4. Recognition and Categories of Abuse and Risk

Staff must remember that child abuse, neglect, and exploitation can occur across all social groups, regardless of religion, culture, social class, or financial position. Children with disabilities are statistically more vulnerable. It is important to remember that abusers can be of any age, gender, or background. It is important to not allow personal preconceptions get in the way of recognising abuse or maltreatment. Staff should recognise abuse in context, considering cultural, societal, and familial norms while assessing the impact on the child.

Any concern or suspicion that a child may be suffering or at risk of suffering significant harm must be reported to the DSL immediately and recorded on the school’s safeguarding system. Staff must not investigate concerns themselves but should provide a clear, factual account to the DSL for triage and escalation.

All staff should be familiar with the four main categories of abuse:

1. Physical Abuse

Definition: Causing physical harm or fabricating illness.

1. Indicators in children: Bruising in unusual places, fractures, burns, signs of restraint, or repeated injuries.
   
2. Indicators in parent/carer: Aggression, reluctance to seek medical help, over-involvement in care, history of violence.
3. Indicators in family/environment: Domestic violence, substance misuse, prior unexplained deaths or injuries, social isolation.

2. Emotional Abuse

Definition: Persistent emotional maltreatment affecting a child’s development or wellbeing.

1. Indicators in children: Low self-esteem, withdrawal, aggression, anxiety, self-harm, difficulty relating to peers.
   
2. Indicators in parent/carer: Overly controlling, inconsistent care, scapegoating, inability to provide emotional support.
   
3. Indicators in family/environment: Lack of support, social isolation, history of mental health issues, substance misuse, domestic abuse.

3. Neglect

Definition: Failure to meet a child’s basic physical, emotional needs, supervisory or psychological.

1. Indicators in children: Poor hygiene, inadequate clothing, frequent illness, developmental delays, emotional withdrawal.
   
2. Indicators in parent/carer: Inability or unwillingness to provide food, shelter, medical care, or supervision.
   
3. Indicators in family/environment: Unsafe home environment, social isolation, history of neglect or abuse, parental substance misuse.

4. Sexual Abuse

Definition: Forcing or enticing a child into sexual activity, including contact and non-contact acts.

• Indicators in children: Sexualised behaviour or knowledge inappropriate for age, unexplained injuries, STIs, self-harm, withdrawal, depression.
• Indicators in parent/carer: Grooming behaviour, sexual boundary violations, history of sexual offending.
  
• Indicators in family/environment: Marginalisation, prior abuse in family, household members with sexual offending history.
  

Additional Considerations:

• Abuse may be peer-on-peer, online, or via technology.
  
• Staff must consider emerging risks, such as online exploitation, cyberbullying, or radicalisation.
  
• Staff should not investigate concerns themselves. All concerns must be reported to the DSL immediately, recorded accurately, and escalated according to school safeguarding procedures.

As an online school, we are aware that the above indicators are not an exhaustive list. Signs and indicators in an online, rather than face to face environment, may be very different. Staff are given appropriate training and support at the start of each academic year and throughout, on identifying these signs in an online setting.

Additional Categories of Risk: Online and Contextual Risks

In addition to recognising abuse in the four main categories, staff should be aware of risks that can arise online or in specific contexts. The school follows KCSIE 2025 guidance on the 4Cs:

1. Content Risks (what children see)
   Exposure to harmful material such as pornography, violent content, or extremist material.

2. Contact Risks (who children interact with)
   Grooming, bullying, radicalisation, or inappropriate relationships online or in person.

3. Conduct Risks (what children do)
   Harmful behaviours such as sharing inappropriate content, cyberbullying, or risky online activity.

4. Commerce Risks (how children may be exploited)
   Exploitation for financial gain or personal data, scams, in-app purchases, or trafficking.
   

Staff Responsibilities:

• Be vigilant for signs that a child may be at risk in any of these areas.

• Report any concerns to the DSL immediately using the usual reporting procedures.

• Promote safe and responsible use of technology in lessons and communications.

• Understand that online risks are treated with the same seriousness as other forms of abuse.

• Be apart of any and all training sessions, to keep up to date on relevant risks, signs and current trends.

Specific Safeguarding Issues

Staff are made aware of the following specific safeguarding issues. These issues are presented based on the legal and social context of the UK. For students outside the UK, we understand that there may be differences in approach in defining these safeguarding issues and in supporting students subject to them. We will seek advice where necessary when informing our practice of international students.

Child on Child Abuse

Staff should be aware that children can abuse other children.

It is essential that all staff understand that downplaying certain behaviours, for example dismissing sexual harassment as “just banter”, “just having a laugh”, “part of growing up” or “boys being boys” can lead to a culture of unacceptable behaviours, an unsafe environment for children and in worst case scenarios, a culture that normalises abuse leading to children accepting it as normal and not coming forward to report it.

Examples may include: 

• Bullying (including cyberbullying, prejudice-based and discriminatory bullying)
• Online grooming between peers
• Abuse in intimate relationships between peers i.e. coercive control between teenagers
• Physical abuse, which may also involve an online element that facilitates, threatens and/or encourages this abuse 
• Sexual violence or assault, which may also involve an online element that facilitates, threatens and/or encourages this abuse
• Sexual harassment, such as sexual comments, remarks, jokes, touching and online sexual harassment aka. Harmful Sexual Behaviour (HSB)
• Causing someone to engage in sexual activity without consent including viewing sexual material
• Upskirting (taking a picture under a person’s clothing without them knowing)
• Initiation/hazing-type violence and rituals
• Image based abuse i.e. sharing nude images

Our school’s safeguarding policy, behaviour policy,  anti-bullying policy and out of school conduct policy are in place to support us if these incidents occur. 

Domestic Abuse

Domestic abuse can encompass a wide range of behaviours and may be a single incident or a pattern of incidents. That abuse can be, but is not limited to, psychological, physical, sexual, financial or emotional. Children can be victims of domestic abuse, including where they see, hear or experience its effects at home and/or suffer domestic abuse in their own intimate relationships (teenage relationship abuse). All of these can have a detrimental and long-term impact on their health, wellbeing, development and ability to learn. 

Abuse of Position of Trust

All staff are aware that they are in a position of trust with pupils. Any sexual relationship or inappropriate communication between a member of staff and a pupil under 18 is a criminal offence, regardless of consent. Staff must uphold professional boundaries at all times, including in online communication and during live lessons.

Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE)

Child Sexual Exploitation is when a child is manipulated, coerced, or forced into sexual activity in exchange for money, gifts, attention, or protection

Indicators in the family or child:

• history of abuse/neglect
• substance misuse
• looked after children
• inappropriate sexualised actions
• mental health struggles
• multiple phones
• underage pregnancy

All members of staff are made aware of the indicators of sexual exploitation in their safeguarding training and any concerns should be reported immediately to the DSL. 

Child Criminal Exploitation (CCE)

Child Criminal Exploitation is  when a child is manipulated or forced into committing crimes, often by gangs or adults, for someone else’s gain

Indicators in the family or child: 

• living in poverty
• associating with gangs/ gang ideals/ gang language 
• talking about drugs, guns or cash they have
• going missing for long periods of time or on frequent occasions

If a staff member develops concerns that a student is being drawn into criminal exploitation, this should be reported to the DSL who will, where appropriate, make referrals through the National Referral Mechanism in the UK, or an equivalent mechanism overseas. 

Violent Crime 

All staff should be aware of signs which may indicate that children are involved with, or at risk from, serious violent crime. These may include, but are not limited to:

• increased absence
• significant changes in friendships or relationships with older individuals or groups
• a significant decline in performance
• signs of self-harm or a significant change in wellbeing
• signs of assault or unexplained injuries
• unexplained gifts or new possessions 

Risk factors which increase the likelihood of being involved in serious violence include:

• being male
•  frequent absences or exclusion
• experience of being maltreated as a child
• being involved in offending before. 

Advice for schools and colleges is provided in the Home Office Preventing youth violence and gang involvement and its Criminal exploitation of children and vulnerable adults: county lines guidance. 

Gang Involvement and Criminal Activity 

Staff should be aware of the indicators which may signal that children are at risk from or are involved with serious violent crime, either through participation in or as victims of gang violence. These may include: 

• becoming withdrawn from family
• a change in friendships or relationships with older individuals or groups
• a sudden loss of interest in school – decline in attendance or academic achievement 
• using new or unknown slang words
• holding unexplained money or possessions 
• staying out unusually late without reason 
• a sudden change in appearance, including dressing in a particular style or ‘uniform’
• a new nickname 
• signs of assault or unexplained injuries 
• increased use of social networking sites 
• starting to adopt codes of group behaviour e.g. ways of talking and hand signs 
• expressing aggressive or intimidating views towards other groups of young people some of whom may have been friends in the past 
• expressing fear about entering certain areas or being concerned by the presence of unknown people in their neighbourhood

In such a case a staff member becomes concerned about anything adobe, the DSL will normally consult the child’s parents and carers. If the child is based in the UK, the DSL will contact the Local Authority’s Children’s Social Care Service or police for the area in which the child is currently located. 

Radicalisation and Extremism 

Radicalisation– a process of someone being encouraged to adopt extreme views or support terrorism. Leading to rejected shared values 

Extremism– refers to holding or acting on views that promote hate, violence, or intolerance, particularly those that threaten the safety and rights of others.

Indicators in a child: 

• talks of extremist material online
• Isolation
• Loneliness
• identity confusion
• talks about societal injustice
• fixation on certain ideology
• using extremist language or slogans
• supporting violence
• having hostility

Staff will undertake Prevent Duty Training issued by HM Government as appropriate in line with safeguarding training. Staff will know how to raise a concern to the DSL and the DSL, if necessary, will make a Prevent Referral. Staff will know they can seek advice or support by email at counter-extremism@education.gsi.gov.uk. 

Honour Based Violence 

Honour Based Abuse is violence or abuse committed to protect or defend the “honour” of a family or community. This usually always stems from deep rooted cultural, religious, or social beliefs about family reputation, especially related to behavior, relationships, or gender roles. 

The following practices linked to Honour Based Violence are illegal in the UK:

Female Genital Mutilation – includes the physical act of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). This is a form of child abuse and a method of violence against women and girls which is recognised by UNICEF as an internationally recognised human rights violation. 

Forced Marriage – is one entered into without the full and free consent of one or both parties and where violence, threats or any other form of coercion is used to cause a person to enter into a marriage. Threats can be physical or emotional and psychological. A lack of free and full consent can be where a person does not consent or where they cannot consent (if they have learning disabilities, for example). Forcing a person into a marriage is a crime in the United Kingdom.

School staff can also contact the Forced Marriage Unit, if they need advice or information: contact +44 (0)20 7008 0151 or email fmu@fcdo.gov.uk

Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking

Children may be exploited through forced labour, domestic servitude, or trafficking for criminal or sexual purposes. Staff should be alert to unexplained travel, multiple addresses, signs of fear, or control by others. Concerns should be reported to the DSL who may refer through the National Referral Mechanism.

Due to our cohort of students, we ensure extra context is always obtained when identifying one of these additional barriers to ensure appropriate safeguarding steps are taken, in the form of Early Help and beyond, if and where necessary.

KCSIE 2025 emphasises the importance of recognising that some children may face additional barriers to recognising or reporting abuse. These vulnerabilities can arise from personal circumstances, social situations, or protected characteristics. Staff should be proactive in identifying and responding to these vulnerabilities, ensuring all children receive equal protection and support. In our safeguarding training, we highlight the significance of the fact that some students may be at an increased risk of abuse or face additional barriers which make them less likely to disclose abuse. We are committed to ensuring that all students receive equal protection, regardless of their circumstances or the barriers they face. We therefore ensure we are extra alert to and have training on students who meet the criteria of any of the following: 

•  are disabled or have specific additional needs 
• has special educational needs
• is a young carer at home
• shows signs of being drawn into antisocial or criminal behaviour, including gang involvement and association with organised crime groups 
• frequently misses school or goes missing from care or from home 
• is misusing drugs or alcohol 
• is in a family circumstance presenting challenges, such as substance abuse, adult mental health problems or domestic abuse
• is showing early signs of abuse, neglect and/or exploitation
• is at risk of modern slavery, trafficking, FGM, sexual exploitation, forced marriage, or being radicalised
• is or has previously been fostered or looked after 
• is vulnerable to discrimination and maltreatment on the grounds of race, ethnicity, religion, disability or sexuality, for example children who identify as LGBTQ+, or a child who does not have English as a first language
• has experienced multiple suspensions, is at risk of being permanently excluded from schools, colleges and in alternative provision or a pupil referral unit 
• has a parent or carer in custody, or is affected by parental offending
• is frequently missing/goes missing from education, home or care

International Safeguarding  

With students around the world, all with variations in safeguarding laws and processes, it is a difficult landscape to navigate .As a school team, our main role is to report any concerns, however small, to our safeguarding team. The safeguarding team will take any concerns forward and report these to the relevant authorities where appropriate and where possible.

If needed, the DSL will work with international authorities and organisations to find the appropriate course of action and alternatives to UK services. The DSL may seek advice from Child Helpline International as a first point of contact.  The DSL will, where necessary, liaise with local child protection authorities, embassies, or international safeguarding organisations to ensure any report aligns with both UK statutory duties and local legal frameworks.

The DSL also sources and maintains a bank of international safeguarding resources for students and families. These are shared alongside UK-based materials to ensure cohesive and unbiased support.

Contextual Safeguarding 

There are many factors outside of school that can influence safeguarding incidents or behaviours. When looking into safeguarding incidents or behaviours, all staff – particularly the DSL – will consider the wider context. School staff, particularly Happiness Managers and Year Group Leads, are key in providing as much information as possible during the referral process, to allow assessment of any abuse to be in a holistic context, considering the safeguarding background of the child and all the available evidence.