The Children Act 1989 places a duty on Social Services departments to protect children and young people from harm caused by abuse or neglect. We have a duty to investigate any allegations that a child might be being neglected or abused, and if necessary, take appropriate action to protect the child.
Social Services works together with other agencies, such as police and health services, to safeguard the welfare of children, and is a member of the Area Child Protection Committee.
If you have concerns about the well being of a child, please don't keep them to yourself, please contact Social Services, between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday on:
Derby City Social Services
71-73 Rosehill Street
Normanton
Derby
DE23 8FZ
Tel: 01332 717118
Minicom: 01332 206184
Fax 01332 717188
In a social care emergency, out of normal office hours, please call:
Derby City Care Line
PO Box 5998 Derby
Tel 01332 256066
Minicom 01332 256000
SMS 07771 814085
Fax 01332 292165
Signs of Abuse
Positive ways of protecting children
Area Child Protection Committee - ACPC
What to do if you are worried
Further information
Signs of Abuse
The following may help you decide whether a child's welfare is at risk of abuse, harm or neglect.
Signs which may suggest physical abuse:
- Any bruising to a baby - pre-walking stage
- Multiple bruising to different parts of the body
- Bruising of different colours indicating repeated injuries
- Fingertip bruising to the chest, back, arms or legs
- Burns of any shape or size
- An injury for which there is no adequate explanation
Signs of possible sexual abuse:
- Something a child has told you
- Something a child has told someone else
- A child who shows worrying sexualised behaviour in their play or with other children
- A child who seems to have inappropriate sexual knowledge for their age
- A child who may be visiting or being looked after by a known or suspected sexual offender.
Signs which suggest emotional harm:
The following signs may be present in children whose parents are over-critical and emotionally distant, or who are unable to meet their child's emotional needs:
- Children whose behaviour is excessive. For example, excessive bedwetting, overeating, rocking, headbanging.
- Children who self harm. For example, they may cut or scratch themselves or overdose.
- Children who attempt suicide
- Children who persistently run away from home
- Children who show high levels of anxiety, unhappiness or withdrawal
- Children who usually seek out or avoid affection.
Signs which may suggest neglect:
- Squalid, unhygienic or dangerous home conditions
- Parents who fail to attend to their children's health or development needs
- Children who appear persistently undersized or underweight
- Children who continually appear tired or lacking in energy
- Children who suffer frequent injuries due to lack of supervision.
Positive ways of protecting children
What do children need?
- To feel safe and secure
- Health and happiness
- Appropriate affection
- Lots of smiles
- Praise and encouragement
- To be able to talk to someone
- To be listened to
- New experiences
- Respect for their feelings
- Rewards and treats
Area Child Protection Committee - ACPC
Everyone is responsible for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children.
Sharing information and practice across agencies helps protect children. The Area Child Protection Committee is the designated multi-agency group with the authority to carry out this responsibility.
It works by:
- Leading collaboration across the agencies.
- Developing and setting policies and procedures.
- Monitoring and auditing their implementation.
- Providing training.
- Promoting awareness in the wider community.
The ACPC meets regularly throughout the year, and is made up of representatives from:
- Social Services
- Education Services
- Health Services
- Probation Services
- Police
- NSPCC
- Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service
What is the ACPC responsible for?
- Agreeing local policies and procedures to guide inter-agency child protection work.
- Improving local ways of working to achieve better outcomes for children.
- Undertaking reviews of cases where there is a concern about the effectiveness of services.
- Providing training and development programmes to help improve the quality of working together.
- Raising awareness of the need to safeguard children in the wider community.
- To undertake work as outlined in the Business Plan
How do you find out more about the ACPC?
If you would like to find out more about the ACPC, how it works, or to make a comment, please click here:
ACPC Website 
What to do if you are worried
If you are unsure that a child may be suffering but are worried, or if you are concerned that a child has suffered harm, neglect or abuse, please contact:
Derby Social Services
71-73 Rosehill Street
Derby
DE23 8FZ
Telephone: 01332 717118. In an emergency outside normal office hours, please contact our Emergency Services (Derby Careline) on 01332 711250 or telephone the police.
Further Information
Department for Education and Skills Website