Young People’s
Safeguarding

Abuse can take many forms:

• Physical abuse
• Being hit or injured on purpose.
• Restraining someone inappropriately
• Emotional abuse
• Intimidation, threats, humiliation, extortion, racial, verbal or psychological abuse
• Exploitation, coercion, harassment
• Sexual abuse
• Sexual activity that is unwanted or not understood
• Unwanted sexual attention
• Neglect / Deprivation
• Not providing food, clothing, attention or care. Withholding of aids or equipment (continence, walking, hearing, glasses).  Putting someone at risk of infection
• Failure to provide access to appropriate health or social care
• Misuse of medication by inappropriately giving medication, overdosing or withholding it
• Imposed Isolation/Confinement
• Being refused the company of others either at home or outside
• Financial abuse
• The theft or misuse of money, property or personal possessions
• Discrimination
• Treating people less favourably and unfairly on the grounds of race, ethnicity, religion or belief, age, gender, disability, sexual orientation
• Self-inflicted injury may be a sign that abuse is taking place,
• Domestic Violence
• Domestic violence is any incident of threatening behaviour, violence or abuse between adults who are or have been in a relationship together, or between family members, regardless of gender or sexuality
• Modern Slavery
• Organisational Abuse
• Drug trafficking
• People smuggling
• Coercion into terrorism

Find further information on reporting concerns to the Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH)

When you contact Children’s Social Services, you will be asked for relevant information about the young person you are concerned for.  You will be asked what you heard or saw.  Information will then be shared on a “need to know” basis, but you will be kept informed about who has to be told – for example, the Police if a crime may have been committed.

Together all the relevant agencies will work with the young person who may be being abused.  They will establish what happened, and what action the person would like to be taken next.  Work will also be done with the alleged abuser, and different options will be explored which will prevent, reduce or stop further abuse from happening.

Find further information on reporting concerns to the Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH)

In an emergency, call 999 or Dorset Police: Tel: 101

For out of hours Dorset Police contact:

Bournemouth and Poole: Tel: 01202 657279 – Evenings and weekends, including Bank Holidays.

Dorset: Tel: 01305 858250

If you report abuse to us we:

• take your concerns seriously
• deal with the matter sensitively
• make sure the young person is safe
• investigate the situation fully

In addition, we may:

• Contact the young person’s school/college
• Contact their GP
• Contact the MASH team