Gerry Jerome: 'I stand for children'

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Sun 11th Apr 2010

Croydon North Parliamentary Candidate Gerry Jerome has signed up to the NSPCC's 'I stand for children' pledge.

The NSPCC has called on parliamentary candidates to voice support for vital child protection reforms they want to see introduced after the general election.

Gerry says: "It is an important issue which I take very seriously."

"Liberal Democrats are already committed to many of the requests made by the NSPCC. In a document produced in 2009 about Child Protection, we said that we would continue to fund Childline and we called for helpline services to be accessible and confidential so people know when and how to report suspected abuse.

"We want to see the Home Office's definition of domestic violence in England amended so that it includes the impact of domestic violence on children. Indeed, Liberal Democrat Shadow Minister for Children, Schools and Families, Annette Brooke MP, recently tabled an Early Day Motion 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."

Related Links:

Annette Brooke's website