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Report concerns

If you are concerned about a child in Norfolk and want to speak to someone, contact us on 0344 800 8020. If you consider the incident to be an emergency, call 999.

We can help keep children and young people safe throughout the coronavirus pandemic.

It is more important than ever that extended family, friends, neighbours and communities speak up and say something if they have concerns. It is everyone's responsibility to keep children safe and report concerns. We all need to play our part.

Advice on how to keep in touch with children you know and how to spot signs of vulnerability.

Where to go for help

In an emergency, always call the police on 999.

If you are worried about the safety or welfare of a child please call us on 0344 800 8020.

If you see something, or hear something that doesn't feel right - say something.

Keeping children safe report concerns

What happens when someone contacts the County Council with concerns?

When a professional, family member or member of the public is concerned about a child's welfare or safety, they can contact us so we can look into it.  This is called making an enquiry or referral.

The enquiry or referral will be handled by the Children's Advice and Duty Service (CADS). The CADS team is a team of experienced social workers, working in partnership with police, probation services and health service to safeguard children and vulnerable adults in the community.

When they receive an enquiry or referral, partners will share information to decide if:

  • The child has been hurt or could be hurt in the future
  • The child or you would benefit from support from other people who can help 

If you call out of hours (such as weekends, bank holidays or evenings) your call will be taken by our out of hours staff. They will make a decision as to whether the information you give us needs to be dealt with immediately, or whether it can wait until our CADS service returns to work. The staff you speak to will tell you what to expect.

 

What happens to my personal information when I make a report?

Our Children's Services (Social Care) full privacy notice explains how we use your personal information when you contact us.

 

What happens after the enquiry or referral?

If the child is thought to have been hurt or is at risk of significant harm they will be referred to the appropriate team.  Information may be shared with the police to help stop or solve a crime.

If there are no safeguarding concerns but we think your child or you would benefit from extra support, we will ask for your consent to share your child's name, address, reason for the enquiry and outcome with other agencies and services to offer you the support you need.