What to do if you are worried about a child

If you have a concern about a child you can report your concern to First Response.

If you wish to discuss your concerns please speak to a member of the Safeguarding team who will be able to advise you of the best action to take.

The information below is from the Government website; https://www.gov.uk/report-child-abuse

Report child abuse

If you’re worried that a child or young person is at risk or is being abused click here to contact the children’s social care team at their local council.

Report a safeguarding concern by clicking here.

You’ll be asked for your details, but you can choose not to share them.

Call 999 if the child is at immediate risk, or call the police on 101 if you think a crime has been committed.

What to report

Child abuse includes physical, sexual and emotional abuse, and neglect. You can read more about the signs of child abuse. You don’t need to be sure that a child or young person has been abused - it’s ok to report a suspicion.

What happens when you report it

The person who answers your call will decide what to do. For example, they might:

  • gather more information

  • ask a social worker to look into it

  • contact the police, if they think the child is at immediate risk or a crime has been committed

The children’s social care team will tell you what happens next, but they won’t be able to give you any confidential information.

Get advice

Contact the NSPCC if you want to discuss your concerns and get advice.

NSPCC (for adults) 
Telephone: 0808 800 5000 
Find out about call charges

ChildLine (for children and young people) 
Telephone: 0800 1111 (free)

The ChildLine number won’t show up on your phone bill if you call from a landline or from most mobile networks.

Dedicated helpline for people who have experienced sexual harassment or abuse in education

Helpline for victims of abuse in schools