Wokingham Borough Council is urging residents who may suspect issues of child abuse to report their concerns.
They say that residents don’t have to be absolutely certain to make a report, because they gather information from many sources. Due to the fear of not being completely certain before making a report, sometimes cases of abuse and neglect in children can go missed.
They suggest using the ‘ABC’ approach to recognising abuse:
Appearance: unusual injuries, or consistently poor hygiene
Behaviour: being withdrawn, overly anxious, disruptive or self-harming
Communication: talking aggressively, using sexualised language or becoming secretive.
Cllr UllaKarin Clark, executive member for children’s services said: “An important part of my role is to make children’s lives safer.
“Health professionals, teachers and social work practitioners are skilled in identifying abuse and neglect but it’s not just up to them.
“Please report anything you suspect being not quite right. The welfare of a child could depend upon it.”
Residents can report any concerns to the Wokingham Borough Council Social Care team on 0118 908 8002 or their partner agencies, the NSPCC or Thames Valley Police.
In cases of immediate risk always call 999, or if you think a crime has been committed, call 101.