If you're worried about any child and think they may be a victim of neglect, abuse or cruelty, contact your local Social Services office or the Police.

Children may be abused in a family or in an institutional or community setting, people they know or, more rarely, by a stranger.

Somebody may abuse or neglect a child by inflicting harm, or by failing to act to prevent harm. Children may be abused in a family or in an institutional setting, by those known to them, or more rarely, by a stranger. A child or young person up to the age of 18 can suffer abuse or neglect and require protection via an inter-agency Child Protection Plan.

A guide for parents and carers