Who to contact
If you think that a child living in Northern Ireland is:
- being abused
- has been harmed in any way
- is likely to suffer harm
you should contact the Gateway Services Teams for Children’s Social Work at the Health and Social Care (HSC) Trust in the area that the child lives.
You can also contact the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children's (NSPCC) free and confidential 24-hour helpline service on:
- telephone number: 0808 800 5000
- Contact the NSPCC
What you will be asked
You will be asked to provide information such as:
- where the child lives
- their personal or family details (if known)
- who cares for them
- the nature of your concerns
All calls relating to concerns about the safety of a child are taken seriously and treated in confidence. It is up to you if you wish to give your name or not.
Social Services will investigate your concerns and take appropriate action to make sure that the child is protected.
Child Protection Disclosure arrangements
If you have a genuine concern that someone with access to a particular child might be posing a risk to that child, you can approach the PSNI to ask if that person has a criminal record for sexual or violent offences.
These arrangements were introduced on 14 March 2016 to strengthen existing methods of disclosure.
To make an application you will need to fully complete a form and bring it in person to a police station. A copy of the form can be downloaded from the PSNI website or can be obtained from any PSNI station.
At the police station you will be required to prove your identity using an acceptable form of photographic identification and you may also be required to answer any clarification questions and sign the declaration regarding disclosure.
The disclosure process may then take up to 28 days to complete. Conviction information will only be given to the person with primary responsibility for the safety of the child and only if it is necessary to protect the child.