The Decision to Report

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, or if they have 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 to call your local children’s social care team. Information is usually gathered from many sources, and your report would form one part of a bigger picture.

Another big worry people have is that someone will find out they have made a report, but this is unlikely to happen as you can make the call anonymously, although most people do give their details.

Some people don’t report suspected abuse because they think it might just be a one off. But even if that is the case, every child deserves to be protected and it is better to be safe than sorry.

Research shows that some people prefer to talk to someone such as a partner, family member or friend before making a report – and that’s perfectly fine. They may also wait until they are certain before making an official report. But you don’t have to be absolutely certain about whether a child is being abused; if you have a feeling that something’s not right, talk to your local children’s social care team who can look into it.

Rochdale Children’s Social Care

Hours: 8am – 4.45pm - Tel: 0300 303 0440

Out of Hours service

Hours: 5pm – 8am & weekends - Tel: 0300 303 8875