Please read the following guidelines carefully. They will help you to understand child abuse and what to do if a child tells you about abuse.

Forms of child abuse;

Sexual abuse:
Both boys and girls can be sexually abused in the following ways:
Full sexual intercourse, masturbation, oral sex and fondling.
Showing children pornographic books and videos
Asking children to take part in making videos or taking pornographic photographs.

What to look for: pain, itching, bruising or bleeding in genital area, stomach pains, discomfort when walking, unexplained sources of money, inappropriate drawings, language or behaviour, aggressive, withdrawn behaviour or fear of one person.

Physical abuse:
Physical abuse can be in the form of injuries sustained through hitting, shaking, squeezing, biting or burning. In certain situations, abuse may occur when the nature and intensity of training exceeds the capacity of the child's body.

What to look for: fear of parents being contacted, going home or receiving medical advice; unexplained or untreated injuries or Injuries on unlikely parts of the body; cigarette burns, bite or belt marks,scalds; flinching when touched; refusal to discuss injury; covering arms and legs.

Neglect
Where adults: fail to meet a child's basic physical needs eg. food, warmth and clothing; constantly leave children alone and unsupervised; fail or refuse to give children love, affection or attention. Neglect might also occur during organised activities if young people are placed in an unsafe environment, are exposed to extreme weather conditions or are at risk from being injured.

What to look for: poor personal hygiene; constantly hungry; inappropriate clothing or dress; constantly tired; lonely, no friends; underweight;no parental support or interest; dishevelled appearance.

Emotional abuse
This form of abuse includes: persistent lack of love or affection; frequently shouting at children; taunting children; over-protection which can lead to poor social skills.

What to look for: over-reaction to mistakes; sudden speech disorders; extremes of emotions; self-mutilation. Emotional abuse may include situations where parents, coaches or organisers subject children to constant criticism, bullying or unrealistic pressure to perform to high expectations.

What to do if a child tells you about abuse:
Most importantly, you should listen attentively and let he/she know it was right to tell someone about their worries. Stay calm and make sure that the child feels safe and knows that he/she is not to blame for what has happened. Explain that you will have to tell someone else about the abuse if it is to stop. Only ask questions that establish what was done and who did it. Make a note of what the child said and the date and time of your conversation. Don't act without seeking help from your organisation's Child Protection Officer if you have one, or from social services or the police, who must be informed about all suspected cases of child abuse. Seek advice before telling parents or carers about the conversation or letting any person suspected of abuse know what's happened. You could be putting the child in greater jeopardy by doing so. Don't worry that you may be making things worse by reporting your concerns. Few things are worse than allowing child abuse to continue. Many children are devastated by the experience of abuse and, in the most serious cases, may be seriously harmed or have their life threatened.

Childsafe code for Staff and Volunteers

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