Who
should I contact if I am concerned about a child
or young person?
Please see the Locations
and Contacts section of this website by clicking here
Is there more
child abuse nowadays?
Throughout
history there has always been cruelty to children,
but society’s attitudes have changed
over time and we have become more aware of child abuse
and less accepting of this behaviour. We have
also developed better skills in recognition of abuse,
and have more knowledge of the long - term detrimental
consequences of abuse in childhood.
What happens
after I have made a referral?
Police
and social work staff establish the facts about the
circumstances giving rise to the suspicion of abuse. They
then decide if there are grounds for concern and try
to identify the sources and levels of risk which exist.
This will help with the decision about whether protective
measures need to be taken and if a criminal investigation
needs to be carried out.
Can I
make an anonymous referral?
Yes,
although your details would be kept confidential by
any agency you gave them to, and only used to progress
their enquiries. It is often useful to be able
to go back to the referrer to confirm information and
also to provide feedback on the progress of the situation.
Will the
authorities put the child in care? I don’t
want to split a family up.
No
child is removed from its parents without very clear
evidence to support this action. The UN Convention
on the Rights of the Child state that “public
authorities should promote the upbringing of children
by their families” and all the evidence supports
that children are best cared for in the family home. In
the few cases where parents are unable to provide a
safe and nurturing environment for children, extended
family members can sometimes care for them, and this
is the first option that the local authority would
pursue.
What if
am wrong and the child is not being abused?
If
there is no evidence to support an allegation of abuse,
no action will be taken. It’s always better
to have a situation checked out and find that all is
well, than to miss something, and find out later that
a child or young person did not get the help they needed
at the time they needed it.
