Parents are being urged to attend the next public meeting of the Positive Action Group.

The pressure group has invited leading children's social worker Maggie Mellon to the Isle of Man to give a presentation.

A spokesman said: 'Child protection is often in the UK news these days. Parents fleeing the judgements of secret family courts, forced adoptions, councils ignoring abuse in care homes, institutional child abuse inquires and so on. All this when the memory of tragically missed abuse cases like Victoria Climbie and Baby 'P' are still raw.

'But the Isle of Man has had its' own troubles with three child care inquiries.

'Just this month in Tynwald the Social Affairs Policy Review Committee presented a report on the over referral of cases to Children and Families Social Services in which they recommended a new false reporting offence to deter malicious reports of child abuse.'

Maggie Mellon is a campaigning social worker with over 35 years' experience and is the chair of the Policy, Ethics & Human Rights Committee at the British Association of Social Workers.

The PAG meeting is at the Manx Legion Club in Market Hill, Douglas, on Monday June 29, starting at 7.30pm.

The spokesman said: 'This is a free public meeting which every parent needs to attend. It is open to all.'

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