I’m a child or young person concerned about neglect – what can I do?

If you are under 21 and worried about your own situation or that of another child, there are several routes open to you.

• Every school has a teacher who is responsible for safeguarding children. If you're not sure who that is, you can always speak to any teacher you think will listen to you.
• If you are an older child you can call your local Social Care department and explain the situation. They will then assess whether they can help you and point you in other directions for help if not. You can find your local authority online or in the local phone book (your library will have one if you don't have one at home).
• You can also call Childline which is a free, 24 hour helpline for children and young people in danger or distress. You can contact them on the helpline: 0800 1111 or online.
• Alternatively, it might be easier for you to talk to an adult you trust and decide what to do from there. They may have some good advice or help you to contact the right people.

If you are worried about an immediate situation, call the police in your area or dial 999.

What will happen if I speak to the Social Care department?

If you are phoning with concerns about another child/young person you can ask for your conversation to be anonymous, which means you don't have to give your details. However, depending on what you tell them, children's services will have to act if you or the child concerned are in danger and anonymity cannot be guaranteed.

If you are calling about something that is happening to you personally then you will need to give them your details to get the help you need. This is known as a Child Protection Enquiry and is a legal requirement under the Children Act 1989. This is in England only.

If you are calling about someone else under the age of 21, Social Care may already be working with the family concerned. If not, and they decide to act, Social Care may first of all contact people who know the family such as a head teacher, health visitor or family doctor. Unless it would put the child at more risk to do so, the family will be asked for their permission to do this. Depending on what they learn during these enquiries, Social Care would decide if the child needs help and what action to take, if any.

Can I call one of your centres?

Yes, please do. Our staff will listen to your concerns and offer you appropriate advice and help. The centre closest to you may run drop-in projects you can go to, or you may be referred to your local authority in order for them to assess the projects available.

Please look at our services map to see if there is an Action for Children children's centre near you. If not, there may be children's centres run by other organisations within your local area; contact your local authority.

For more advice from other organisations, see useful organisations.