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When Children’s Services have a concern about a child’s safety or wellbeing, they call it neglect or abuse.

Abuse and neglect can result in significant harm to a child.

What is neglect?

Neglect means a child’s basic needs are not being met and this might harm them

Examples of neglect are

• Not giving enough food, suitable clothing or shelter
• Not protecting a child from physical or emotional harm or danger
• Not giving proper care or supervision
• Not taking to medical appointments or health care
• Not meeting emotional needs

What is abuse?

Abuse means an action that causes harm or distress to a child.

It can be physical, sexual, or emotional.

Physical abuse is causing physical harm to a child.

Examples of physical abuse are

• Hitting
• Shaking
• Throwing
• Poisoning
• Burning or scalding
• Drowning
• Suffocating
• Causing illness of child

Sexual abuse is forcing or encouraging a child or young person to take part in any kind of sexual activity.

Examples of child sexual abuse are

• Rape
• Oral sex
• Masturbation
• Kissing
• Rubbing and touching outside of clothing
• Looking at or making sexual images
• Watching sexual activities
• Encouraging sexual behaviour
• Grooming. This is making a relationship with a child, so it is easier to abuse them

Emotional abuse is behaviour that damages a child’s sense of worth and emotional development.

Examples of emotional abuse are

• Telling a child they are worthless or unloved
• Not allowing a child to express their views or feelings
• Making fun of what a child says or how they say it
• Expecting a child to be more mature than they are
• Over protecting a child
• Limiting a child’s opportunities to learn
• Stopping a child from seeing friends.
• Bullying a child