A new report has revealed that teaching staff are having sleepless nights about whether to report suspected victims of child neglect.

According to Action for Children, many police officers and social workers feel helpless in the fight against child abuse.

Dame Clare Tickell, Action for Children chief executive, commented: "Neglect corrodes childhoods, robbing the most vulnerable children of hope, happiness and life chances.

"All our findings point to the stark reality that neglected children and their parents are being identified, but neither the professionals nor the public feel empowered to help or intervene, particularly at the early stages."

More than half (52 per cent) of the people polled by the charity admitted to being worried about a child they know or who is living in their area.

Furthermore, 42 per cent of the social workers polled said that the point at which they could intervene in child neglect cases is too high.