Child abuse

Are you being abused- at home or by someone else?  Is someone at home being treated badly by someone else? Do you have a friend who needs help because they are being abused?

Abuse can happen in many ways:

• physical abuse: hitting, shaking, throwing, burning or using medication to harm someone.
• emotional abuse: making someone feel worthless, telling them that no-one loves them; frightening them - threatening harm, being nasty; exploitation for work or sex.
• sexual abuse: forcing someone to participate in sexual activity, forcing someone to look at and/or create pornographic content. Encouraging someone to engage in sexually inappropriate behaviour.
• neglect: not providing suitable food, accommodation or clothing; not preventing harm or physical risk, not ensuring access to care or medical treatment; not ensuring that the child receives regular education.

What to do

• Contact Social Services and tell them what's happening.
  Phone: 01758 704 455
  (Out of hours number: 01248 353551)
• E-mail: cyfeiriadauplant@gwynedd.llyw.cymru
• In an emergency – like when someone is being hit or shut out of their home – call the police on 999
• Ring Childline on 0800 1111 or go to the ChildLine website
• You can ask an adult that you trust, like a teacher or youth worker or even a friend, to make the phone call for you. When people are working with children and young people they have to follow set procedures, but they will explain to you what they will do and will support you through the process.
• If you are bullied, take a look at the Childline, Kidscape and SortIt websites.

If something bothers you or makes you scared, and you're not sure if it's abuse, talk to someone you trust.

Abuse means either harming someone or not ensuring that someone isn't harmed. Abuse or neglect can happen within a family or an organisation, by people who are familiar, or less often by a stranger.

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

If the individual is in direct danger, call the police immediately - 999.

If not, telephone Social Services as soon as possible to share your concern.

• Social Services: 01758 704 455
  (Out of hours number: 01248 353551)

What information will i need to share?

• What is the nature of your concern and what led to it?
• What is the victim's name, date of birth, address and family details? (if known)
• Who has caused you this concern, and are there any other witnesses?

What happens next?

• Your call will be logged and information about the individual will be checked to see whether they are familiar.
• Information will be collected from other agencies that might have links to the individual.
• On the basis of this information, a decision will be made whether or not to investigate your concern.
• This could lead to rigorous steps take to safeguard the individual from suffering further harm.