Coronavirus: Fewer than 10% of at-risk pupils 'at hub schools'

Fewer than 10% of children at risk of abuse and neglect have been attending hub schools during lockdown, members of the Welsh Parliament have heard.

Just 1,000 vulnerable children have attended school, NSPCC Cymru's Vivienne Laing told the Senedd's Children, Young People and Education Committee.

Ms Laing said this was out of a total of 16,000 vulnerable children, half of whom are at risk of abuse or neglect.

The Welsh Government accepted "there is still more to do to encourage take-up".

But a spokeswoman said attendance had improved in recent weeks.

All schools in Wales were closed in March in response to the coronavirus pandemic, with hub schools open only for vulnerable children and the children of keyworkers.

Ms Laing told the committee it was "very important for vulnerable children to attend these hubs".

"What we do know is that home is not a safe place for too many children," she explained.

"Perpetrators use a suite of tactics to further isolate victims from sources of support, and victims are much less able to tell anyone about what's happening or reach out for help.

"We would strongly urge local authorities to ensure all children experiencing, or at risk of abuse and neglect, attend school."

The Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA) said councils "work with a range of other agencies" to support vulnerable and at-risk children.

A spokesman added hub schools "may not always be the safest or best way to protect" such children, and urged anyone with concerns for the welfare of a child to contact their local authority.

The Welsh Government spokeswoman added: "We meet with heads of children's services on a regular basis and we are assured that services are working tirelessly to provide support during these challenging times."