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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 f [1D [K for implementing new safeguarding measures in the Children's Wellbeing and [K Schools Bill. He also requests resources for the implementation of a child [K risk disclosure scheme, similar to Clare's law or Sarah's law but focused o [1D [K on broader caregiver risks. The family believes that such a disclosure sche [4D [K 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 C [1D [K Chappell, who was killed by her mother's partner after a period of abuse. T [1D [K The case highlights systemic issues in information sharing and safeguarding [12D [K safeguarding between agencies, leading to missed opportunities for interven [8D [K intervention. He emphasizes that the deaths of such children are not statis [6D [K statistics but represent young lives cut short due to abuse or neglect. Acr [3D [K Across serious case reviews, the failure to share information is identified [10D [K 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, [K Mr Mundell. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Sunderland Central (Lewis [6D [K (Lewis Atkinson) for securing this debate, and for doing so in a way that b [1D [K builds on the important debate held in this Chamber on 14 October, secured [K by my hon. Friend the Member for Blaydon and Consett (Liz Twist). I also th [2D [K thank all the Members who have contributed to this debate today from across [6D [K across different parties and have recognised the amazing young children who [3D [K whose lives were tragically cut far too short.
I reiterate that no child [5D [K child should ever suffer at the hands of someone entrusted with their care, [5D [K care, and no family should endure such a loss. The petition calling for the [3D [K the creation of Maya's law has gathered over 110,000 signatures from concer [6D [K concerned individuals advocating for a child risk disclosure scheme. Change [6D [K Changes to deliver the goals of Maya's law are in progress, including stren [5D [K strengthening information sharing through three complementary ways: enhanci [7D [K enhancing the child sex offender disclosure scheme; introducing a new child [5D [K child cruelty register; and establishing a new information-sharing duty und [3D [K under the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill.
The Crime and Policing [K Bill will place Sarah's law on a statutory footing and require chief police [6D [K police officers to follow guidance for disclosures whenever necessary to pr [2D [K protect children. The same bill introduces a child cruelty register, requir [6D [K requiring adults convicted of child cruelty offences to notify the police o [1D [K of key changes in their circumstances. Additionally, through our Children's [10D [K Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill, we are introducing a new information [11D [K information-sharing duty that legally obliges agencies such as the police, [K social care, health, and others to share information for safeguarding purpo [5D [K purposes.
We have worked closely with stakeholders to ensure that the du [2D [K duty supports sharing across the full breadth of safeguarding or when promo [5D [K promoting the welfare of children. There will be an implementation plan pub [3D [K published imminently after the Bill is passed, and I am eager to involve fa [2D [K family members in the early drafts of statutory guidance. Strengthening chi [3D [K child protection is this Government's absolute priority, which means acting [6D [K acting early so that the right support is in place before harms occur. We a [1D [K are delivering landmark reforms by overhauling children's social care with [K £2.4 billion investment and introducing multi-agency child protection teams [5D [K 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.