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Child Protection
This information provides simple guidance about children who may need protection from harm. Contact Social Services if you are worried about any child's welfare.Contact Telephone Numbers
023 9283 9111 - Merefield House.0845 600 4555 - Emergency out-of-hours.
0845 045 45 45 - Hampshire Constabulary.
023 9286 1685 - NSPCC (South Hampshire).
- Signs of Abuse
- Positive ways of protecting children
- Area Children Protection Committee (ACPC)
- What to do if you are worried
Signs of Abuse
The following may help you decide whether a child's welfare is at risk of abuse, harm or neglect.
Signs which may suggest physical abuse
- Any bruising to a baby - pre-walking stage
- Multiple bruising to different parts of the body
- Bruising of different colours indicating repeated injuries
- Fingertip bruising to the chest, back, arms or legs
- Burns of any shape or size
- An injury for which there is no adequate explanation
Signs of possible sexual abuse
- Something a child has told you
- Something a child has told someone else
- A child who shows worrying sexualised behaviour in their play or with other children
- A child who seems to have inappropriate sexual knowledge for their age
- A child who may be visiting or being looked after by a known or suspected sexual offender
Signs which may suggest emotional harm
The following signs may be present in children whose parents are over-critical and emotionally distant, or who are unable to meet their child's emotional needs:
- Children whose behaviour is excessive. For example, excessive bedwetting, overeating, rocking, headbanging.
- Children who self harm. For example, they may cut or scratch themselves or overdose.
- Children who attempt suicide
- Children who persistently run away from home
- Children who show high levels of anxiety, unhappiness or withdrawal
- Children who usually seek out or avoid affection.
Signs which may suggest neglect
- Squalid, unhygienic or dangerous home conditions
- Parents who fail to attend to their children's health or development needs
- Children who appear persistently undersized or underweight
- Children who continually appear tired or lacking in energy
- Children who suffer frequent injuries due to lack of supervision.
Positive ways of protecting children
What do children need?
- To feel safe and secure
- Health and happiness
- Appropriate affection
- Lots of smiles
- Praise and encouragement
- To be able to talk to someone
- To be listened to
- New experiences
- Respect for their feelings
- Rewards and treats
Area Child Protection Committee
Everyone is responsible for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children.
Sharing information and practice across agencies helps protect children. The Area Child Protection Committee is the designated multi-agency group with the authority to carry out this responsibility.
It works by:
- Leading collaboration across the agencies.
- Developing and setting policies and procedures.
- Monitoring and auditing their implementation.
- Providing training.
- Promoting awareness in the wider community.
The ACPC meets regularly throughout the year, and is made up of representatives from:
- Social Services
- Education Services
- Health Services
- Probation Services
- Police
- NSPCC
- Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service
What is the ACPC responsible for?
- Agreeing local policies and procedures to guide inter-agency child protection work.
- Improving local ways of working to achieve better outcomes for children.
- Undertaking reviews of cases where there is a concern about the effectiveness of services.
- Providing training and development programmes to help improve the quality of working together.
- Raising awareness of the need to safeguard children in the wider community.
- To undertake work as outlined in the Business Plan
How do you find out more about the ACPC?
If you would like to find out more about the ACPC, how it works, or to make a comment, please contact the ACPC co-ordinator on 023 9284 1599.
What to do if you are worried
If you are unsure that a child may be suffering but are worried, or if you are concerned that a child has suffered harm, neglect or abuse, please use the contact details at the top of the page.
In an emergency outside normal office hours, please contact our Emergency Services on telephone or the police.
