Childline: Adults have a vital role in the safeguarding of children and young people
Our Childline counsellors are available around the clock to offer support over the phone or online no matter what a young person is going through, but it can be incredibly difficult for children and young people to speak out about abuse they are experiencing.
Barriers could include feelings of shame and guilt, concern that they might not be believed, or having conflicting feelings about their abuser.
This is especially true if a child has experienced abuse from a family member, and sadly, this is something which is frequently reported to our colleagues at the NSPCC Helpline.
Last year the NSPCC Helpline received more than 1,000 contacts from adults who were worried about intrafamilial child sexual abuse, a 22% rise compared to 2023/24.
Adults said they had noticed signs they thought may indicate child sexual abuse was taking place. Others reported disclosures of abuse from young people or shared concerns about perpetrators still having access to children within the family.
Many also sought guidance on how to support a young person after they had confided in them about their abuse.
Child sexual abuse can have a profound and devastating impact on a child's life, and these effects can echo into adulthood.
This can be even more true when the perpetrator is a trusted family member.
The importance of the safeguarding role played by adults in supporting children cannot be overstated. Just one phone call could have long-lasting and far-reaching impacts, not only protecting a child from further harm, but also other siblings or relatives within the family.
While at the NSPCC we recognise the difficulty in speaking up about any kind of abuse involving family members, we also know that it can result in victims experiencing emotional and physical pain as well as flashbacks, and can negatively impact mental health, brain development, behaviour and relationships throughout their life.
We understand it can be difficult, but we would encourage any adults concerned about a young person to speak to our Helpline without delay.
*Anyone with any concerns about the welfare of a child can call the NSPCC Helpline on 0808 800 5000 or email [email protected].
*Children can contact Childline on 0800 1111 or visit childline.org.uk