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HomePeople, health and careKeeping children safe in North Lincolnshire

Keeping children safe in North Lincolnshire

Find out what to do if you’re worried that a child is being neglected or abused. Information about safeguarding children in North Lincolnshire and our early help offer.

Report abuse or neglect

If you are ever concerned that a child is in immediate danger please call the police on 999.

Safeguarding children and young people is the responsibility of everyone. If you are concerned that a child is being abused or they may be at risk of harm, you should contact and make a referral to our Single Point of Contact Team on:

  • 01724 296500 (9am to 5pm Monday to Thursday, 9am to 4.30pm Friday)
  • 08081 689667 (free phone)
  • 01724 296555 (answerphone – out of office hours and at weekends )
  • 101 – Police non emergency
  • 999 – Police emergency

Safeguarding information for children, parents and carers

Safeguarding disabled children and young people

Disabled children have the same rights as any other child to be protected and cared for properly. Sometimes however, due to the nature of their disability, disabled children can be more vulnerable to harm or abuse.

For information on safeguarding disabled children in North Lincolnshire please visit the safeguarding children section of the Local Offer website.

Child abuse

All children and young people should grow up in a home where they are loved and feel secure.  Abuse is harm to a child or young person. It could be in the form of:

  • neglect
  • physical abuse
  • sexual abuse
  • emotional abuse

The NSPCC website has more information on the types of child abuse.

Bullying

Bullying is frightening and harmful to children and young people.

The Anti Bullying Alliance defines bullying as:

  • emotionally harmful behaviours such as taunting, spreading hurtful rumours and excluding people from groups
  • physically harmful behaviours such as kicking, hitting, pushing or other forms of physical abuse

Visit our bullying page for more information.

Domestic abuse

Domestic abuse is when someone uses intimidation to control another person. This is usually a partner, ex-partner or other family member.

The abuse can take many forms – emotional, psychological, financial, sexual or a combination of some or all of these. For more information please see our Safeguarding Adults Board website.

Home safety

Nationally 300 children are admitted to hospital every day because of accidents. Most accidents happen in the home and this is why it is important to make your home safe for your family, especially young children. The Child Accident Prevention Trust website has lots of information on making your home safe.

Safety outside the home

Road safety

Teach your child about road safety when you are out and about. Children will copy the good examples you set. Teenagers are still vulnerable when crossing roads, particularly if they are using mobile phones or anything that will distract attention from the road.

Car seats

Children must have an appropriate baby seat, child car seat or booster seat – even on short journeys. For more information about suitable car seats, visit our child seats page.

Cycle safety

Teach your child about cycle safety and make sure they wear protective equipment to reduce any injuries. For more information about cycle training, visit our road safety education and training page.

The following websites have lots of information on road safety:

You can also contact our Road Safety Team  on roadsafety@northlincs.gov.uk or 01724 297000

Water safety

For information about water safety visit the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents website or the Child Accident Prevention Trust website.

E Safety

The internet offers great opportunities for children and young people to learn and interact with friends. But just as you would teach your child about road safety, they need to be taught about internet safety and being ‘virtually street wise’.  Children need to be aware of the risks associated with the internet such as:

  • pornography
  • adults who may pose a risk to children
  • identity fraud
  • gambling
  • bullying

For further information about internet safety and ways to protect your children please visit any of the following websites:

Safety in sport

Always check how a sports club or play activity is run. Even though the organisation may seem well run, don’t make any assumptions. A well run club will welcome questions about their activities and policies. They will know they have a responsibility to give this kind of information to anyone who leaves a child in their care.

For more information visit child protection in sport on the NSPCC website.

Children’s Multi Agency Resilience and Safeguarding (CMARS)

The Children’s Multi Agency Resilience and Safeguarding (CMARS) Board is responsible for improving the overall wellbeing of children in North Lincolnshire.

The three safeguarding partners are:

  • North Lincolnshire Council
  • Humberside Police
  • North Lincolnshire Clinical Commissioning Group

They have joint responsibility for local safeguarding arrangements.

The North Lincolnshire CMARS website has lots of safeguarding information for children, young people, families and the professionals who work with them.

Our early help offer

Information for parents, carers and families

Parents and the wider community play a major role in a child’s health, development and wellbeing. Offering high quality opportunities in the first three years of a child’s life gives them better outcomes. Taking better care of our children’s early health and development is crucial. Getting it right for babies and young children gives a foundation for their whole life and reduces inequalities later in life. Children’s physical, social and cognitive development during the early years strongly influences their school readiness, educational attainment, economic participation and health.

In North Lincolnshire, there are approximately 35,000 children and young people. The majority of these children have their needs met and achieve good outcomes. However, some children live in difficult family circumstances such as parental drug and alcohol dependency, domestic abuse and poor mental health. It is crucial that these children and their families benefit from the best quality professional help at the earliest opportunity.

We work together with our partners and local agencies to identify children and families who would benefit from early help. To find out more please visit the early help offer on the CMARS website.

Information for professionals

The early help assessment forms and guidance are available on the CMARS website.

Multi agency public protection arrangements (MAPPA)

MAPPA is the set of arrangements through which the police, probation and prison services work together with other agencies to manage the risks posed by by violent and sexual offenders living in the community. This includes offenders who are considered to pose a risk, or potential risk of harm to children.

For more information please visit the MAPPA information on Gov.UK

The Humberside Area Strategic Management Board

The Humberside Area Strategic Management Board includes lead officers from the police, probation and prison services, representatives from a number of agencies with a “duty to cooperate” and lay advisors.

In North Lincolnshire, the strategic management board meets quarterly to:

  • Oversee the work of the MAPPA and manage performance
  • Review and monitor the effectiveness of arrangements
  • Receive referrals on individual offenders that commit serious violent or sexual offences
  • Ensure independent review of management of risks
  • Determine whether local strategic reviews form part of statutory review
  • Define any necessary revision to arrangements
  • Act as final arbiter where local MAPPA fails to agree on issues concerning offenders who are subject to management in the community.

See also the Safeguarding Adults Board website for information about domestic abuse, how to report it and support available.

Contact

Single Point of Contact Team: