CHILDLINE: Campaign aims to encourage public to contact helpline if worried a child could be at risk or experiencing sexual abuse

Anyone concerned a child or young person may be in danger of or experiencing sexual abuse to contact the helpline.

The NSPCC Helpline offers free guidance and advice to any adult who contacts them with concerns about a child. Whether they’ve heard something through an adjoining wall or if they’re a professional who works with children, the Helpline can offer support.

Last week, we released new Freedom of Information data that we received from police forces across the UK, which showed some of the highest numbers of child sexual abuse offence records ever collected by the charity.

The collated data revealed that during 2022-23 there were almost 87,000 cases of child sexual abuse recorded by police across the UK. Here in the North East and Cumbria, 6,346 offences were recorded in this period.

Offences included rape, sexual assault, sexual grooming and sexual exploitation. In the majority of crimes in which the age was known the victims were 11 to 15-year-olds.

Thanks to funding from the Home Office, the NSPCC has launched a new campaign to encourage the public to contact the Helpline if they are worried a child could be at risk or experiencing sexual abuse.

Our specialists can advise on a wide range of issues, and we urge anyone with any concerns or queries about a child to please get in touch.

By working together, we can do more to protect children from sexual abuse. As adults, parents and professionals it’s our duty to do whatever we can to prevent children from being harmed, and this could be as simple as calling our Helpline. All of us must play our part in protecting children. What is shared could be life-changing for a child experiencing sexual abuse.

For parents, sexual abuse can be a difficult topic to discuss with our children, and our Helpline is also there for advice on helping to start these difficult conversations.

Anyone concerned about a child’s wellbeing can contact the NSPCC Helpline at [email protected] or phone 0808 800 5000. If a child is in immediate danger, please call 999.