Solihull Local Safeguarding Children Board

Keeping Children and Young People Safe

Welcome to the website for Solihull Local Safeguarding Children Board formerly known as Solihull Area Child Protection Committee (ACPC). Solihull LSCB aims to ensure local organisations work effectively together to safeguard Solihull's children and young people and protect them from harm.

Children and young people are our most valuable assets. Children and young people are also the most vulnerable members of society. Protecting children and young people from becoming the victims of abuse is everyone's responsibility.

Child abuse can happen to a child at any age, from birth to when they have left school. It can happen in well-off families and in poor families; it can happen to children from any ethnic background, to children with or without disabilities.

You will find valuable information on this site to help you recognise different types of child abuse and how to get help if you think a child or young person you know is being harmed.

Child Abuse

Many parents, relatives, friends, and neighbours are interested in the welfare of the children they know. This information will help you to understand what child abuse is and how to get help if you think a child you know is being abused. The sooner you take action, the sooner the abuse will stop.

What is Child Abuse?

Abuse can happen to a child at any age, from birth up to 18 years of age and can happen in well-off families and in poor families; it can happen to black children and white children; it can happen to disabled and non-disabled children. Abuse can happen because of the way adults or other children and young people behave towards a child; it can also result from adults failing to provide proper care for the children they look after. One child may suffer different kinds of abuse at the same time.

Physical Abuse

This is when someone physically hurts or harms a child. Hitting, squeezing, biting, or twisting a child's arms or legs, can cause injuries like bruises, grazes, cuts or broken bones. Sometimes, someone burns a child, perhaps by holding a part of their body against something very hot or by scalding. Violently shaking a baby can cause brain injuries, which can lead to permanent disability. Poisoning a child, perhaps by giving them alcohol or drugs, and deliberately making them ill is also physical abuse. Warning signs:

• Any injuries at all to young babies who are not yet able to move on their own
• Bruises in places where you would not normally expect to find them on a child
• Bruises which have a distinctive shape or pattern, like hand prints, grasp or finger marks, or belt marks
• Burns or scalds with clear outlines
• Bite marks
• Bruising in or around the mouth

Neglect

Neglect can result when adults fail to meet the physical or emotional needs of the children they are responsible for. All children need food, clothing, warmth, love and attention, in order to grow and develop properly. Warning signs:

• A child who always appears dirty and smelly
• A child who looks thin and ill
• A child with illnesses which have not been treated
• Inadequate or unsuitable clothing for the weather conditions
• A child who suffers repeated accidents
• A child who does not respond when given attention
• A child who craves attention and affection from any adult

Sexual Abuse

This is when someone forces a child to take part in sexual activity, which the child does not really understand and to which the child is not able to give informed consent. The abuser may use different methods to persuade the child to co-operate, like bribery, threats or physical force. Sexual abuse can take many different forms, from touching to penetration. Often, there will be no physical signs. It can happen to boys as well as girls. Sexual abuse can have long-lasting effects: some children who have been abused in this way go on to abuse other children; some find as they grow up that they are unable to have close relationships with other people; others deliberately harm themselves because they feel so bad about what has happened. Children who are being sexually abused may tell an adult they trust - that person must be prepared to listen, hear and take action. Warning signs:

• A child who behaves in a sexual way
• A child who has inappropriate sexual knowledge for their age
• Injuries or unusual appearance to private areas of the body
• A child who seems to take on an 'adult' role in the family
• A child who has 'secrets' with adults
• A child who hints at sexual activity through words, play or drawings.
• Truanting, running away from home

Emotional Abuse

Emotional abuse occurs when a child's basic needs for love, security, praise and recognition are left unmet. It may result in a child becoming withdrawn, nervous, unhappy or lacking in confidence; a child may be isolated and find it difficult to make friends, perhaps because they don't behave like other children. Emotional abuse may happen when an adult constantly behaves in an uncaring or hostile way towards a child, perhaps by bullying, rejecting, frightening, criticising or scape-goating the child. An adult may behave in an inconsistent way all of the time so the child never knows what reaction to expect. Some adult carers can be very possessive or over protective towards a child. In severe cases, children may be subjected to cruel treatment and punishment like being locked up in cold dark surroundings. Basic needs like food, drink and warmth may be withheld or have to be 'earned'. A child may also be emotionally abused if they are living in a household where they are witnessing or overhearing domestic abuse. Warning signs:

• A child who is constantly blamed unfairly for things that go wrong
• A child who is made to carry out tasks inappropriate to their age
• A child who is not allowed to do normal childhood activities
• A child who is unhappy, nervous, withdrawn, isolated

What can I do to help?

It is very important that you take action straight away if you think a child you know is being abused. The longer abuse goes on the longer it will take for a child to recover. Sometimes abuse gets worse over time if nothing is done and the child suffers increasingly serious harm. Children are dependent on others for their survival and have a right to be protected and have someone who will act on their behalf. Doctors, health visitors, teachers or the NSPCC can advise you and put you in touch with a Social Worker or Police Officer, or can pass on information on your behalf.

Who to contact

You can contact Children's Social Work Services 0121 788 4375 in office hours and out of hours the Emergency Duty Team can be contacted on 0121 605 6060 or you can also contact the Police by telephoning: 0845 113 5000. If you are concerned that a child is at immediate risk you should call 999.

Children's Social Work Services (formerly Social Services)

Social workers have a major role in investigating, assessing and working with the victims of child abuse. When an allegation of child abuse is made, the Children's Social Work Services carry out enquiries to decide what action is needed to ensure the child is safe and protected. Most often, this can be done with the child staying at home. The Children's Social Work Services has a legal duty to offer as much help as possible to the family to enable the abused child to stay at home safely. Social Workers and Police Officers often work together to investigate allegations of child abuse.

West Midlands Police

The Police have to become involved in cases of child abuse because of their responsibility to prevent and investigate crime. It is important to remember that child abuse is a criminal matter. However, prosecution does not always take place. In Solihull there is a team of specially trained and experienced police officers who know how best to investigate child abuse.

The child protection work of the Police and Children's Social Work Services, together with that of other professionals, is conducted according to Solihull Local Safeguarding Children Board procedures, which are based upon the statutory guidance 'Working Together to Safeguard Children' (2006) produced by the Department for Education and Skills. Solihull LSCB Procedures provide a local framework to be followed by all agencies and professionals in safeguarding the welfare and protection of children and young people in Solihull and can be accessed by visiting www.solihull.gov.uk/StaysafeProcedures/