Preventing child abuse: five ways to help keep children safe

Many people think that preventing child abuse is the sole job of social workers and the police. But everyone has a role to play in keeping young people safe. Together with schools, sports and youth clubs and others in your community, you can prevent abuse by simply acting on worries – big or small, says NSPCC children’s practitioner Leila Canay.

Drawing on her experience working for Together for Childhood, an NSPCC community-led programme aimed at the prevention of child sexual abuse, Canay has these five ways you can help.

Look out for signs of abuse
Cuts and bruises are obvious physical signs of abuse and easy to detect. Evidence of sexual abuse is harder to find. But there are indicators that you should look out for.

Noticing changes in a child’s presentation or behaviour is key, they may become angry or withdrawn, they may spend more time in their bedroom, or they may run away or fall behind at school. They could also start using sexualised language or have an increase in online friends. All these are possible signs that something is wrong, says Canay.

“Don’t just think about your own children, think about other children in the neighbourhood. It’s about everyone taking responsibility and being curious about children and their wellbeing.”

Share any concerns
Don’t be afraid of voicing your worries or scared of repercussions, says Canay. Too many people do nothing because they fear a child may be taken into care, even though this is a last resort. Talk to other people in the child’s life such as teachers, health visitors, doctors or community leaders, she adds.

You can contact the NSPCC helpline on 0808 800 5000 or email [email protected]. Any worries you have can be shared anonymously. The Helpline’s child protection specialists can help you unpick how concerned you should be. “A barrier to people contacting us can be that they don’t know if it’s ‘serious enough’,” says Canay. But if something “just doesn’t feel right”, she says, then the Helpline can advise.

“Don’t assume professionals already know something. You might have a further piece of information,” she adds. “It’s really important to remind everybody that no matter how big or small your concern is, if you have any worry at all that a child may be experiencing abuse, please share it. Because you might be the only person speaking for that child.

“If a child tells you they have experienced abuse, let them know they’ve done the right thing by speaking up, it’s not their fault and you’ll take them seriously. You need to explain what you’re doing next and report it as soon as possible.”

Educate yourself
Take 10 minutes out of your day to do free NSPCC digital training and tell others what you have learned. Listen up, Speak up empowers adults by explaining what to do if a child needs help and how to speak up if they need support.

Other training materials such as Positively online supports parents and carers to ensure a positive experience for children online. According to Canay, all these materials can help raise awareness and understanding of abuse and reduce the stigma.

“Accessing resources and training can really help reduce people’s anxiety about getting it right for children and the actions they have to take,” says Canay.

One of the best ways of helping to protect youngsters is a strong neighbourhood with a good relationship between the community, schools and partner organisations such as local authorities, anid charities, she adds. In Stoke, the charity has focused on the prevention of sexual abuse as part of the Together for Childhood programme. The community has identified ways to make local areas safer, whether through better lighting and CCTV, or delivering programmes that help people feel more confident about spotting and reporting signs of abuse.

Talk to the children in your life
Chatting to children in your life about body boundaries, healthy sexual relationships and development can help them understand whether what is happening to them is OK or not, says Canay. However, it can be difficult to work out how to speak in an age-appropriate way.

Conversations with primary aged children will be very different from those with young people at secondary school. However, there are a number of resources available on the NSPCC website for different age groups, which can make these discussions much easier.

For instance, the Talk PANTS video and book, developed with parents and experts in child protection, provides a way to talk about sexual abuse. Featuring a friendly dinosaur, Pantosaurus, it helps children understand that their body belongs to them and they should tell a safe adult who they trust if anything makes them feel upset or worried. Meanwhile, conversation starters for older children are available on the charity’s Childline site, which covers a huge range of issues. Make sure children know the Childline number (0800 1111), so they know there is always someone they can share their worries with.

Get involved
Taking part in fundraising events for the NSPCC can provide vital support for its helplines, service centres and campaign work. You can do this by getting involved in Childhood Day on Friday 9 June 2023, a national day of fundraising and action bringing people together across the UK to protect children. You could hold a coffee morning, get sponsored for an event such as the Childhood Day Mile, or apply to join the NSPCC as a Schools Service volunteer and help give children the confidence to speak out if they need help.

Childhood Day is a day that brings everyone in the UK together to have fun and help protect children. Whether you join the Childhood Day Mile, volunteer or donate – we need everyone to play their part.