I want to learn more
about how I can help
We all have a role to play in stopping child sexual abuse. Whatever your background or profession, you can take steps to help keep children safe. Find helpful resources and networks for your profession below. You can also promote the Stop Abuse Together campaign to parents and carers, by using our digital toolkit.
I am a teacher or another kind of professional working with children
If you’re concerned about a child in your care, you should follow your organisation’s safeguarding procedures. You can find more advice in our keeping children safe in education guidance.
If you are a professional working with children, you can sign up to the Thinkuknow professional network to get the latest resources and support on tackling child sexual abuse and child sexual exploitation.
The Centre of expertise on child sexual abuse offers evidence-based practice resources for professionals and can provide training and development courses online and in-person. Their Signs and Indicators template can help you identify and respond to concerns of child sexual abuse with confidence. You can also visit the NWG Network for training and advice.
You can also read The Children’s Society Guidance for professionals on how to respond when children share experience of sexual harassment and abuse.
You can find more information about teaching pupils the knowledge they need to recognise and report abuse in the relationships, sex and health education statutory guidance.
The newly launched Harmful Sexual Behaviour Support Service provides advice to a range of professionals across England, who encounter developmentally inappropriate sexual behaviour, which may be harmful or abusive, among the children and young people they are working with. It is available Monday to Friday 8am to 8pm on 0344 225 0623 or hsbsupport@swgfl.org.uk.
I work in health or social care
You can sign up for the Identifying and Responding to Sexual Assault and Abuse e-learning programme.
I am a business owner or run a community project
Resources such as the Child Exploitation Disruption Toolkit and Statutory Framework to Safeguard Children can help you keep children safe.
I work as a police officer or in law enforcement
The Knowledge Hub has been created for UK policing and select private sector partners, to help you share information, discuss ideas and opportunities and encourage greater collaboration. Once you have access to the Hub you will be able to search and find a range of training products to help investigate and prevent CSA.
In addition the College of Policing website also has various products, training and national guidance on this page: Violence against women: Resources for policing | College of Policing, including a section covering training, legislation and guidance around abuse towards younger persons.