Safeguarding is the action that is taken to promote the welfare of children and protect them from harm.
Safeguarding means:
- Protecting children from abuse and maltreatment
- Preventing harm to children’s health or development
- Ensuring children grow up with safe and effective care
- Taking action to enable all children and young people to have the best outcomes
If you suspect abuse, neglect or exploitation of a child or young person
- Report concerns about a child or young person – Newcastle
- Report concerns about a child or young person – Gateshead
Keeping children and young people safe
Child abuse is any form of maltreatment of a child. Somebody may abuse or neglect a child by inflicting harm, or by failing to act to prevent harm. Children may be abused in a family or in an institutional or community setting by those known to them or, more rarely, by others. Abuse can take place wholly online, or technology may be used to facilitate offline abuse. Children may be abused by an adult or adults, or another child or children.
Children can experience more than one type of abuse which can have serious and long-lasting impacts on their lives.
You can also find help and advice from the NSPCC website or by calling 0808 800 5000.