This summary guide explains how to make an effective referral to children's social care or report to police.
It is designed for any practitioner who is concerned that a child is being, has been, or may be at risk of being sexually abused by an adult or another child and for designated professionals who are responsible for making referrals to children’s social care or reporting concerns to the police. It sets out key actions you should take before and while the referral/report is made.
You may have come into contact with the child in your role as a youth worker, teacher or early years practitioner, healthcare professional, youth justice worker, voluntary‑sector worker, sports coach, social worker, or health visitor.
The guide provides guidance on how a child may be feeling, the actions you should take, and how to make an effective referral to children’s social care or report concerns to the police.
The context
You may be considering making a referral or contacting the police if:
- you have concerns about possible child sexual abuse
- a child has told you something which suggests they are being, or have been, sexually abused
- another person has told you that the child has told them something
- images of children or evidence of online harms have been discovered.
When planning your response, think about the context(s) in which the child may have been sexually abused. Consider:
- whether the abuse has taken place inside and/or outside the family environment, including online and through technology
- who may have abused the child
- whether the child is currently at risk of sexual abuse.
The protection and support that they are likely to require will depend on these factors. Every child is different and requires an individual response.
You can and should talk directly to children and families if you have concerns of sexual abuse.
Many children are sexually abused in multiple contexts; most abuse has an online element, for example.
If you think a child may be in immediate danger of being sexually abused, contact the police straight away.
How may the child be feeling?
If a child knows that children’s social care or the police are being contacted, they may be feeling:
- fearful of navigating the situation alone while at home
- fearful of being blamed for the abuse
- worried about the stigma associated with the involvement of children’s social care and/or the police
- anxious and uncertain about what these agencies might do
- scared about what might happen to them and their family, particularly if they have been threatened by the person abusing them
- conflicted loyalties and a heavy sense of responsibility for the situation
- relieved that adults are now aware and can take action
- hopeful for support and positive change.
Many of these emotions may contribute to a sense of panic and fear, potentially greater than they were feeling before the concerns were raised.
On the other hand, the child may not be aware that a referral has been made if it’s due to immediate safety concerns.
At this point, you may not have much information about what is happening to the child.
If you have not done so already. talk to the child about your concerns, and record what they say and your observations in a contemporaneous note.
Bear in mind, though, that children face many barriers to telling anyone that they are being sexually abused; if the child says nothing, you must not take that as an indication that they aren’t being abused.
Talk to your organisation’s safeguarding lead to decide what action to take. This will depend on your level of concern, based on what the child has told you and/or what you have observed:
- If you have concerns about the child's welfare, make a referral to children's social care (using your local guidance)
- Where there is a concern that the child is suffering significant harm or is likely to do so, an immediate referral should be made.
- If the child is at imminent risk of harm, contact the police on 999.
Typically, your safeguarding lead has the responsibility to make a referral and/or contact the police. If they decide not to do so and you disagree with their decision, check their understanding and whether you have made your concerns clear; if there is still disagreement about next steps, you may wish to pursue this via your organisation’s escalation procedures for resolving professional disagreements.
It is good practice to tell the child’s parent(s) as well as the child that you will be making a referral, provided that:
- the parent(s) are not suspected of the abuse
- there are no concerns that they won’t safeguard the child effectively
- there are no concerns that they will threaten the child in any way, which might lead to the child feeling unable to talk to you or to others.
Clearly state your concerns.
- Use straightforward language.
- Write down what the child has said, in their own words.
- List and describe any signs and indicators of abuse you have observed. This includes the impacts of the abuse – what have you seen in the child’s behaviour and presentation?
- Describe any other concerns you have about the child, including child neglect, emotional abuse, domestic abuse and other forms of abuse, and any other information that you feel is concerning.
- Make clear what actions you expect children’s social care to take.
- Explain whether you have told the child and/or their non-abusing parent(s).
- Consider any other children or vulnerable adults who may be at risk.
Once you have made a referral, statutory guidance says you should expect to receive confirmation of this and information on next steps within 24 hours (one working day). If the situation is urgent, follow up on this deadline. If you have not heard anything after three working days, follow this up as a priority.
If there are concerns that the child might be abused or silenced, or that a delay might compromise their safety, you must contact children’s social care/the police without informing them and their parent(s) first.