Useful information when reporting a safeguarding concern
Most people find the decision to report child abuse a difficult one. They worry about overreacting or being wrong, and may question whether they have strong enough evidence, misread the signs of abuse or misunderstood a situation. These fears are understandable, but unfounded.
You don’t need to be absolutely certain of what you’ve seen or heard in order to report your concerns, even if you think it could just be a one-off. Information is usually gathered from many sources; your report would just form part of a bigger picture.
Calls are anonymous, although most people do give their details.
We understand that you may not have all the answers. The following is an example of the type of information that would be useful to Lambeth's children's social care team.
- Details about the child, such as name and date of birth.
- Address and contact details for the child's parent or carer.
- The reason for your call.
Every child deserves to be protected. Last year 400,000 children in England were supported because someone noticed they needed help.