Salford City Council is supporting a new government campaign to encourage people to look out for and report child abuse.
The campaign focuses on all forms of neglect and aims to break barriers behind people not reporting concerns. It’s estimated that a third of people who suspect child abuse do nothing about it.
The council now wants people to use the ‘ABC’ guide to spot the signs of abuse and neglect. Look for changes in:
• Appearance – such as frequent unexplained injuries, consistently poor hygiene, matted hair, unexplained gifts, or a parent regularly collecting children from school when drunk
• Behaviour – such as demanding or aggressive behaviour, frequent lateness or absence from school, avoiding their own family, misusing drugs or alcohol, or being constantly tired
• Communication – such as sexual or aggressive language, self-harming, becoming secretive and reluctant to share information or being overly obedient
Charlotte Ramsden, Strategic Director for Children’s and Adult Services at Salford City Council, said: “People do not always want to report concerns because they question whether they have misread the situation and could be wrong.
“We’d like to reassure people that they don’t need to be absolutely certain, they can pass information to us and we will do the rest.
“After we receive a report we will build a bigger picture by gathering information from a lot of sources. So it is better to voice your concerns and have them checked out, rather than have a child suffering from abuse in our city”
The campaign will see posters and adverts go up around the city, as well as social media messages to reduce the stigma around reporting.
People can report their concerns by phoning 0161 603 4500 or emailing worriedaboutachild@salford.gov.uk. Further information is available at www.salford.gov.uk/worriedaboutachild
