Kingston Hive – a volunteer-run community centre aimed at helping residents adapt to our changing environment - welcomed Ruth Allen, co-founder of the Climate Child Protection and Safeguarding Team (CCPAST), to discuss the physical and emotional impacts of climate and ecological breakdown on children this week.

CCPAST was created to help parents, safeguarders and local authorities view child protection through the lens of the climate and biodiversity crisis, and support them to take the necessary steps to protect children.

In Kingston, immediate threats to children include air pollution and extreme heat, with warnings currently in place about temperatures this weekend giving a taste of what's to come.

Earlier this year, a councillor in Essex made the first climate-related child protection referral as a result of plans to remove a mature tree from school grounds to make way for an access road to a building development, leaving children more vulnerable to air pollution and removing important shade.

Speaking at Monday's event at Kingston Hive, Allen explained her prediction that many such cases will follow once those involved in safeguarding begin to understand the impact on children. 

She said: "The climate and ecological emergency constitutes a national child safeguarding issue. This problem has been left unchecked for decades, resulting in significant health impacts for children alive today – for example, in the form of chemical and air pollution.

"Increasingly frequent severe weather events and the evident loss of nature across the world is causing emotional distress as children witness those in power failing to take effective action to protect their futures."

Ruth Allen, co-founder of CCPAST, attended Kingston Hive on Monday to discuss the physical and emotional impacts of climate and ecological breakdown on children

CCPAST recommends community conferencing, a process developed by the Contextual Safeguarding team at Durham University, which brings diverse members of the community together to discuss the issues and come up with a time-bounded action plan.

Allen added: "We need to work together and prioritise the needs of our children - they need to see responsible adults working to protect them. I urge communities to pull together and centre our children, and the local authority to work with us as the community lead for child safeguarding." 

Kingston Hive is currently housed in the bike hub next to Kingston station and runs events to support residents with the climate and ecological emergency, such as mending workshops and energy advice sessions.

It has recently opened a sustainable shop selling quality pre-loved clothes and other items. For more information, including opening times, visit the link here.

CCPAST is made up of people working in safeguarding and child protection – for more information, visit https://climatechildprotection.org