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When dealing with a vulnerable child or adult, safeguarding practitioners will create and update numerous documents. If the investigation leads to a criminal case, what information is recorded about the victim could well be disclosed to the accused. What professionals write about the victim is important and we should avoid ‘victim blaming language’. Read More →

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Imagine a place where children who have been sexually abused can receive the response that they need, under the one roof. A place where all the safeguarding agencies work together, not only to ensure the welfare of the child, but also secure evidence the best evidence to bring perpetrators to justice. That is ‘Barnahus’, the Icelandic model being introduced into the UK. Read More →

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Significant increases in the number of children being groomed online has led to the rise of self-styled ‘paedophile hunters’. Members of the public who take it upon themselves to act as child decoys online, arranging to meet and then publicly confronting the abuser. Many of these confrontations have ended in serious incidents. So, are paedophile hunters’ lawless vigilantes, or safeguarding angels? Read More →

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Hotel and B&B rooms are often used to groom and abuse young people. Those that work in the hotel business have a responsibility to safeguard and prevent the sexual exploitation of children. MakeSafe is an initiative that equips hoteliers with the necessary skills to spot potential signs of exploitation and take preventative action. Read More →

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Breast ironing is an age-old tradition, practiced in certain parts of Africa. The pounding and massaging of a girl’s breasts to delay breast development. In the UK it is child abuse. Read our guide to find out more. Read More →

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Abuse linked to a belief in spirit possession is difficult for safeguarding professionals to identify, understand and sometimes accept. It sits outside the norm and there is a danger that they could mistakenly be dismissed as superstitious nonsense. We take a look at the very specific indicators associated with this specific area of child abuse. Read More →

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Here in the UK it is difficult to establish the exact figure due to the secretive nature surrounding FGM. However, it is estimated that around 80,000 females living in the UK have undergone the procedure. Read our guide to find out more.Read More →