Children safe from abuse or exploitation

Children who experience, or who are risk of, abuse and exploitation are amongst the most vulnerable in society. Children could be at risk from harms within or outside the home or both. There are also other factors that put children at additional risk from harm, such as going missing and radicalisation. Effective multi-agency working that operates across geographical boundaries can prevent the needs of these children and their families from escalating to more intensive statutory services.

The following resources will provide guidance in relation to “Children being safe from abuse or exploitation”:

• Safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable adults’ course (external link) - Free online course exploring how to identify signs of abuse and encourage you to explore other areas of safeguarding that you may not have previously considered
• Child Exploitation and Online Protection (external link) - Information about keeping yourself or a child you know safer from online child sexual abuse
• Barnardo's (external link) - Guidance on helping children through the trauma of sexual abuse and exploitation and support for young people in care
• NSPCC (external link) - Support and tips to help you keep children safe. From advice on children’s mental health to staying safe online, support for parents and what to do if you’re worried about a child
• Parents against child exploitation (external link) - Support for parents and carers whose children are being exploited by offenders outside of the family
• Child sexual exploitation prevention toolkits (external link) - Resources that may be useful for professionals when working with children and young people, their families and communities in relation to child exploitation
• It's Not Okay - This links provides information and resources for people who work with young people or have a duty of care towards a child. If you work with or come into contact with young people, it is your responsibility to make sure that you understand what child sexual exploitation is (external link), can recognise the warning signs (external link) and know who to contact and how to report any concerns (external link) 
• Contextual safeguarding research programme (external link) - Publications and practice resources produced by the Contextual Safeguarding research programme. Access to their blog, podcast and spotlight series, understanding, and responding to, young people’s experiences of significant harm beyond their families
• Safeguarding guidance and policies - Guidance on several safeguarding issues.

There are a number of organisations that can support children and families with being safe from abuse and exploitation:

• Our Town Community Directory
• Report concerns about a child
• How to Report Child Abuse Without Any Worries (external link).