What happens when you report child abuse
If you report a suspected incident of child abuse and we are already concerned about a child or young person, we will consider any new information and respond to any new or increased risks. We will always take action to protect children and young people even where their parents or carers pose a risk to us.
The action we take will depend on the risk of harm the child or young person faces.
If we think the child or young person is in imminent danger, we will take protective action straight away. We will talk to the child or young person (with the help of an interpreter, if necessary) about what's happening to them and what we need to do.
Where there is a risk to the child or young person's welfare but they are not in imminent danger, we will discuss the situation with them (as long as we feel they are old enough and understand what we are talking about).
We will also talk to their parents or carers and other adults who are important to them, provided that this will not put the child or young person at risk or compromise our investigations. We take account of the child's views, the wider family's capacity to protect, and we are sensitive to individual circumstances.
For more details about what we do and why, you can read the: