Child protection
This page provides simple guidance about children who may
need protection from harm.
What to do if you are worried
If you are unsure that a child may be suffering but are worried,
or if you are concerned that a child has suffered harm, neglect or
abuse, please contact our Children's Social Care Service using
the contact details to the right. In an emergency outside normal
office hours, please contact the police.
Signs of abuse
The following may help you decide whether a child's welfare is
at risk of abuse, harm or neglect.
Signs which may suggest physical abuse
- Any bruising to a baby - pre-walking stage
- Multiple bruising to different parts of the body
- Bruising of different colours indicating repeated injuries
- Fingertip bruising to the chest, back, arms or legs
- Burns of any shape or size
- An injury for which there is no adequate explanation.
Signs of possible sexual abuse
- Something a child has told you
- Something a child has told someone else
- A child who shows worrying sexualised behaviour in their
play or with other children
- A child who seems to have inappropriate sexual knowledge
for their age
- A child who may be visiting or being looked after by a
known or suspected sexual offender.
Signs which may suggest emotional harm
The following signs may be present in children whose parents are
over-critical and emotionally distant, or who are unable to meet
their child's emotional needs:
- Children whose behaviour is excessive. For example, excessive
bedwetting, overeating, rocking, headbanging
- Children who self harm. For example, they may cut or scratch
themselves or overdose
- Children who attempt suicide
- Children who persistently run away from home
- Children who show high levels of anxiety, unhappiness or
withdrawal
- Children who usually seek out or avoid affection.
Signs which may suggest neglect
- Squalid, unhygienic or dangerous home conditions
- Parents who fail to attend to their children's health or
development needs
- Children who appear persistently undersized or underweight
- Children who continually appear tired or lacking in energy
- Children who suffer frequent injuries due to lack of
supervision.
Positive ways of protecting children
What children need
- To feel safe and secure
- Health and happiness
- Appropriate affection
- Lots of smiles
- Praise and encouragement
- To be able to talk to someone
- To be listened to
- New experiences
- Respect for their feelings
- Rewards and treats.
Rochdale Borough Safeguarding Children Board
The Rochdale Borough Safeguarding Children Board (RBSCB) is
the key statutory mechanism for agreeing how organisations in
Rochdale will co-operate to safeguard and promote the welfare of
children in Rochdale.
The Board will continue to lead in the well-established area of
child protection, but in addition, will have other key roles:
- Co-ordinate and scrutinise local agencies arrangements for
safeguarding children
- Ensure the effectiveness of what is done by each agency to
safeguard children
- Ensure lessons are learnt from every serious incident involving
children.
The
RBSCB
will
set up sub groups to:
- Carry out specific tasks – maintaining and updating policies,
protocols and procedures, multi agency child protection training,
identifying inter-agency training needs
- Provide specialist advice
- Bring together representative to discuss relevant safe guarding
issues.