North Wales Safeguarding Board

  • About
  • Public
    • Information for Children and Young People
      • Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE)
      • Harmful sexual behaviour framework
      • Independent Inquiry Into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA)
    • Information for Adults
      • County Lines
      • Domestic Abuse
      • Extremism and Radicalisation
      • Financial Abuse
      • Modern Slavery
      • Self Neglect & Hoarding
  • Professionals
    • Events & Training
    • Board Members
      • NWSCB
      • NWSAB
    • Policies and Procedures
    • Board Documentation
    • Practice Reviews
    • Wales Safeguarding Procedures
    • Workforce Development
    • CSA Action Plan
  • Resources
    • 7 minute briefings
    • Document Library
    • PRUDiC
  • Blog
  • FAQ
  • Contact

What is Child Abuse?

Child abuse is any action by another person – adult or child – that causes significant harm to a child. It can be physical, sexual or emotional, but can just as often be about a lack of love, care and attention.

An abused child will often experience more than one type of abuse, as well as other difficulties in their lives. It often happens over a period of time, rather than being a one-off event. And it can increasingly happen online.

A child at risk is a child who:

is experiencing or is at risk of abuse, neglect or other kinds of harm (see below; and
has needs for care and support (whether or not the authority is meeting any of those needs)

Physical abuse – hitting, slapping, over or misuse of medication, undue restraint, or inappropriate sanctions.

Emotional / psychological abuse – threats of harm or abandonment, coercive control, humiliation, verbal or racial abuse, isolation or withdrawal from services or supportive networks.

Sexual abuse – rape and sexual assault or sexual acts to which the child has not or could not consent and/or was pressured into consenting. Insert link to CSE page

Financial abuse – this category will be less prevalent for a child but indicators could be:

  • unusual activity in a bank account by a counter signatory;
  • not meeting their needs for care and support which are provided through direct payments; or
  • complaints that personal property is missing.

Neglect – failure to access medical care or services, negligence in the face of risk taking, failure to give prescribed medication, failure to assist in personal hygiene or the provision of food, shelter, clothing; emotional neglect.

Domestic abuse  – Witnessing domestic abuse is child abuse, and teenagers can suffer domestic abuse in their relationships. Domestic abuse is any type of controlling, bullying, threatening or violent behavior between people in a relationship. Domestic abuse can also include emotional, physical, sexual, financial or psychological abuse.

If you suspect a person is at immediate risk of harm call 999 and speak to the Police.

This post is also available in: Welsh

Search

Events
Policies and Procedures
Practice Reviews
Board documentation
Board members
Blog
Safeguarding Week

Recent posts

  • New 7 Minute Briefings
  • Child sexual abuse investigations: A guide for parents and carers
  • Message from Sally Holland, Children’s Commissioner for Wales
  • 10 Top Tips for Making an Adult Safeguarding Report
  • Ending Physical Punishment in Wales

Email Newsletter

Sign up to receive email updates!
Sign up

NWSB Partners

Anglesey County Council
Gwynedd County Council
Conwy County Borough Council
Denbighshire County Council
Flintshire County Council
Wrexham County Council
North Wales Police
Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board
National Probation Service (Wales)
Community Rehabilitation Company

NISB Logo

Contact details

Regional Administration Officer to the Safeguarding Board
Email: regionalsafeguarding@denbighshire.gov.uk
Tel: 01824 712903

Privacy Policy

Log In

You are not logged in.
Login

Concerned about a child?

If you know a child who is at risk of abuse or is being abused, it’s very important that you let the council or the police know.

If the individual is in direct danger, call the Police immediately on 999. If not, telephone Social Services as soon as possible to share your concerns.

Anglesey
01248 725 888
01248 353 551 (out of hours)

Gwynedd
01758 704 455
01248 353 551 (out of hours)

Conwy
Social Services: 0300 456 1111
Out of Hours: 01492 515777

Denbighshire
01824 712200: Monday – Friday 9am – 5pm
0345 053 3116: Evenings and weekends

Flintshire
01352 701 000
0345 053 3116 (out of hours)

Wrexham
01978 292 039
0345 053 3116 (out of hours)

Concerned About An Adult?

If you know of an adult who is at risk of abuse or is being abused, it is very important that you let the council or the police know

If the individual is in direct danger, call the Police immediately on 999. If not, telephone Social Services as soon as possible to share your concerns.

Anglesey
01248 750057
01248 353551 (Out of hours)

Gwynedd
Adults Department, Health and Wellbeing 01766 772577
01248 353551 (Out of hours)

Conwy
Adults:
0300 4561111 (Office hours)
0300 1233079 (Out of hours)

Denbighshire
0300 4561000
0345 053 3116 (Out of hours)

Flintshire
03000 858858
0845 053 3116 (Out of hours)

Wrexham
01978 292066
0345 053 3116 (Out of hours)

Copyright © 2021 · Site by DarkStar Digital · Log in

  • Cymraeg
  • English