the child. The MP supported Luke Akehurst's call for a clear fl [2D [K flagging system of risks posed to at-risk children, suggesting that informa [7D [K information should be shared not only with agencies but also with key famil [5D [K family members such as parents or grandparents who raise concerns.
Will Forster
Lib Dem
Woking
Mr Forster highlighted the case of Sara Sharif, wher [4D [K where social services missed a visit to her home and could have saved her l [1D [K life. He pointed out that information sharing is a systemic issue that shou [4D [K should be addressed by the Government as a cross-portfolio issue, with one [K Minister responsible for ensuring Departments work together on this matter. [7D [K matter. Mr Forster also questioned whether parents should retain the right [K to homeschool their children if there are safeguarding concerns and suggest [7D [K suggested legislation to prevent children from being removed from nursery w [1D [K when signs of abuse are present.
Government Response
Josh MacAlister
Government Response
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Mundell. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Sunderland Central (Lewis Atkinson) for securing this debate, and for doing so in a way that builds on the important debate held in this Chamber on 14 October, secured by my hon. Friend the Member for Blaydon and Consett (Liz Twist). I also thank all the Members who have contributed to this debate today from across different parties and have recognised the amazing young children whose lives were tragically cut far too short.
I reiterate that no child should ever suffer at the hands of someone entrusted with their care, and no family should endure such a loss. The petition calling for the creation of Maya's law has gathered over 110,000 signatures from concerned individuals advocating for a child risk disclosure scheme. Changes to deliver the goals of Maya's law are in progress, including strengthening information sharing through three complementary ways: enhancing the child sex offender disclosure scheme; introducing a new child cruelty register; and establishing a new information-sharing duty under the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill.
The Crime and Policing Bill will place Sarah's law on a statutory footing and require chief police officers to follow guidance for disclosures whenever necessary to protect children. The same bill introduces a child cruelty register, requiring adults convicted of child cruelty offences to notify the police of key changes in their circumstances. Additionally, through our Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill, we are introducing a new information-sharing duty that legally obliges agencies such as the police, social care, health, and others to share information for safeguarding purposes.
We have worked closely with stakeholders to ensure that the duty supports sharing across the full breadth of safeguarding or when promoting the welfare of children. There will be an implementation plan published imminently after the Bill is passed, and I am eager to involve family members in the early drafts of statutory guidance. Strengthening child protection is this Government's absolute priority, which means acting early so that the right support is in place before harms occur. We are delivering landmark reforms by overhauling children's social care with £2.4 billion investment and introducing multi-agency child protection teams.
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About Westminster Hall Debates
Westminster Hall debates are a chance for MPs to raise important issues affecting their constituents and get a response from a government minister. Unlike Prime Minister's Questions, these debates are more in-depth and collaborative. The MP who secured the debate speaks first, other MPs can contribute, and a minister responds with the government's position.