Report a Concern about a Child

Worried About the Safety of a Child?

If you are worried about your safety, or the safety of a child it’s important that you tell someone.

The links below will take you to information that will tell you who to get in touch with and how.

If you are a child or young person and you are worried about yourself or another child contact The Integrated Front Door on 01403 229900 or email them at WSChildrenServices@westsussex.gov.uk
If you are an adult and you are worried about a child or young person click Here
If you are a professional and you would like to refer a child or young person visit our professionals page

If you are worried about the safety of an adult see the Raise a Concern page on the West Sussex Safeguarding Adults Board website.

West Sussex Safeguarding Children Partnership

If you’re worried about something that’s happening to you or to a friend, there are a lot of people who can help you. It’s good to talk to people you trust about your worries, perhaps a teacher, a friend, your parents, or a family member.

Abuse is always wrong, no matter how many times it happens.

There can be lots of different types of abuse. It might be helpful to read more on sexual abuse, neglect, emotional abuse or physical abuse on the ChildLine website.

Being abused can affect young people in lots of different ways, but it’s never their fault.

It’s not unusual for young people to find it hard to talk about abuse, even with their closest friends.

ChildLine

When you think about telling someone, it’s important to remember that they can’t always keep what you tell them secret. If you are worried about this, you (or your friend) might want to talk to a ChildLine counsellor before you decide who else to tell. The ChildLine counsellors have a Confidentiality Promise that means they can keep most things private.

You can contact ChildLine in loads of different ways, whether that’s by going online and using the 1-2-1 chats or emailing, or by calling for free on 0800 1111 (the calls won’t even show up on the phone bill).

If you or a friend are at IMMEDIATE risk, you should treat this as an emergency and call 999 to report your concerns to the Police.

If you have spoken to someone you trust or ChildLine and you are still concerned that you or a friend are being abused or neglected:

Contact the Integrated Front Door (IFD) team during office hours on:

Tel: 01403 229 900

Email from a secure email account to: wschildrenservices@westsussex.gov.uk

The out of office hours (5pm – 8am weekdays) and 24-hour emergency number on weekends and bank holidays is 0330 222 6664 or email from a secure email to: wschildrenservices@WestSussex.gov.uk ensuring that you put in the subject box: ALERT FOR EDT

EDT have been made aware that some external switchboards are cutting off calls before they connect when dialling the normal EDT number – 0330 222 6664 – you will hear one ring followed by an unobtainable tone. If you experience difficulty, having tried the 0330 number, please ring 07711 769657, this will connect you to the duty Social Worker. Please note that this mobile number cannot accept text messages.

When you contact the Integrated Front Door (IFD) please give as much information as possible about your concerns. This information will be kept confidential. This will help the Integrated Front Door (IFD) decide the best way to help.