Children and families

Abuse and neglect are forms of maltreatment. Abuse or neglect may involve inflicting harm or failing to act to prevent harm. Children may be maltreated at home; within a family or peer network; in care placements; institutions or community settings; and in the online and digital environment.

Those responsible may be previously unknown or familiar, or in positions of trust. They may be family members. Children may be harmed pre-birth, for instance by domestic abuse of a mother or through parental alcohol and drug use.

Child protection refers to the processes involved in gathering and assessing and planning what action may be necessary where there are concerns that a child may be at risk of harm.  Child protection procedures should be initiated when police, social work, education or health professionals determine that a child may have been abused or may be at risk of significant harm.

The child protection process involves –

• immediate action, if necessary, to prevent significant harm to a child
• inter-agency investigation about the occurrence or probability of abuse or neglect, or of a criminal offence against a child. Investigation must extend to other children affected by the same risks or who are part of the same household as the child who is the subject of a referral
• assessment and action to address the interaction of behaviour, relationships and conditions that may, in combination, cause or accelerate risk
• focus within assessment, planning and action upon listening to each child’s voice and recognising their experience, needs and feelings
• collaboration between agencies and persistent efforts to work in partnership with parents in planning and action to prevent harm or reduce risk of harm
• recognition and support for the strengths, relationships and skills within the child and their world in order to form a plan that reduces risk and builds resilience

Children who are subject to child protection processes may already be known to services and have a child’s plan in place.  Child protection processes should build on existing knowledge, strengths in planning and partnership to reduce the risk of harm and to meet the child’s needs.  The level of risk a child is exposed to can change quickly as circumstances change or new information emerges.

Physical abuse   –  is the causing of physical harm to a child or young person. Physical abuse may involve hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning, or scalding, drowning, or suffocating. Physical harm may also be caused when a parent or carer feigns the symptoms of, or deliberately causes, ill health to a child they are looking after.

There may be some variation in family, community, or cultural attitudes to parenting, for example, in relation to reasonable discipline. Cultural sensitivity must not deflect practitioners from a focus on a child’s essential needs for care and protection from harm, or a focus on the need of a family for support to reduce stress and associated risk.

Emotional abuse   –   is persistent emotional ill treatment that has severe and persistent adverse effects on a child’s emotional development. ‘Persistent’ means there is a continuous or intermittent pattern which has caused, or is likely to cause, significant harm. Emotional abuse is present to some extent in all types of ill treatment of a child, but it can also occur independently of other forms of abuse.

It may involve –

• conveying to a child that they are worthless or unloved, inadequate or valued only in so far as they meet the needs of another person
• exploitation or corruption of a child, or imposition of demands inappropriate for their age or stage of development
• repeated silencing, ridiculing or intimidation • demands that so exceed a child’s capability that they may be harmful
• extreme overprotection, such that a child is harmed by prevention of learning, exploration and social development
• seeing or hearing the abuse of another (in accordance with the Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act 2018)

Child Sexual abuse (CSA)   –   is an act that involves a child under 16 years of age in any activity for the sexual gratification of another person, whether or not it is claimed that the child either consented or assented. Sexual abuse involves forcing or enticing a child to take part in sexual activities, whether or not the child is aware of what is happening.

For those who may be victims of sexual offences aged 16-17, child protection procedures should be considered. These procedures must be applied when there is concern about the sexual exploitation or trafficking of a child.

The activities may involve physical contact, including penetrative or non-penetrative acts. They may include non-contact activities, such as involving children in looking at or in the production of indecent images, in watching sexual activities, using sexual language towards a child, or encouraging children to behave in sexually inappropriate ways.

Child sexual exploitation (CSE)   –   is a form of child sexual abuse. It occurs where an individual or group takes advantage of an imbalance of power to coerce, manipulate or deceive a person under 18 into sexual activity in exchange for something the victim needs or wants, and/or for the financial advantage or increased status of the perpetrator or facilitator.

The victim may have been sexually exploited even if the sexual activity appears consensual. Child sexual exploitation does not always involve physical contact. It can also occur through the use of technology.

Children who are trafficked across borders or within the UK may be at particular risk of sexual abuse.

Criminal exploitation   –   refers to the action of an individual or group using an imbalance of power to coerce, control, manipulate or deceive a child or young person under the age of 18 into any criminal activity in exchange for something the victim needs or wants, or for the financial or other advantage of the perpetrator or facilitator. Violence or the threat of violence may feature. The victim may have been criminally exploited, even if the activity appears consensual.

Child criminal exploitation may involve physical contact and may also occur through the use of technology. It may involve gangs and organised criminal networks. Sale of illegal drugs may be a feature. Children and vulnerable adults may be exploited to move and store drugs and money. Coercion, intimidation, violence (including sexual violence) and weapons may be involved.

Child trafficking   –   involves the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt, exchange or transfer of control of a child under the age of 18 years for the purposes of exploitation. Transfer or movement can be within an area and does not have to be across borders. Examples of and reasons for trafficking can include sexual, criminal and financial exploitation, forced labour, removal of organs, illegal adoption, and forced or illegal marriage.

Neglect   –   Neglect consists in persistent failure to meet a child’s basic physical and/or psychological needs, which is likely to result in the serious impairment of the child’s health or development. There can also be single instances of neglectful behaviour that cause significant harm. Neglect can arise in the context of systemic stresses such as poverty and is an indicator of both support and protection needs.

Persistent’ means there is a pattern which may be continuous or intermittent which has caused or is likely to cause significant harm. However, single instances of neglectful behaviour by a person in a position of responsibility can be significantly harmful. Early signs of neglect indicate the need for support to prevent harm.

The GIRFEC set out the essential wellbeing needs of all children. Neglect of any or all of these can impact on healthy development. Once a child is born, neglect may involve a parent or carer failing to provide adequate food, clothing and shelter (including exclusion from home or abandonment); to protect a child from physical and emotional harm or danger; to ensure adequate supervision (including the use of inadequate caregivers); to seek consistent access to appropriate medical care or treatment; to ensure the child receives education; or to respond to a child’s essential emotional needs.

Faltering growth   –   refers to an inability to reach normal weight and growth or development milestones in the absence of medically discernible physical and genetic reasons. This condition requires further assessment and may be associated with chronic neglect.

Malnutrition, lack of nurturing and lack of stimulation can lead to serious long-term effects such as greater susceptibility to serious childhood illnesses and reduction in potential stature. For very young children the impact could quickly become life-threatening. Chronic physical and emotional neglect may also have a significant impact on teenagers.

Female genital mutilation    –   this extreme form of physical, sexual and emotional assault upon girls and women involves partial or total removal of the external female genitalia, or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons. Such procedures are usually conducted on children and are a criminal offence in Scotland. FGM can be fatal and is associated with long-term physical and emotional harm.

Forced marriage   –  is a marriage conducted without the full and free consent of both parties and where duress is a factor. Duress can include physical, psychological, financial, sexual, and emotional abuse. Forced marriage is both a child protection and adult protection matter. Child protection processes will be considered up to the age of 18. Forced marriage may be a risk alongside other forms of so called ‘honour-based’ abuse (HBA). HBA includes practices used to control behaviour within families, communities, or other social groups, to protect perceived cultural and religious beliefs and/or ‘honour’.

Domestic abuse is any form of physical, verbal, sexual, psychological or financial abuse which might amount to criminal conduct and which takes place within the context of a relationship. The relationship may be between partners (married, cohabiting, in a civil partnership or otherwise), or ex-partners.

The abuse may be committed in the home or elsewhere, including online. Domestic abuse includes degrading, threatening and humiliating behaviour predominantly by men and predominantly towards women.

The Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act 2018  creates a statutory definition of domestic abuse and recognises children and young people as victims. 

It is important to remember that each person’s experience of domestic abuse will be different, it can encompass a wide range of behaviours and it can involve a single incident or a course of conduct. 

Children and young people (under the age of 18 years) are deemed to be victims as a result of seeing, hearing or otherwise experiencing domestic abuse between two people where the child is related to at least one of them whether that be the victim or perpetrator.

Protecting children from domestic abuse | NSPCC Learning

Domestic abuse can affect anyone, regardless of age, disability, gender identity, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation. 

Safe and Together

The Safe & Together model has been adopted by North Lanarkshire Council and is an approach designed to improve practice and how services work together with families where there are concerns around domestic abuse. The model provides a framework for partnering with domestic abuse survivors and intervening with domestic abuse perpetrators in order to enhance the safety and well-being of children.

The model is based on three key principles.

1. Keeping children Safe & Together with their non-abusive parent, ensuring safety, healing from trauma, stability, and nurturance.
2. Partnering with the non-abusive parent as a default position ensuring efficient, effective, and child-centred practice.
3. Intervening with the perpetrator to reduce the risk and harm to the child through engagement, accountability, and criminal justice. 

Click on this link for more information on contextual safeguarding.

Risk outside the home

Non -familial harm is defined as risks to the welfare of children that arise within the community or peer group, including sexual and criminal exploitation. A key element of non-familial harm is that in general, harm does not arise from the home environment; parents may not be aware that their child is at risk or may be struggling to protect their child and the family from harm against exploiters. children can be at risk wherever they choose to spend their time, including in schools, in the community or online. Therefore, the location and context the child is in is important.

However, sometimes parental neglect and lack of supervision may contribute to the young person’s exposure to extra-familial harm. Children who experience difficulties or instability at home may be more likely to spend more time outside of home and hence be more vulnerable to non -familial harm.

Non -familial harm can take the form of  –

• child sexual exploitation
• online grooming, sharing of images.
• child criminal exploitation including drug dealing.
• modern slavery and trafficking
• gang activity and youth violence
• Radicalisation

Child Protection procedures should be initiated when there are concerns of significant harm about a child at risk of non familial harm.  Consideration should be given to initiating an IRD, child protection investigation, child protection planning meeting and registration as set out in previous sections.  

Online safety is a core component of practice, helping to protect children and young people from online harms such as grooming, exploitation, coercion, and exposure to inappropriate or abusive content. For professionals, promoting digital resilience and safe online behaviours is essential to identifying risk early, supporting informed decision‑making, and ensuring that children are protected across both their online and offline environments.

Research

Social media – its use and impact on mental health and wellbeing on young people. Findings from literature, with a focus on self-harm and suicidality – this 2024 literature review examines how social media affects the mental health of children and young people aged 12 to 18. The review explores both the potential harms and benefits of social media.

Research exploring young people’s attitudes to AI – this research released by the UK Safer Internet Centre and Nominet explores young people’s attitudes to AI and how it affects their digital experiences.

Understanding the Rapid Evolution of AI-Generated Child Abuse Imagery – The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) has identified a significant and growing threat where AI technology is being exploited to produce child sexual abuse material (CSAM). This new update report evaluates what has changed since October 2023 with AI child sexual abuse imagery and the technology being abused to create it.

Viewing Generative AI and children’s safety in the round | NSPCC Learning – This report explores how Generative AI is impacting children’s safety and wellbeing online and offline.

Childlight – Searchlight Report 2025 – this link takes you to the Searchlight 2025 report and various studies which reveal how sexual exploitation and abuse functions as a global, profit‑driven industry—fuelled by organised crime and mainstream technology platforms—and calls for urgent, coordinated action from governments, tech companies, law enforcement, and financial institutions to disrupt the networks enabling it.

Statement and guidance: a safer life online for women and girls – Ofcom has published new guidance setting out actions for technology companies to take to improve women and girls’ online safety. The guidance focuses on harms disproportionately affecting women and girls and highlights how these can inhibit their safety and participation in online spaces and normalise misogynistic attitudes and behaviours.

Resources for Professionals

Resources on AI for Safer Internet Day 2026 – UK Safer Internet Centre has created new educational resources on the safe and responsible use of AI for Safer Internet Day 2026. The resources have been designed for use with children and young people of different age groups from 3 to 18-years-old.

CEOP Education – the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Command (CEOP) is part of the UK’s National Crime Agency and works to protect children from online sexual abuse and harmful communication. Their website provides lots of training, resources and information for professionals working with children, young people and their families.

Professionals Online Safety Helpline | SWGfL – a free helpline supporting professionals working with children and young people with any online safety issues they face.

Resources for Education | SWGfL – a resource page which provides a wide range of tools, products, and educational materials designed to support safe, secure, and effective use of technology across all stages of education.

Resources | Childnet – a resource page which allows you to filter by age and topic to access a wide range of online safety materials—including toolkits, lesson plans, videos, activities, and guides—for children, parents, carers, and professionals to help support safe and positive online experiences. Check out the AI topic which provides information on generative AI and the risks of using AI to create nude images.

Aye Mind – A website for professionals working with children and young people to develop their knowledge and awareness around online safety and digital wellbeing. Check out the document Online Harms – Useful Helplines, Websites, Reporting Mechanisms which outlines a range of helplines, websites, and reporting mechanisms for a range of online harms, including cyberbullying, sexual exploitation and abuse, online radicalisation, and more.

CyberSafe Scotland | Protecting Children Online – CyberSafe Scotland is an organisation that specialises in protecting children from online harm by providing education, resources, and support to parents, schools and local authorities. Check out their Combating Sextortion Webinar which will support you to increase your understanding of financially motivated sexual extortion and help you to respond positively to support your child or the children you work with.

4 Cs of online risk: Short report & blog on updating the typology of online risks to include content, contact, conduct, contract risks – a very helpful resource to consider when classifying online risk to children and young people.

Resources for Parents, Carers and Children

Online abuse | NSPCC – this NSPCC website provides guidance for parents and children on understanding what online abuse is, the different forms it can take, the risks and warning signs, and how to get support to help keep children safe online.

Online Behaviour & Safety | Parent Club – Parent Club offers simple guidance to help parents keep children safe online by applying the same protective steps they use offline across different age groups.

Internet Watch Foundation – online safety and advice resources – The Internet Watch Foundation provides online safety advice and guidance for young people, adults and parents/carers on a variety of topics including sextortion and how to prevent young people from being contacted in their own homes on the internet and asked for sexual pictures and videos.

Parental controls and privacy settings guides | Internet Matters – this resource provides step-by-step guides to help parents and carers layer up parental controls across networks, devices and apps, so children can have safer online experiences as they grow.

Cyber resilience and internet safety: a guide for parents and carers – This guide provides advice and information on digital parenting. It will help parents speak to their child about safety online in a positive way and point towards resources that will help manage and reduce risks online for their child.

Guide for parents and carers on managing children’s digital lives –  The Children’s Commissioner for England has published a guide to help parents and carers manage children’s digital lives. The guide aims to explain common online challenges, help families start and sustain open conversations, and provide support with setting boundaries.

#AskTheAwkward – help to talk with your children about online relationships – this resource has been created to help parents/carers to explore online relationships with their secondary-school aged children, making these conversations part of everyday life.

Home – Shore – a safe and anonymous place for young people to get help and support when worried about their own, or someone else’s, sexual behaviour both online and offline. The Digital Safety Plan is particularly helpful to use with children and young people to think about the different steps to stay safe online.

Think Before You Share Campaign from IWF – this campaign aims to help young people understand the harm of sharing explicit images and videos of themselves, and others, and encourage parents and educators to start timely conversations with children and young people.

Report Remove | Childline – this is a confidential online service by Childline and the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF), designed for young people under 18 in the UK to report and request the removal of nude or sexual images or videos of themselves shared online. This includes any images that have been created using AI.

Take It Down – a free, anonymous service that helps people remove or stop the online sharing of nude, partially nude, or sexually explicit images of themselves taken before age 18 by generating a secure unique digital fingerprint that participating platforms use to detect and take down the content.

E-Learning for Professionals

Digital Safeguarding in Practice | Centre for Lifelong Learning – This free, online learning has been developed in collaboration with the Lucy Faithfull Foundation (LFF) and the CYCJ to provide a greater awareness of the risks present for children using digital technology. Key elements of this instance of learning are: building digital awareness, identifying indicators of online sexual abuse and grooming, promoting safe use of digital technologies and responding to harmful online behaviour. This fully online course can be undertaken at the flexible pace of the learner when suitable, taking approximately 4 hours.

Children’s Rights and AI – A Resource for Professionals — Scottish AI Alliance – this free resource contains 5 x eLearning modules exploring the importance of children’s human rights in AI.

CPC training calendar 2025-2026

Child Protection Self-Learning Pack – This self-learning pack forms part of the Child Protection Committee’s learning and development materials. It offers essential information on child protection issues for those who may not need to attend a learning and development event but require foundation-level information to carry out their work, or are waiting for further child protection learning and development.

Assessment of Care Toolkit – This toolkit is for practitioners to use with parents/carers to support assessment of a parent’s capacity to meet their child’s needs in cases where neglect is suspected.

Keeping Children Safe in Scotland | Guides for younger children, young people and parents and carers – The Scottish Government has launched an online information resource, providing guides about child protection processes written for children, young people and families who may become involved in the child protection process. Although the guides can be accessed directly by children, young people and families, it is expected practitioners will support them when accessing the guides. Downloadable versions are also available for use offline.

SCRA Learning Hub – this is an open access, online resource developed to support professionals working with the Children’s Hearings System. There are two learning packages available: An Introduction to the Children’s Hearing System and A Guide to Referral to the Children’s Reporter. Professionals can also sign up to SCRA Induction Webinars.

The National Referral Mechanism (NRM) is the UK’s framework for identifying potential victims of modern slavery or human trafficking and ensuring they receive appropriate protection and support. The following resources aim to encourage professionals to have conversations with children about the NRM earlier, and to support children in understanding why they have been referred and what happens next.

Understanding the NRM: A guide for Primary School Aged Children

Understanding the NRM: A guide for Secondary School Aged Children

Information Pack for Young People in the NRM Turning 18

North Lanarkshire’s Policies and Procedures can be viewed using the following link:

Children Services: PPP – 1 (pagetiger.com)

The Child Protection Committee, on behalf of the Chief Officers, is responsible for undertaking Reviews where these are requested by a partner agency and reporting / recommending a Learning Review when it is agreed that the national criteria is met.

The overall purpose of a Learning Review is to bring together agencies, individuals and families in a collective endeavour to learn from what has happened in order to improve and develop systems and practice in the future and thus better protect children and young people. The process is underpinned by the rights of children and young people as set out in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC).

Child Protection Committees must use the learning from reviews to promote good practice, improve practice and contribute to improved outcomes for children and young people.

Combined Learning Review Executive Summary 2024