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Safeguarding

Child abuse, recognising harm and knowing what to do next.

Safeguarding is everyone's responsibility. This guide explains the categories of abuse recognised in the UK, the signs that should raise concern, and the clear reporting routes that keep children safe.

Where to report
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If a child is at risk right now

Do not wait. Contact one of these services today.

If a child is in immediate danger, call 999. For any concern about a child, you can call the NSPCC on your own or on the child's behalf, at any hour.

  • Emergency

    Police

    Call 999 if a child is in immediate danger.

  • Non-emergency

    Police

    Call 101 to report a concern that is not urgent.

  • 24/7 helpline

    NSPCC

    0808 800 5000 - free, confidential, for adults worried about a child.

  • For children

    Childline

    0800 1111 - free, confidential, for anyone under 19.

  • FGM helpline

    NSPCC FGM line

    0800 028 3550 - anonymous advice on female genital mutilation.

  • Local authority

    Children's Social Care (MASH)

    Search your local council for the Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub referral line.

Why trust this guide

  • 01

    Editorial team

    Written by our editorial team from the UK sources listed on each page.

  • 02

    Aligned with statutory guidance

    Checked against Working Together to Safeguard Children, the RCPCH Child Protection Companion and NICE safeguarding standards.

  • 03

    Current for 2026

    Reflects modern UK safeguarding practice including MASH referral, LADO and mandatory FGM reporting.

Key facts

Child abuse at a glance.

The essentials, in plain English: what the UK recognises as abuse, who holds the duty to safeguard, and where information-sharing rules sit.

  • What it is

    Any action, or lack of action, by an adult or older child that causes significant harm to a child under 18. Includes physical, emotional and sexual abuse, neglect and exploitation.

  • Categories

    Physical, emotional, sexual, neglect, fabricated or induced illness, domestic abuse, bullying, honour-based abuse and criminal exploitation such as county lines.

  • Whose job it is

    Safeguarding is everyone's responsibility. All UK healthcare, education and social care workers hold a statutory duty to safeguard children.

  • Where to report

    Children's Social Care via the Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH), the NSPCC helpline, or the police in an emergency.

  • Mandatory reporting

    FGM in a child under 18, either observed or disclosed, has been a mandatory professional report to the police since 2015.

  • Consent to share

    Consent from the child or parent is not required to share information for safeguarding purposes where a child is at risk of significant harm.

Why this guide matters

Every professional, every parent, every neighbour.

Recognition, response and referral are the three moments that change outcomes. The points below shape everything else on this page.

  • Recognise the pattern

    Abuse rarely presents once, in isolation. It hides in implausible histories, delayed presentations and small changes in behaviour.

  • Respond with care

    Listen, believe the child, keep them safe and record what was said in their own words. Do not promise secrecy.

  • Refer without delay

    A same-day referral to Children's Social Care or the police can be the moment that changes a childhood.

How concerns are assessed

From first concern to a protection plan.

The steps a UK safeguarding lead, paediatrician or social worker will normally follow, in order, so you know what to expect and why.

  1. 01

    Recognise

    Recognise concern

    A worrying injury, a disclosure, a behaviour change or an implausible history. Concern can come from any professional or family member.

  2. 02

    Recognise

    Immediate safety

    If a child is in immediate danger call 999. Otherwise, do not delay: seek advice from a safeguarding lead the same day.

  3. 03

    Recognise

    Listen and document

    Record what was said in the child's own words, verbatim, with times, dates and body diagrams. Factual and non-leading throughout.

  4. 04

    Assess

    Full clinical assessment

    A head-to-toe examination by a paediatrician, growth and development check, and, where indicated, genital or oral examination with a chaperone.

  5. 05

    Assess

    Targeted investigations

    Clotting screen for unexplained bruising, skeletal survey for suspected physical abuse in young children, CT head and retinal examination if abusive head trauma is suspected.

  6. 06

    Refer

    Refer to Children's Social Care

    Same-day referral to MASH if there is significant risk. LADO if a professional is implicated. Police if a crime is suspected.

Where there is significant risk: action begins the same day, not the next.

Recognising harm

The patterns that should raise a concern.

No single feature confirms abuse, and no single feature rules it out. It is the combination, the context and the story that matter.

  • Physical injury patterns

    Bruising in a non-mobile baby, grip or slap marks, belt or ligature marks, cigarette burns, scalds with a clear tide-mark, bites or immersion patterns.

  • Suspicious fracture patterns

    Posterior rib fractures, spiral long-bone fractures, metaphyseal corner fractures, skull fractures or fractures at multiple stages of healing.

  • Abusive head trauma

    The classic triad of subdural haemorrhage, retinal haemorrhage and encephalopathy in an infant. Any suspicion needs urgent paediatric neurology and ophthalmology review.

  • Emotional harm

    Persistent belittling, humiliation, rejection, isolation, coercion or forcing a child to witness domestic abuse.

  • Sexual abuse and exploitation

    Age-inappropriate sexualised behaviour, disclosure, genital or anal injury, sexually transmitted infection, grooming, online CSE, trafficking or FGM.

  • Neglect

    Persistent failure to meet a child's basic needs: food, clothing, shelter, hygiene, supervision, affection, medical or educational care.

  • Fabricated or induced illness (FII)

    Symptoms that do not fit any pattern, that resolve when the carer is absent, or a carer who insists on invasive tests despite reassurance.

  • Behavioural red flags

    Regression, withdrawal, unexplained aggression, self-harm, soiling or wetting, sexualised behaviour, disordered eating or attempted suicide.

Response

How the UK responds when a child is at risk.

Safety first, then multi-agency assessment, medical care, psychological support and legal protection where needed.

  • Multi-agency working

    Health, social care, police, education and the third sector plan together through a strategy discussion and, where needed, a Child Protection Plan.

  • Treat physical injuries

    Standard medical and surgical care for injuries. Specialist paediatric input for suspected abusive head trauma, fractures or genital injury.

  • Trauma-informed psychological care

    Referral to CAMHS, play therapy, family therapy and specialist trauma teams. Support is calm, paced and led by the child.

  • Legal and protective measures

    Police investigation, criminal prosecution, family court proceedings, protection orders, care orders and, where needed, foster or kinship placement.

  • Family support

    Parenting programmes, Family Hubs, Sure Start-style services and specialist domestic-abuse organisations such as Women's Aid and Refuge.

  • Learning and review

    Serious Case Reviews and Local Child Safeguarding Practice Reviews so systems improve after every serious incident.

  • Prevention and universal services

    Health visiting, school nursing, relationships and sex education, and the Prevent duty for radicalisation concerns.

What this guide is based on

The sources behind every claim on this page.

UK statutory guidance and specialist society standards, current at the time of last review.

Key references

Statutory guidance and specialist standards.

A quiet reminder

This guide is for information, not a substitute for a safeguarding referral.

If you are worried about a child, speak to your safeguarding lead or contact the services listed at the top of this page. When in doubt, refer.

  • HM Government. Working Together to Safeguard Children (statutory guidance).

  • Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH). Child Protection Companion.

  • NICE. Child abuse and neglect (NG76) and Child maltreatment: when to suspect (CG89).

  • GMC. Protecting children and young people: the responsibilities of all doctors.

  • Department of Health. FGM mandatory reporting duty (Serious Crime Act 2015).

Red flags

When a concern is urgent.

These features raise the threshold for a same-day safeguarding referral. If any are present, act now rather than watch and wait.

  • Bruising in a non-mobile baby

    Any bruise in a baby who is not yet cruising or walking needs urgent paediatric review. A bruise here should never be dismissed.

  • Implausible or changing history

    A story that does not fit the injury, or that changes between tellings, is a serious safeguarding concern.

  • Delayed presentation

    Significant injury brought to attention hours or days late, without a clear reason, is a red flag.

  • Disclosure of abuse

    Any disclosure by a child, even in passing, must be taken seriously, recorded verbatim and referred the same day.

  • Suspected abusive head trauma

    An infant with unexplained encephalopathy, apnoea, seizures or bulging fontanelle needs immediate hospital assessment.

  • FGM in a child under 18

    A mandatory professional report to the police under the Serious Crime Act 2015, whether observed or disclosed.

  • County lines or criminal exploitation

    Unexplained money, phones, travel or missing episodes in a young person. Refer to the National Referral Mechanism where trafficking is suspected.

  • Sibling at risk

    If one child is harmed, siblings living in the same household are considered at risk and must be assessed too.

Supporting children

The response that helps children most.

Children heal in the presence of safe, believing adults. Four principles guide every conversation and every referral.

A quiet reminder

Being believed is often the first step in recovery.

A calm listener and a swift, competent referral change what happens next. Both matter.

  1. 01 Listen

    Believe the child

    Children rarely make false disclosures. Listen calmly, do not interrogate, and thank them for telling you.

  2. 02 Report

    Never keep a safeguarding secret

    Do not promise confidentiality. Explain that you need to tell someone whose job it is to keep them safe.

  3. 03 Share

    Share information appropriately

    Consent is not required to share information for safeguarding purposes where a child is at risk of significant harm.

  4. 04 Recover

    Recovery takes time

    Trauma-informed care, stable relationships and specialist support give children the best chance of recovery, at their own pace.

Frequently asked

Everything we get asked about safeguarding.

Quick answers on categories of abuse, reporting routes, information-sharing and long-term impact.

  • What counts as child abuse in the UK?

    Any action, or lack of action, by an adult or older child that causes significant harm to a child under 18. UK statutory guidance recognises physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse and neglect, alongside related concerns such as fabricated or induced illness, domestic abuse, exploitation, FGM, honour-based abuse and criminal exploitation.

  • Who is responsible for safeguarding children?

    Everyone. All UK healthcare, education and social care workers hold a statutory duty to safeguard children. Parents, wider family, neighbours and members of the public are also encouraged to report concerns to Children's Social Care, the NSPCC or the police.

  • How do I report a safeguarding concern?

    If a child is in immediate danger, call 999. Otherwise contact your local Children's Social Care via the Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH), speak to your organisation's safeguarding lead, or call the NSPCC helpline on 0808 800 5000. Children and young people can call Childline on 0800 1111.

  • Do I need consent from the family to share information?

    No. Consent from the child or parent is not required to share information for safeguarding purposes where a child is at risk of significant harm. GMC, NMC and statutory guidance are all clear on this point.

  • What is mandatory reporting for FGM?

    Since October 2015, regulated health, social care and teaching professionals in England and Wales must personally report to the police any case where a girl under 18 has told them she has undergone FGM, or where they have observed physical signs of FGM.

  • What are the long-term effects of abuse?

    Childhood abuse and neglect are strongly linked to later depression, anxiety, PTSD, self-harm, suicidal thoughts, substance misuse, relationship difficulties, chronic physical health problems and intergenerational harm. Early, trauma-informed support significantly improves outcomes.

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