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  2. Crime, justice and the law
  3. Crime prevention
  4. Protecting children and vulnerable adults

Reporting child abuse and neglect

If you are worried about the safety or welfare of a child, it is important that you report it. Even if you’re not sure, it's always best to tell professionals about your concerns. Social services and the police can investigate concerns about a child's safety.

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.

  • Gateway Service Teams contact details

You can also contact the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children's (NSPCC) free and confidential 24-hour helpline service:

  • NSPCC - Child protection helpline 

What you will be asked

You will be asked to give information such as:

  • where the child lives
  • their personal or family details, if known
  • who cares for them
  • your concerns

All calls about concerns for the safety of a child are taken seriously and treated in confidence. It is up to you if you give your name.

Social services will investigate your concerns and take suitable action to make sure that the child is protected.

Child Protection disclosure arrangements

If you're concerned that someone with access to a child might be a risk to that child, you can apply to the police to ask if that person has a criminal record for sexual or violent offences.

To apply, you need to complete a form and bring it in person to a police station. You can download the form from the PSNI's website or collect a form in any police station.

  • Child protection disclosure arrangements - PSNI website 

At the police station, you must prove your identity with acceptable photographic identification such as:

  • a passport
  • a driving licence
  • an electoral ID card

You might need to answer some questions and sign the declaration.

The disclosure process can take up to 28 days. If necessary to protect the child, the police will give conviction information to the child's guardian or parent.

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Protecting children and vulnerable adults

  • Abusive relationships
  • Child sexual exploitation – protecting children and young people
  • Disclosure and barring – protecting children and vulnerable adults
  • Recognise and report elder abuse
  • Recognising adult abuse, exploitation and neglect
  • Regulated activity with vulnerable groups
  • Reporting child abuse and neglect
  • Who to contact if you suspect abuse, exploitation or neglect

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Comments or queries about angling can be emailed to anglingcorrespondence@daera-ni.gov.uk 

If you have a comment or query about benefits, you will need to contact the government department or agency which handles that benefit.  Contacts for common benefits are listed below.

Carer's Allowance

Call 0800 587 0912
Email 
dcs.incomingpostteamdhc2@nissa.gsi.gov.uk

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Call 0800 587 2750 
Email 
customerservice.unit@communities-ni.gov.uk

Disability Living Allowance

Call 0800 587 0912 
Email dcs.incomingpostteamdhc2@nissa.gsi.gov.uk

Employment and Support Allowance

Call 0800 587 1377

Jobseeker’s Allowance

Contact your local Jobs & Benefits office

Personal Independence Payment

Call 0800 587 0932

If your query is about another benefit, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

Comments or queries about the Blue Badge scheme can be emailed to bluebadges@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk or you can also call 0300 200 7818.

For queries or advice about careers, contact the Careers Service.

For queries or advice about Child Maintenance, contact the Child Maintenance Service.

For queries or advice about claiming compensation due to a road problem, contact DFI Roads claim unit.

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If your query is about another topic, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

For queries about your identity check, email nida@nidirect.gov.uk and for queries about your certificate, email covidcertni@hscni.net.

For queries or advice about criminal record checks, email ani@accessni.gov.uk

Application and payment queries can be emailed to ema_ni@slc.co.uk

For queries or advice about employment rights, contact the Labour Relations Agency.

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For queries about:

  • Car tax, vehicle registration and SORN
    contact the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), Swansea
     
  • Driver licensing and tests, MOT and vehicle testing
    contact the Driver & Vehicle Agency (DVA), Northern Ireland

If your query is about another topic, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

For queries about your identity check, email nida@nidirect.gov.uk.

 

For queries or advice about passports, contact HM Passport Office.

For queries or advice about Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs), including parking tickets and bus lane PCNs, email dcu@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk

For queries or advice about pensions, contact the Northern Ireland Pension Centre.

If you wish to report a problem with a road or street you can do so online in this section.

If you wish to check on a problem or fault you have already reported, contact DfI Roads.

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