I suspect a child is being abused. What should I do?
Any abuse of children is a serious matter. If you suspect a child is being abused it is important that you notify your local Police Child Abuse Team (CAT) or Child Youth and Family (CYF) (call 0508 Family or 0508 326159). Police Child Abuse Teams and CYF staff work together to investigate concerns about child abuse. Early intervention by child protection services reduces harm to child victims before abuse has the opportunity to escalate.
Many people have well-founded suspicions that a child may be suffering abuse but fail to act due to concerns that their suspicions may be wrong. Section 16 of the Children Young Persons and Their Families Act 1984 protects people who notify concerns of abuse in good faith from civil and criminal proceedings.
It is crucial that any concerns about abuse are notified early so that an assessment of the child's safety can be made.
