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• The Plymouth Safeguarding Children Partnership is supporting workers who visit people’s homes to help spot possible child abuse and neglect and be alert to families who may need an extra bit of support in really challenging times. 
   
• Concerns about child abuse have soared since national lockdown measures were first introduced.  

• The NSPCC’s ‘It’s Your Call’ training will help Plymouth workers know what to do, should they have any concerns about a child or family’s welfare.

 Delivery drivers, community volunteers and those working in trades are just some of the professionals the Plymouth Safeguarding Children Partnership is asking to undertake free online training to help spot child abuse and neglect in the city. 

Joining forces with the NSPCC they aim to provide workers with knowledge on how to potentially spot signs of child abuse, through the charity’s ‘It’s Your Call’ training course.  

It can be accessed at https://bit.ly/yourcallplymouth or search ‘NSPCC It’s Your Call’ online. 

Children and young people are normally seen by lots of different adults like teachers, health and social workers and neighbours, but this has not been always been possible during lockdown. 

Over the last year children and young people have spent much more time at home and behind closed doors, meaning that some children have been at a greater risk of abuse and neglect. 

The impact of COVID on families has increased pressure on parenting and exasperated situations that for some were already difficult and many will not always know how to reach out for support. 

The NSPCC has found that concerns about child abuse have soared since national lockdown measures were first introduced – with the average monthly number of referrals from the charity’s helpline to local authorities on the issue increasing by over 100% in the South West.  

Nationally, the NSPCC helpline has received 31,359 contacts from adults across the UK anxious about child abuse or neglect, resulting in almost 2,000 referrals to agencies in the South West between April and November last year.  

The NSPCC, and the Plymouth Safeguarding Children Partnership have united to promote safeguarding children awareness training for workers who regularly go into people’s homes, such as gas engineers, taxi drivers, local authority workers and building trades.  

The NSPCC’s 15-minute interactive e-learning course, ‘It’s Your Call’ will help workers to: 

• recognise the signs of possible child abuse and neglect 
• report concerns either through your work channels, the NSPCC helpline or, if the concern is urgent, the police 
• support those who may have already witnessed signs of child abuse and provide advice 

The training, which is aimed at postal workers, delivery drivers and workers who regularly visit homes such as housing maintenance staff who are well placed to spot any emerging safeguarding concerns or signs of possible abuse and neglect.  

It can be accessed at https://bit.ly/yourcallplymouth or search ‘NSPCC It’s Your Call’ online. 

The partnerships is also hoping to raise community awareness about the increased risk to children, by using NSPCC resources, including posters and wallet cards promoting the NSPCC helpline for adults and Childline for children. 

The charity’s team of professionals working on its helpline for concerned adults and the dedicated volunteer counsellors at Childline will all play a vital role in being here for children during the current lockdown.  

Adults concerned about a child can contact the NSPCC helpline seven days a week on 0808 800 5000, or email  help@nspcc.org.uk. Children can speak to a counsellor on 0800 1111 or chat online at www.childline.org.uk. 

But if you think abuse may be happening now, contact Devon and Cornwall Police on 999 or 101. 

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