Report child abuse

If you are worried that a child or young person is at risk or is being abused contact the children’s social care team at their local council. 

You will be asked for your details, but you can choose not to share them. 

Call 999 if the child is at immediate risk, or call the police on 101 if you think a crime has been committed. 

What to report 

Child abuse includes physical, sexual and emotional abuse, and neglect. You can read more about the signs of child abuse. 

You do not need to be sure that a child or young person has been abused – it is OK to report a suspicion. 

What happens when you report it 

The person who answers your call will decide what to do. For example, they might: 

  • gather more information 

  • ask a social worker to look into it 

  • contact the police, if they think the child is at immediate risk or a crime has been committed 

The children’s social care team will tell you what happens next, but they will not be able to give you any confidential information. 

Get advice 

Contact the NSPCC if you want to discuss your concerns and get advice.  

NSPCC (for adults)  

Telephone: 0808 800 5000 

ChildLine (for children and young people) 

Telephone: 0800 1111 (free) 

The Child Line number will not show up on your phone bill if you call from a land line or from most mobile networks. 

For further information on Reporting child abuse, see GOV.UK's website.