If you think a child in Brent has been harmed or may be harmed call:
Tel: 020 8937 4300
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.
This information provides simple guidance about children who may need protection from harm.
Emotional Abuse
Emotional abuse is defined as the “persistent emotional maltreatment of a child, such as to cause severe and persistent adverse effects on the child’s emotional development.”
It may involve “conveying to children that they are worthless, unloved, inadequate, or valued only in so far as they meet the needs of another person.”
Visit the NSPCC website for more information, including how to recognise the signs and symptoms of Emotional Abuse.
Sexual Abuse
A child is sexually abused when they are forced or persuaded to take part in sexual activities. This doesn't have to be physical contact, and it can happen online. Sometimes the child won't understand that what's happening to them is abuse.
Visit the NSPCC website for more information, including how to recognise the signs and symptoms of Sexual Abuse.
Physical Abuse
Pysical Abuse is deliberately hurting a child such as hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning, scalding, drowning or otherwise causing harm.
Physical harm may also be caused when a parent or carer fabricates the symptoms of, or deliberately induces illness in a child.
Visit the NSPCC website for more information, including how to recognise the signs and symptoms of Physical Abuse.
Neglect
The persistent failure to meet a child’s basic physical and/or psychological needs, likely to result in the serious impairment of the child’s health or development. Neglect may occur during pregnancy as a result of maternal substance abuse.
Visit the NSPCC website for more information, including how to recognise the signs and symptoms of Neglect.