The NSPCC points out that local community groups, including mother and toddler groups, are often unregulated and rely heavily on volunteers, making them vulnerable to predatory adults. While larger organisations have the resources to train staff to recognise and respond to possible signs of child abuse, many thousands of smaller organisations do not.
Enid Hendry, director of training and consultancy services at NSPCC, said, 'The NSPCC believes that children have a right to be safe wherever they spend time. There should be a person for a child to turn to in every organisation, who knows how to act if they are concerned.'
The NSPCC will use the lottery funding to distribute 900 Safeguarding Toolkits to organisations in three pilot areas: Brent in London, Denbighshire in Wales and Birmingham.
The organisations taking part will be assessed in the New Year to see what safeguards they already have in place and re-assessed at the end of the 18-month pilot.
The local authorities in the three pilot areas had shown an interest in improving child protection awareness and building stronger relationships with the voluntary sector.
A further 5,000 Safeguarding Toolkits are being distributed to community organisations across the country. If the scheme is a success, the NSPCC will roll the kits out nationally.
The kits include videos to raise awareness of child abuse, information on child protection training courses, and leaflets for volunteers, parents and children.