Government was hit by a double blast yesterday over its campaign against child abuse.

It was accused of soft-pedalling on the issue, and not fighting abuse with sufficient money.

The accusation was fired by Ms Sheelagh Cooper, co-chairperson of the Coalition for the Protection of Children.

She said a Government child abuse Task Force headed by lawyer Mr. Saul Froomkin had been formed some 12 months ago, and a report promised quickly.

"It's now over a year now and still nothing.'' Last night, however, Social Services Minister the Hon. Quinton Edness hit back.

He denied promising the report would be delivered quickly, pointing out Task force volunteers were looking into a very complex issue.

"I think they are doing a good job,'' he said, adding he expected the report would be ready "sometime next year''.

But Ms Cooper -- who has written a report on child abuse entitled "Breaking the Cycle'' -- cast doubt on Government's resolve.

"Are our children really of prime importance or is the Task Force a vote-getting strategy?'' She added: "We are neglecting our people at the front end of the system.

Government chooses to allocate its money and waste it on window dressing as opposed to systemic and fundamental change that would treat people at the front end of the system.'' Ms Cooper also took a swipe at the banks and the major political parties.

Neither had contributed anything to help the cause of child abuse, she alleged.

And she attacked the courts for not administering laws which were in place to combat abuse.

"There has got to be a law that if there is a conviction there is a minimum term,'' she said.

Parents of abused children were feeling frustrated as well, said Ms Cooper.

They felt they had been given the run-around by, among others, Social Services, the Police, Attorney General, and Mr. Edness.

Ms Cooper said parents complained at the way they were treated by various departments and want abuse perpetrators persecuted.

The Royal Gazette yesterday obtained a copy of Ms Cooper's report.

The report appeared to mirror one Ms Cooper presented to Mr. Froomkin's Task Force in May.

In it, Ms Cooper recommends a Task Force be set up to examine poverty; the Attorney General reconsiders his interpretation of legislation allowing children the chance to be sworn in to give testimony; immediate steps be taken to put a sex offender in a treatment programme; and using the closure of the military bases to the advantage of children at risk from abuse.