Report a concern about a child

The Council is supporting the national 'Together, we can tackle child abuse' campaign which has been launched by the Department for Education.

The campaign encourages members of the public to report child abuse and neglect. It will tackle the barriers that stop people reporting child abuse and shows that we all have a role to play in protecting children and young people.

A third of people who suspect child abuse do nothing. People may not act on their suspicions because they’re worried about being wrong. You don’t have to be absolutely certain about your suspicions; if you have a feeling that something’s not right, talk to your local children’s social care team who can look into it.

The campaign features an ‘ABC’ of spotting the signs of child abuse or neglect. Look for changes in:

• Appearance – such as frequent unexplained injuries, consistently poor, hygiene, matted hair, unexplained gifts, or a parent regularly collecting children from school when drunk
• Behaviour - such as demanding or aggressive behaviour, frequent lateness or absence from school, avoiding their own family, misusing drugs or alcohol, or being constantly tired
• Communication – such as sexual or aggressive language, self-harming, becoming secretive and reluctant to share information or being overly obedient

Information is usually gathered from many sources, and your report would form one part of a bigger picture. In West Cheshire we are committed to protecting vulnerable children, ensuring that they feel safe and receive the support they need. To do this we need every member of our community to take responsibility.

If you’re worried about a child please call the Integrated Access and Referral Team (i-ART) or the Emergency Duty Team (EDT) for help and advice. Alternatively you can call the police or the Cheshire West Safeguarding Children Partnership (SCP) website also contains contact details.