A to Z:

Safeguarding Children from Harm and Child Protection

Children’s Specialist Services work with families to enable children to live safe from harm within their family and the community wherever possible. 

All parents experience difficulties at some time and need help from family and friends.  Sometimes some parents require the support of professional and voluntary agencies to assist them with specific problems and challenges they face.  

For a small number of children and their parents’ additional support will be necessary to protect them from abuse and neglect and provide them with support and services so that they can have the same opportunities open to them as all children and young people.

 

What is child abuse and neglect?

Some abuse may happen because parents, carers or other adults act in ways which harm children. Other kinds of abuse occur when adults fail to take action to protect children or fail to meet a child’s basic needs.

There are four main types of abuse:

Physical Abuse

This may involve hurting or injuring a child by hitting, shaking, poisoning, burning, scalding, drowning, suffocating or otherwise causing physical harm to a child.

Emotional Abuse

Persistent emotional ill treatment of a child. It may involve telling children that they are worthless or unloved, inadequate, or valued only insofar as they meet the needs of another person.

Sexual Abuse

Forcing or enticing a child or young person to take part in sexual activities, whether or not the child is aware of what is happening. It may also include involving children in inappropriate non-contact sexual activities.

Neglect

Persistent failure to meet a child’s basic physical and/or psychological needs, which is likely to result in the serious impairment of the child’s health or development.

Witnessing domestic abuse is also harmful to children. If you are involved in domestic abuse (new window) talk to someone.

What might make you concerned

There are many possible signs of abuse ranging from physical injury to changes in behaviour.  In some cases a child may tell you that they are being harmed.

Alternatively you may witness an incident either between a parent and a child or a professional or volunteer working with children, which causes you to be concerned.

What to do if you are concerned

Adults have a responsibility to share any concerns they have, even when they may have some doubts as to whether a child is being harmed. 

If you are concerned about a child speak to someone. This might be a health visitor, nursery staff, teacher, family doctor, social worker or police officer. 

Make sure you: 

  • Act promptly, note your concerns and share them with a professional
  • Explain exactly what you have seen or heard
  • Give as much information as you know about the child and family
  • If a child discloses a concern offer them reassurance but do not question them at length
  • If the child is at risk of abuse this information will need to be shared with other agencies

Contacting the Police or Children Social Care

You can contact a duty Social Worker at Children’s Social Care or speak to the Police. They will ask you to explain your concerns about the child. What you say will be treated seriously and confidentially. Your identity will be protected unless you give permission for it to be disclosed. 

You will be told what action will be taken about the concerns you have but you may not be told about what is being done as this may be confidential to the child.

In the majority of cases families may only need extra support to help them keep their children safe. Only in rare circumstances do reported concerns result in children having to live apart from their families.

Children's Social Care Referral Form

*Children's Social Care Referral Form (application/pdf; 65kB)

Who to contact

Children’s Specialist Services - 0300 300 8149

Social Care out of office hours and at weekends: 08702 385465

North & Mid Bedfordshire Police (01234) 841212

Luton and South Beds Police (01582) 401212

If it is an emergency, please ring: 999

If you are concerned about a child

If you are unsure that a child may be suffering but are worried, or if you are concerned that a child has suffered harm, neglect or abuse, please use the contact details at the bottom of the page.

In an emergency outside normal office hours, please contact our Emergency Services on telephone or the police. 

You may be concerned about a child close to you - perhaps a relative's child a neighbours or even your own - and want to talk to somebody. You can call your local Children’s Services, the Police or NSPCC and be sure that your call will be dealt with sensitively and professionally. 

All cases are treated in confidence by highly experienced staff who work with children and their families. Their main role is the welfare and protection of children. The Bedfordshire Local Safeguarding Children Board believes, wherever possible, the best place for a child is with their own family. 

Intake & Assessment Team based in Dunstable:Telephone: 0300 300 8149

Bedfordshire Police:Telephone:  (01234) 841212 

NSPCC 24 hour Child Protection Helpline:Telephone: 0808 800 5000 

All calls are treated in confidence and passed to a suitably qualified professional who can act on any of your concerns.