South Gloucestershire Council

Published: 03/03/2016

A national awareness campaign highlighting the crucial role people can play in reporting child abuse and neglect launches today (Thursday 3 March).

We are supporting the Department for Education’s (DfE) campaign which aims to encourage the public to report their concerns in order to get help to children more quickly. It is targeted primarily at 25 to 40-year-old parents of young children following DfE research involving over 2,500 UK adults which showed that this demographic are the most confident about reporting child abuse and neglect.

Child abuse is any action by another person – adult or child – that causes significant harm to a child. It can be physical, sexual or emotional, but can just as often be about a lack of love, care and attention.

Neglect covers the ongoing persistent failure to meet a child’s basic needs. It may include failing to provide adequate food, shelter, clothing, or medical treatment. It can also include failure to protect a child from harm or danger and failing to ensure proper care or supervision.

Emotional abuse can include bullying, making a child feel worthless or unloved, inadequate, deliberately silencing them or frequently causing a child to feel frightened or in danger.

Cllr Jon Hunt, Chair of Children and Young Committee, said: “Research reveals that nationally a third of people who suspect child abuse do not act on their suspicions because they are worried about the implications of being wrong. We feel it is important to support the aims of this campaign in South Gloucestershire and help raise awareness of the signs of child abuse and neglect. If you think a child is being abused or you think their safety is at risk, it is important to tell someone. We would encourage people to discuss their concerns with our children’s services as a first port of call.”

You can report child abuse or neglect in the following ways:

Call South Gloucestershire Council on 01454 866000 Monday to Friday during usual office hours, 8.45am to 5pm Monday to Thursday and 8.45am to 4.30pm Fridays. Outside of office hours and at weekends contact 01454 615165.

Report it online at www.gov.uk/reportchildabuse where more details on the campaign will also be available.