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What exactly does the NSPCC Helpline do?
The NSPCC Child Protection Helpline offers advice and support to anyone concerned about the welfare of a child. The Helpline is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Calls are dealt with by our Helpline counsellors, who are all trained child protection officers. You can telephone, email or write to them for information and advice, or to report concerns about a child at risk of abuse.
Do the Helpline counsellors come out to visit the public?
No.
Do Helpline staff investigate reports of child abuse?
No. If a caller reports child abuse, the helpline counsellor would pass details on to the local social services child protection team. They would make further enquiries and investigate if necessary.
If I am concerned about a child's welfare, can I get professional help more locally?
You can contact your local social services department area child protection team through your local authority. Contact your local council or your GP for the number and address. Or you can get these details from the NSPCC Helpline on 0808 800 5000.
What does the term "child abuse" mean? And what are the different types of abuse?
Child abuse is the term used when an adult harms a child or a young person under the age of 18. There are four main kinds of abuse: physical abuse, emotional abuse, neglect and sexual abuse, all of which can cause long-term damage to a child. Bullying, racism and other types of discrimination are forms of child abuse. Like other kinds of abuse, they can harm a child physically and emotionally.
I am worried about a child that may be being abused, but I'm not sure. How can I tell?
A child may be experiencing abuse if they are:
Remember, this list does not cover every possibility. If you are worried about a child, call the NSPCC Child Protection Helpline on 0808 800 5000.
I am worried about a child, but I only want to talk about it. I don't want you to do anything. Is that OK?
Yes. We understand that you might just want to talk through your concerns. The Helpline adviser will listen and give you information and advice. But if you tell us about a child who is being abused or who might be in danger we have a duty to act and will guide you accordingly.
Your call will be confidential and you can remain anonymous. Find out more about confidentiality on the Helpline.
Who investigates abuse?
It is the duty of the local social services to investigate concerns or allegations of child abuse. If a Helpline caller reports child abuse, we would pass the details on to the social services child protection team, who would make further enquiries and investigate if necessary. They usually do this in conjunction with the police child protection team.
Do you help adults who were abused as children?
Yes. The Helpline gets many calls from adults who were abused in childhood. Often their call to us is the first time they have told anyone about it. It can be very helpful to be able to talk about what happened and the feelings associated with it. If you call about abuse you experienced as a child, the Helpline adviser will listen, then help you to arrange ongoing support. They will also check whether there are children who might be at risk from your abuser now.
What should I do if I think the person who abused me is still abusing children?
The person who abused you may have hurt other children and may still be a risk to children now. Please phone 0808 800 5000 and give any information you can to help us prevent this. You can talk with a Helpline adviser (all of whom are trained child protection officers), and also get help for yourself.
If I tell you about when I was abused as a child, would you give this information to the police or a social worker without my consent?
No. As an adult, this is your decision. We would listen to what happened to you and help you to decide what to do. If you want the abuse to be reported to the police or social services, the Helpline adviser would talk through what would happen as a result. If a child or children are likely to be at risk now from your abuser, the Helpline adviser would encourage you to give us details so that we can take action to protect them.
Who answers the phone?
Calls to the Helpline are dealt with by our Helpline advisers, who are all qualified child protection officers.
Will the call cost me anything?
No, as long as you call from a landline. These calls are free - the NSPCC raises the money to pay for them. But if you phone from a mobile you will have to pay for the call.
What if I can't get through to a Helpline adviser?
If all the Helpline advisers are busy you will be asked to call back later.
What are the best times to call?
The Helpline gets very busy - particularly between 9am and 6pm. So a good time to call is later at night or early morning. But whatever time you call, please keep trying if you don't get through immediately.
Are there any other ways I can report concerns to you?
There are a number of ways you can contact the Helpline.
Can I report my concerns to anyone else?
Yes. You can contact your local social services, who have a duty to investigate concerns or allegations of child abuse.
Where can I find their telephone number?
Phone directory enquiries on 118 118. You can also get their contact details from the NSPCC Helpline on 0808 800 5000.
What do I do in an emergency?
If you think a child is in immediate danger, phone the police on 999. They respond immediately to serious concerns, then pass details to social services who carry out follow-up work.
Can I be anonymous?
Yes. We realise that some callers do not want to give their name when reporting their concerns about a child. This does not affect the action taken by our Helpline child protection officers.
Will I know who I am talking to?
Yes, even if you do not give your name, the Helpline adviser will give you their name.
Will anyone else be told that I have phoned the Helpline?
We will NOT disclose your name or address to the person or family you have concerns about. And if we need to share any details with the police or social services, we ask them not to do so.
Will my call show up on my phone bill?
No. A call to the Helpline will not be shown on your telephone bill, apart from some mobile phone companies.
How can I hide my visit to your website?
Yes, it is really simple to do. You need to delete all the temporary internet files on your hard disc and delete all links from your history folder. We have step-by-step instructions to help you hide your visit.
What happens to the information I give you?
We keep a written record of all calls to the Helpline. We record anything you tell us that we think can help to protect a child. These records are stored securely at the NSPCC.
For how long is the information kept?
For seven years.
Can I see your record of my call?
Under the Data Protection Act everyone has the right to see any personal information that an organisation holds about them. You are not entitled to see personal information about anyone else.
How do I arrange to see information about my call?
Write to: The Service Manager, NSPCC Child Protection Helpline, Weston House, 42 Curtain Road, London, EC2A 3NH.
If I have a complaint about the Helpline Service, what should I do?
Phone the Helpline and ask to speak to the Helpline duty manager, who will try to resolve the problem. If you then wish to send a written complaint, it should be sent to: The Service Manager, NSPCC Child Protection Helpline, Weston House, 42 Curtain Road, London, EC2A 3NH.
If I call about a child at risk, will I learn what happens as a result?
If you call about a child at risk, the Helpline adviser will talk to you about what action needs to be taken to protect the child. But we may not be able to tell you about the outcome of any subsequent enquiries by social services or the police as this is confidential and subject to the Data Protection Act.
What should I do if later I get more information about what's happening to the child. Should I call again?
Yes, we would want to hear from you. When we record the information from your first call we give it a reference number. If the child is at risk, we pass details to local social services or the police. They would also want to have this additional information. You can contact social services direct or give us the information and we will pass it on. Ask for the Helpline adviser you spoke to by name or give the reference number and make it clear that the information relates to the referral.
Will I be able to follow it up with social services?
Yes, it is normal to want to follow up and the social worker will probably appreciate having direct contact with you. We can give you details of the local social services area child protection team.
How can I comment on the service you provide?
You can phone the Helpline and ask to speak to the duty manager who will try to resolve the problem. A written complaint should be addressed to the service manager at the Helpline. The NSPCC has a complaints procedure and details of this are available in a booklet available on request.
What about callers who want advice in other languages?
We have a Cymru/Wales Helpline and an Asian Helpline in Gujurati, Hindi, Punjabi, Bengali and Urdu. We also have advice in eight other languages.
Can I get help with translation if I call?
Yes. We can arrange for a telephone interpreter if you need help with translating. Please ask about this when you phone the Helpline on 0808 800 5000.
Can I write to you in languages other than English?
No. However, if we receive a letter that is not in English we will do our best to translate it enough to ensure that we understand any information it contains about a child at risk and act on this information.
Tell me more about the Asian Helpline
The Asian Child Protection Helpline offers a culturally sensitive service to callers in English and in five key South Asian Languages: Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi, Gujurati and Bengali. Callers can speak in confidence to an experienced Asian Helpline adviser who understands their culture and background. All Asian Helpline advisers are qualified child protection officers.
The Asian Helpline is open between 11am and 7pm, Monday to Friday. We take calls from England, Wales and Northern Ireland on Freephone 0800 096 7719. Email: helpline.asian@nspcc.org.uk.
What kind of advice is there on the site?
In addition to advice about using the Helpline, there is onscreen information about the different types of child abuse and how to recognise them. And there is also a section on more general child care problems.
Who writes the advice pages?
The advice pages are written by our Helpline advisers, who are all trained child protection officers.
I've got some suggestions for other areas of child care advice that I would find helpful. Who should I tell?
Please use the feedback form or send an email to helpline@nspcc.org.uk.
At what age can children be left at home alone?
The law does not give an age. What it says is that parents are responsible for providing care for their children that is appropriate to their age, level of maturity and understanding in all situations. If you are a parent or carer who can't care for or supervise your children personally, you still have a responsibility to make appropriate arrangements taking these factors into account. Find out more about leaving children at home alone.
I have to leave my child(ren) alone for a short time. What should I do?
Parents can be prosecuted under the Children and Young Person's Act 1933 if they cause unnecessary suffering due to neglect. Depending on the age and maturity of the child you should ensure that safeguards are in place even for the shortest time. Make sure they are happy about the arrangement. Give clear instructions about what to do if there is a problem. If possible leave a telephone number where they can contact you. Leave a list of other people to contact.
At what age can a child be left in charge of younger children?
The law does not say. It may be acceptable for a child of 13 or 14 to be left alone for short periods, but it would not be acceptable for the same child to be placed in charge of younger children. It is better not to ask anyone under 16 to look after a young child. Where a babysitter is under the age of 16 the parents remain legally responsible to ensure that their child comes to no harm.
Is all pornography illegal?
No. What seems obscene and offensive might not in fact be illegal and this is one of the problems. You can read the law in relation to this on www.iwf.org.uk.
What are the risks for my children when using the internet? What can I do?
The main issue people have with the internet is that adults who want to exploit children may use chat rooms to persuade them to meet up in the real world. The anonymity the internet brings means you can never be sure who you are talking to. That is why the first rule of chat rooms is never to reveal any personal information that would allow an adult to contact your child eg, full name, address, telephone number. It also includes things such as their favourite pizza restaurant or the location of school sports events; even a photo message can reveal a child's whereabouts. There are also tips on www.iwf.org.uk.
Are Internet Service Providers (ISPs) responsible for what appears on the sites they host?
No. ISPs are not responsible in Law but this might change. Some ISP's are more responsible than others and offer services that help parents to supervise their children better on the internet.
What if I find offensive or illegal material on the internet?
If you come across any disturbing or obscene material on the internet involving children you can report the sites to the internet service provider and the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) on www.iwf.org.uk.
What is the Internet Watch Foundation?
The IWF is the watchdog organisation for the UK internet industry, and can act to get child abuse images removed from the internet. If you report something which you think may be child abuse images, the IWF will contact the service provider to request it be removed. Remember, though, the IWF cannot do anything about material that is offensive, only what is dangerous or against the law.
Does the helpline take calls from children and young people?
Yes, although most calls come from adults who are concerned about a child.
The NSPCC runs a special advice website for teenagers called There4me.com. In addition to screen advice on a wide range of problems, one-to-one counselling is available online. Through this service, young people can talk online in realtime with specially trained NSPCC advisers.
I am a young person with big problems at home. I want to run away. Can you help?
If there are problems between you and your parents it might be best to get some expert advice before running away. If you are being abused, remember that the abuse can be stopped if you talk to someone about it. Why not phone one of our Helpline counsellors? They will help you work out the best thing to do. The number is 0808 800 5000.
Or you can talk online with an NSPCC counsellor in real time at our advice site for teenagers. For more information visit www.there4me.com.
Find out more about why children and young people run away.
If you have a question about protecting children that hasn't been answered in the FAQs above, you can send it to us online. Just complete and submit the email form . We try to reply to all questions within 24 hours.
Copyright © 2006 NSPCC - All rights reserved. National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, Weston House, 42
Curtain Road, London EC2A 3NH. Incorporated by Royal Charter. Registered charity number 216401. NSPCC, charity registered in Scotland, charity number SC037717.