The safeguarding types of abuse to be aware of
All staff have a duty to safeguarding against various types of abuse. In this blog, we take you though some of the more common types of abuse in safeguarding that you need to be aware of in, including the signs to watch out for and the types of behaviours that might be a cause for concern. We also talk about your responsibility to safeguarding and what to do around reporting safeguarding concerns.
7 common safeguarding abuse types you need to be aware of
Whilst there are a large number of safeguarding abuse types that may become a concern with children at your school, some of the more common to be aware of are as follows:
1. Physical abuse
Physical abuse includes any act where someone intentionally harms a child.
For example:
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Hitting, slapping or punching
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Burning or scalding
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Biting or scratching
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Breaking bones
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Medical abuse
Meanwhile, common signs of physical abuse may include:
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Broken or fractured bones
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Burns or scars
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Bite marks
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Side effects of poisoning or medical abuse such as vomiting, drowsiness or seizures
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Unusual behaviour and responses to touch
It’s important to remember that children will be children and are accident-prone, therefore will naturally get bumps, bruises and scratches What is key when watching out for signs of physical abuse is regular injuries, a pattern to the injuries or if a story doesn’t quite add up. In this case, the incident should be reported.
2. Online
Online abuse includes any type of abusive activity that takes place on the internet, including via mobile phones, tablets, laptops and any other device that connects to the internet. It can happen anywhere, including:
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Social media
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Text and messaging apps
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Online chats
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Online gaming
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Live-streaming sites
This abuse can be from both strangers or from people they know.
Signs of online abuse may include:
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Spending more time online, texting or gaming
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Seeming distant, upset or angry after being online
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Being secretive about who they interact with online or what they’re doing online
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Have lots of new contacts and online “friends”
These aren’t definitive signs of online abuse but may be cause for concern. If you notice any of these signs or if something seems out of the ordinary, be sure to report it to your safeguarding lead.
3. Neglect
Neglect is the ongoing failure to meet a child's basic needs. It is the most common form of child abuse. Neglect comes in many forms, including:
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Physical – neglecting a child’s basic physical needs such as food, clothing and shelter
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Emotional – neglecting a child’s need for emotional support, such as ignoring them, humiliating them or intimidating them
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Educational – denying a child their right to education
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Medical – where a child isn’t given proper healthcare, including dental care
Neglect isn’t always obvious and can be difficult to spot. Additionally, having one of the signs doesn’t necessarily mean that a child is being neglected. But, if you notice multiple signs or signs that happen regularly or for a long period of time, this might indicate a concern that needs to be reported. Such signs may include:
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Poor appearance and hygiene – being smelly or dirty, unwashed clothing, wearing the wrong size clothing or not having seasonal clothing
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Health and development problems – medical or dental problems, poor language or social skills, regular illness or abnormal tiredness
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Housing and family issues – unsuitable housing, being left along for a long time or taking care of other family members
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Change in behaviour – including being clingy, aggressive, withdrawn or signs of mental health concerns
4. Emotional
Emotional abuse (sometimes called psychological abuse) often forms part of other types of abuse which means that it can be difficult to spot or tell the difference. However, it is any type of abuse that involves the continual emotional mistreatment of a child. It may involve deliberately trying to scare, humiliate, isolate or ignore a child and can occur at the hands of both adults and other children.
Types of emotional abuse includes:
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Humiliating a child
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Constantly criticising a child
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Never having anything nice to say, never expressing positive feelings or congratulating a child on success
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Blaming and scapegoating
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Making a child perform degrading acts
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Controlling behaviour
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Not allowing them to have friends
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Persistently ignoring them
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Being absent
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Never showing any emotion when interacting with the child
Children might not tell anyone about emotional abuse until they reach ‘crisis-point’, therefore it can be hard to know what’s going on. There might not be any obvious signs, therefore it’s important to look out for behaviour such as:
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Lack of confidence beyond the norm or a lack of self-assurance
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Struggling to control their emotions
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Difficulty making or maintaining relationships
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Acting in inappropriate ways for their age
5. Domestic abuse
Domestic abuse includes any type of controlling, bulling, threatening or violent behaviour between people who are or have been in a relationship or between people related to each other. This can be particularly harmful to children and is considered child abuse.
Domestic abuse can happen inside and outside the home, over the phone or internet and both men and women can be abusers. Types of domestic abuse include:
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Physical violence such as hitting, kicking or throwing objects
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Controlling behaviour
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Not letting someone leave the house
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Reading someone else’s emails or texts
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Threatening behaviour
Living in a home where domestic abuse happens can have a serious impact on a child or young person's mental and physical wellbeing, as well as their behaviour, but it can be very difficult to tell if domestic abuse is happening in a household.
However, signs that a child may have witnessed or experienced domestic abuse include:
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Aggression or bullying
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Anti-social behaviour
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Mental health concerns such as anxiety or depression
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Attention seeking
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Constant or regular sickness
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Eating disorders
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Trouble learning
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6. Grooming
Grooming is when a person builds a relationship with a child, young person or an adult who’s at risk building trust and emotional connection so that they can manipulate, exploit and abuse them. Note that anyone can be a groomer, regardless of age, gender or race.
The relationship a groomer builds can take different forms, including a romantic relationship, an authority figure or a mentor. A person can be groomed via:
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Social media
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Text messages and messaging apps
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Video chats
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In-person meetings
Signs that a child may be being groomed:
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Being secretive about how they spend their time
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Having a relationship with an older person
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Having money or new things they can’t or won’t explain
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Spending more time online
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Being withdrawn
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Spending more time away from home
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Sexualised behaviour, language or an understanding of sex beyond their age
It may be more difficult to spot these signs within a school environment, but any concerns of this should be reported immediately to your designated safeguarding lead.
7. Bullying and cyberbullying
Bullying is intentional behaviour that hurts someone else. This can encompass many types of behaviours and abuse, including name calling, physical violence, spreading rumours, threatening behaviour, blackmail and more. Cyberbullying is any type of bullying that takes place online.
Such behaviours may include:
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Physical bullying such as hitting or pushing someone
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Verbal bullying such name calling, gossiping or threatening someone
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Emotional abuse such as intimidating or humiliating someone
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Controlling or manipulative behaviour
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Hate crimes such as racial, sexual, transphobic or homophobic behaviour
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Bullying someone due to a disability or similar
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Sending threatening messages online or via messaging apps
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Sharing embarrassing or sensitive images
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Shaming someone online
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Setting up hate sites or groups
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Creating fake accounts, hacking or stealing identities in order to embarrass someone
No one sign will indicate for certain that a child is being bullied, but it’s important to look out for severe incidents, multiple signs or persistent signs such as:
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Things being ‘lost’ or damaged
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Unexplained injuries
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Being afraid to go to school or regularly skipping school or certain classes
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A change in performance at school or not completing homework
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Changes in behaviour, including being nervous, losing confidence or becoming withdrawn
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Bullying others
Your responsibility to safeguarding
All staff should follow the school's safeguarding policies and procedures, and the statutory guidance provided by each nation of the UK.
Staff must ensure that they understand these so that any instances of abuse can be reported and responded to appropriately.
However, staff's responsibilities go beyond simply following the safeguarding process. They also have a responsibility to their students on a more holistic level – creating a relationship and an environment where students feel comfortable coming to them with concerns, and where they can spot when something is out of character for that student. Any concerns must be reported following the school’s policies and procedures. This helps the Designated Safeguarding Leads (DSLs) see and respond to a bigger picture where required.
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