John Edwards stands up for children

10.00.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 31st Mar 2010

Residents have asked John to support the NSPCC campaign

John receives many emails every day, many of them requesting support for various campaigns including the NSPCC's campaign "I Will Stand Up for Children".

John says "I have signed up to this campaign as child protection is an extremely important issue and people have a right to know that their politicians take it seriously."

The Liberal Democrats produced a child protection paper in 2009, and within it we committed to many of the requests made by the NSPCC. This included continuing to fund Childline. We have also called for helpline services to be accessible and confidential so people know when and how to report suspected abuse.

We have supported calls to amend the Home Office's definition of domestic violence in England to include the impact of domestic violence on children. Indeed, Liberal Democrat Shadow Minister for Children, Schools and Families, Annette Brooke MP, recently tabled EDM 772 which explicitly outlines this issue and calls for the Government to address it.

Liberal Democrats have also set out plans for online bullying and abuse to be tackled by using quick-report buttons on social networking sites, enabling offensive postings to be speedily removed, or concerns about abuse to be addressed immediately.

We believe that the Children's Commission should be a truly independent position; if it is to receive taxpayer's funds then it must be given the power and authority to make positive changes for children and challenge the Government and media when children's causes are being ignored. It is important that the Commissioner works closely with a variety of children's charities, and is happy to stand up and be heard when they think things are going wrong.

Liberal Democrats are committed to therapeutic services and understand the real difference they can make. We would also adopt the Layard proposals beyond 2011, ensuring that those that need it have access to appropriate cognitive behavioural therapies. Therapeutic services for young people are one of the most effective ways of ensuring that childhood trauma and abuse does not permanently damage life chances.