In safeguarding terms, not every safeguarding concern is a child protection concern, but all child protection concerns are safeguarding concerns.
Child protection issues are concerns that indicate a child is suffering, or is likely to suffer, significant harm. These are usually categorised under the four main forms of abuse:
1. Physical Abuse
- Hitting, shaking, burning, poisoning or otherwise physically harming a child.
- Fabricated or induced illness.
- Injuries inconsistent with the explanation given.
2. Emotional Abuse
- Persistent criticism, humiliation, rejection or intimidation.
- Exposure to domestic abuse.
- Serious impact on a child's emotional development, self-esteem or mental health.
3. Sexual Abuse
- Sexual activity involving a child.
- Grooming (online or offline).
- Sharing or creating sexual images.
- Child sexual exploitation (CSE).
4. Neglect
- Failure to meet a child's basic needs.
- Inadequate food, clothing, shelter or supervision.
- Failure to access medical treatment.
- Educational neglect where attendance concerns place a child at risk.
Please refer to the policy below for more details.
Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy.pdf
The issues featured below are linked to guidance and local procedures which can be found on the Milton Keynes Safeguarding Board website at: MKSCB
Other Safeguarding Issues Often Considered Child Protection Concerns
Depending on the level of risk, these may meet the threshold for Children's Social Care involvement:
- Domestic abuse in the household.
- Child Criminal Exploitation (CCE) and county lines.
- Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE).
- Missing episodes.
- Serious self-harm or suicide risk.
- Honour-based abuse.
- Forced marriage.
- Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).
- Radicalisation.
- Trafficking or modern slavery.
- Parental substance misuse.
- Parental mental health difficulties impacting care.
- Young carers experiencing significant harm due to caring responsibilities.
- Serious online abuse, coercion or exploitation.
