Oxford,
07
March
2016
|
15:12
Europe/London

Help protect children by reporting abuse

All children have a right to be safe, but many people worry they might be mistaken about something they’ve seen or heard, or feel they need to be absolutely certain before reporting concerns to the authorities.

It is estimated around one in three people who suspect child abuse do not act on their suspicions. However, in 2014/15 more than 400,000 children in England were supported because someone noticed they needed help.

Let us know

The county council is encouraging anyone who is worried about a child to contact:

  • 0845 050 7666 (during office hours Monday to Friday)
  • 0800 833 408 (outside office hours)

 

A special helpline is available if you are concerned that a child you know is being sexually exploited: 01865 335276

We all have role to play

Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Children, Education and Families Melinda Tilley said:

“We all have a role to play in protecting children and young people from child abuse and neglect. You don’t have to be certain, but if you have a feeling that something isn’t right, please let us know and we will look into it. Every child deserves to be protected and it is better to be safe than sorry.

“It’s important to remember that information about a child is usually gathered from a number of sources and reports from individual members of the public form part of a bigger picture. If we all play our part, together we can tackle child abuse.”

National campaign

The “Together, we can tackle child abuse” campaign has been launched by the Department for Education with the support of local authorities and other partners.

The aim of the campaign is to encourage members of the public to report instances of child abuse and neglect and overcome the barriers that stop people reporting.

www.gov.uk/report-child-abuse