What is abuse?

Every child or young person has a right to be cared for in a way that does not harm their physical or emotional well-being or development. It does not matter if they are living at home, independently, are in further education, a member of the armed forces, in hospital, prison or a young offenders institution.

Parents or carers who have children and young people living with them have the responsibility of providing for them and preventing abuse so they are kept safe and healthy until the age of 18 (unless they marry before their eighteenth birthday).

Need to talk to someone?

To speak to a social worker call 020 8871 6622, Or 020 8871 6000 outside of normal office hours (after 5pm weekdays or on weekends).

In an emergency call the Police on telephone number 999.

More on what to do if you are worried...

In addition, children have a right to be protected from maltreatment by anyone else whether it is members of their family, friends, acquaintances and strangers. This includes other children and young people and any professional with whom they may come into contact.

What is child abuse?

Child abuse is harm done to a child or young person (anyone under the age of 18) either by a family member, someone else known to them or, very rarely, a stranger. Children can be abused in their own home, in another person's home, in a community setting or in an institution, such as a children's home or educational setting. The abuser may be an adult or another child or children.

There are four main types of abuse: physical, sexual, emotional and neglect. Some of the forms in which they are inflicted are detailed below. It can be inflicted intentionally or by a person who knows it is taking place not making sure it does not happen.

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Physical abuse
There are many forms of physical abuse. The most common includes:

Hitting
Punching
Shaking
Throwing
Poisoning
Burning
Scalding
Drowning
Suffocating

On rare occasions parents or carers may either make up symptoms or try to make a child ill by inducing symptoms. This is known as 'Fabricated Illness' or 'Induced Illness'.

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Sexual abuse
This involves either forcing a child or young person, or encouraging them, to take part in sexual activities irrespective of whether they are aware of what is happening or not.

Sexual abuse may involve touching a child or young person's genital areas, making them touch someone else's, involving them in the production of pornographic material, making them watch sexual material or behaviour, or making them do sexual things either to themselves or with other people.

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Emotional abuse
This is the most insidious and pervasive type of abuse, which affects the child or young person's innate sense of self-esteem and image.

Emotional abuse can be inflicted in a number of ways, for example:

Regular belittling or constantly criticising.
The regular name calling,
Expressing a wish they had never been born
Expecting children and young people to do things that are beyond a level of responsibility they could reasonably be expected to fulfil. Examples of this are young children being forced to supervise or care for their younger siblings
Demanding that a child meets the caregiver's needs, for example that they prove their love for them or does all the housework
Seeing, hearing or being aware of domestic violence
Serious bullying or scapegoating
Making children feel frightened or in danger
Making children do things and, by so doing, taking advantage of them.

In contrast, it can also be caused by suffocating love which may exhibit itself by preventing them being involved in normal activities that are age appropriate, such as going out or mixing with other people. This could be either because the caregiver is over protective and anticipates danger in normal social activities; or wants to reduce their social contacts in order that the child remains dependent on them.

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Neglect
Neglect is when a child or young person's basic physical or emotional needs are not met if this could result in their health or development being damaged.

All children and young people should feel confident that their physical needs will be provided for until they are adults. This includes the provision of:

Food
Shelter
Safety in the home
Adequate clothing
Adequate cleanliness
Warmth
Supervision for vulnerable children
Medical treatment if necessary
Protection from physical and emotional harm or danger

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Reporting allegations against a member of staff, contractor, foster carer or volunteer

The coordination of the investigation of an allegation against a member of staff, contractor, foster carer or volunteer working with children and young people in Wandsworth is the responsibility of the Safeguarding Standards Service on behalf of the WSCB. A new duty system has been put in place to manage this process. If you have a concern or need to report an allegation relating to a member of staff, contractor, foster carer or volunteer, please contact the appropriate Allegations Manager for the agency that that member of staff or volunteer works for. You will also need to report it to the Safeguarding Standards Service (SSS). Please contact the Principal Administrative Officer for the SSS, to give the details of the allegation, which will be passed on to a Child Protection Coordinator to discuss with the appropriate agency to consider arranging a strategy meeting.

Please contact the Safeguarding Standards Service on 020 8871 7208/ 7025/ 7401 or click here to email the details of the allegation

Allegations Managers

Please see the list for the contact details for the Allegations Managers of the various partner agencies of WSCB. If you have a concern or need to report an allegation relating to a member of staff, contractor or volunteer, please contact the appropriate Allegations Manager for the agency that that member of staff or volunteer works for.

Allegations Manager has the following responsibilities:

Ensuring that their organisation complies with the standards identified and agreed by the WSCB for managing allegations as outlined within Working Together to Safeguard Children 2010;
Ensuring that WSCB procedures for managing allegations are reflected and implemented within their own agency procedure;
Ensuring that the workforce is aware of and implements the procedures in relation to all allegations against adults who work with or on behalf of children and young people;
Ensuring that the organisation has systems in place to review cases and identify and implement any changes therefore improving procedures and practice;
Resolving any inter-agency issues which impede the implementation of WSCB procedures;
Ensuring that the key roles of Allegations Manager, Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) and Senior Manager (employer) are reflected in their agency's policy and procedure; and
Ensuring that effective reporting and recording arrangements within their agencies are in place.

If you do not know who the Allegations Manager is, you could contact the Council's Safeguarding Standards Service and seek some advice or consultation from one of the Child Protection Co-ordinators. Click here for the Safeguarding Standards Service's contact details.

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Wandsworth Safeguarding

Supporting and Protecting Todays Youth

What is abuse?

What is child abuse?

Reporting allegations against a member of staff, contractor, foster carer or volunteer

Allegations Managers

Information for Children and Young People Information for Parents, Carers, Families and Friends Information for Professionals working with Children and Young People What is abuse? What is Child Protection? Internet and mobiles Sexual health Bullying Weapons Drugs and alcohol Domestic violence Self harming Eating disorders Running away Young carers Children with disabilities Privately fostering children Managing Allegations Against Staff Serious Case Review Safeguarding Trafficked Children Working with the Voluntary and Faith Sector Corporate Parenting Working with the Voluntary and Faith Sector Safer Recruitment Child Death Review Process MARAC - Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conference What is Safeguarding? What does Significant Harm mean? About Us Contact Us Policies and Procedures Resources Training		On this page: What is abuse? \| What is child abuse? \| Physical Abuse \| Sexual Abuse \| Emotional Abuse \| Neglect \| Reporting allegations against a member of staff, contractor, foster carer or volunteer and Allegations Managers What is abuse? Every child or young person has a right to be cared for in a way that does not harm their physical or emotional well-being or development. It does not matter if they are living at home, independently, are in further education, a member of the armed forces, in hospital, prison or a young offenders institution. Parents or carers who have children and young people living with them have the responsibility of providing for them and preventing abuse so they are kept safe and healthy until the age of 18 (unless they marry before their eighteenth birthday). Need to talk to someone? To speak to a social worker call 020 8871 6622, Or 020 8871 6000 outside of normal office hours (after 5pm weekdays or on weekends). In an emergency call the Police on telephone number 999. More on what to do if you are worried... In addition, children have a right to be protected from maltreatment by anyone else whether it is members of their family, friends, acquaintances and strangers. This includes other children and young people and any professional with whom they may come into contact. What is child abuse? Child abuse is harm done to a child or young person (anyone under the age of 18) either by a family member, someone else known to them or, very rarely, a stranger. Children can be abused in their own home, in another person's home, in a community setting or in an institution, such as a children's home or educational setting. The abuser may be an adult or another child or children. There are four main types of abuse: physical, sexual, emotional and neglect. Some of the forms in which they are inflicted are detailed below. It can be inflicted intentionally or by a person who knows it is taking place not making sure it does not happen. Top of page Physical abuse There are many forms of physical abuse. The most common includes: Hitting Punching Shaking Throwing Poisoning Burning Scalding Drowning Suffocating On rare occasions parents or carers may either make up symptoms or try to make a child ill by inducing symptoms. This is known as 'Fabricated Illness' or 'Induced Illness'. Top of page Sexual abuse This involves either forcing a child or young person, or encouraging them, to take part in sexual activities irrespective of whether they are aware of what is happening or not. Sexual abuse may involve touching a child or young person's genital areas, making them touch someone else's, involving them in the production of pornographic material, making them watch sexual material or behaviour, or making them do sexual things either to themselves or with other people. Top of page Emotional abuse This is the most insidious and pervasive type of abuse, which affects the child or young person's innate sense of self-esteem and image. Emotional abuse can be inflicted in a number of ways, for example: Regular belittling or constantly criticising. The regular name calling, Expressing a wish they had never been born Expecting children and young people to do things that are beyond a level of responsibility they could reasonably be expected to fulfil. Examples of this are young children being forced to supervise or care for their younger siblings Demanding that a child meets the caregiver's needs, for example that they prove their love for them or does all the housework Seeing, hearing or being aware of domestic violence Serious bullying or scapegoating Making children feel frightened or in danger Making children do things and, by so doing, taking advantage of them. In contrast, it can also be caused by suffocating love which may exhibit itself by preventing them being involved in normal activities that are age appropriate, such as going out or mixing with other people. This could be either because the caregiver is over protective and anticipates danger in normal social activities; or wants to reduce their social contacts in order that the child remains dependent on them. Top of page Neglect Neglect is when a child or young person's basic physical or emotional needs are not met if this could result in their health or development being damaged. All children and young people should feel confident that their physical needs will be provided for until they are adults. This includes the provision of: Food Shelter Safety in the home Adequate clothing Adequate cleanliness Warmth Supervision for vulnerable children Medical treatment if necessary Protection from physical and emotional harm or danger Top of page Reporting allegations against a member of staff, contractor, foster carer or volunteer The coordination of the investigation of an allegation against a member of staff, contractor, foster carer or volunteer working with children and young people in Wandsworth is the responsibility of the Safeguarding Standards Service on behalf of the WSCB. A new duty system has been put in place to manage this process. If you have a concern or need to report an allegation relating to a member of staff, contractor, foster carer or volunteer, please contact the appropriate Allegations Manager for the agency that that member of staff or volunteer works for. You will also need to report it to the Safeguarding Standards Service (SSS). Please contact the Principal Administrative Officer for the SSS, to give the details of the allegation, which will be passed on to a Child Protection Coordinator to discuss with the appropriate agency to consider arranging a strategy meeting. Please contact the Safeguarding Standards Service on 020 8871 7208/ 7025/ 7401 or click here to email the details of the allegation Allegations Managers Please see the list for the contact details for the Allegations Managers of the various partner agencies of WSCB. If you have a concern or need to report an allegation relating to a member of staff, contractor or volunteer, please contact the appropriate Allegations Manager for the agency that that member of staff or volunteer works for. Allegations Manager has the following responsibilities: Ensuring that their organisation complies with the standards identified and agreed by the WSCB for managing allegations as outlined within Working Together to Safeguard Children 2010; Ensuring that WSCB procedures for managing allegations are reflected and implemented within their own agency procedure; Ensuring that the workforce is aware of and implements the procedures in relation to all allegations against adults who work with or on behalf of children and young people; Ensuring that the organisation has systems in place to review cases and identify and implement any changes therefore improving procedures and practice; Resolving any inter-agency issues which impede the implementation of WSCB procedures; Ensuring that the key roles of Allegations Manager, Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) and Senior Manager (employer) are reflected in their agency's policy and procedure; and Ensuring that effective reporting and recording arrangements within their agencies are in place. If you do not know who the Allegations Manager is, you could contact the Council's Safeguarding Standards Service and seek some advice or consultation from one of the Child Protection Co-ordinators. Click here for the Safeguarding Standards Service's contact details. Top of page