It can sometimes be difficult to know what to do for the best. If you are worried that a child is being harmed, hurt or neglected, you may think that someone else already knows and everything will be alright. You might worry that by telling someone, you make matters worse for the child. Perhaps you’re concerned the family might be broken up and the children put in care (although actually, this rarely happens). You might think the problem will resolve itself. Or you may not know where to go for help. It might seem the easiest option is to do nothing. But please don’t. Trust your own judgement. It is important that you act.

Child abuse can take different forms. The main types of abuse are:

• Neglect: can mean the persistent lack of essential care for a child including enough love, stimulation, safety, food, clothing, shelter, medical care or education. It can also mean leaving a child alone and at risk. Neglect may occur during pregnancy as a result of maternal substance abuse.
• Emotional abuse: can mean repeatedly rejecting a child, constantly threatening or putting a child or young person down so that they feel unloved and worthless. It may involve the child seeing or hearing the ill-treatment of another (like a parent or sibling being deliberately hurt in front of them). It may involve serious bullying (including cyber bullying), causing the child to feel frequently frightened or in danger, or it can also be the exploitation or corruption of children.
• Physical abuse: can mean any form of abuse which may involve hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning or scalding, drowning, suffocating or otherwise causing physical harm to a child.
• Sexual abuse: can mean forcing or enticing a child or young person to take part in any kind of sexual activity, whether or not they are aware of what is happening. It can include inappropriate touching, kissing or sexual intercourse. It can also involve causing a child to look at, or be involved, in pornographic material or videos, or grooming a child in preparation for abuse (including via the internet). Both women and men can commit acts of sexual abuse.

If you are worried that a child or young person is at risk of abuse or neglect, please make a referral using the new Suffolk Children and Young People’s Portal. More details are on the Suffolk Safeguarding Partnership children’s website.

Read more information from NSPCC about preventing abuse and neglect.