Keep an eye for child cruelty during summer - plea

Last August its helpline saw a ten per cent spike in calls from concerned members of the public—and nearly 500 cases needed action from police or children’s services.

Head of the charity’s helpline John Cameron said: “Children don’t get a summer break from cruelty.

“It can happen at any time, any day and we must pick up on the signs of child abuse as early as possible.

“And with children not in school, it really is down to the public to spot signs of abuse or neglect and to act on these concerns.

“For some children, the holidays are harder than term time. They have to live with abuse day in day out.

“And if the only person they can talk to outside the home is their teacher, they may be left to suffer in silence for six long weeks. For a young child six weeks can feel a very long time.”

The charity is calling on people in South Yorkshire to contact 0808 800 5000, text 88858, or email [email protected] whenever they have concerns about a child.

It has also issued ten indicators which may mean a child is at risk:

- Children left home alone all day, perhaps while parents or carers are out at work .

- Young children playing in a park or street with no one looking after them.

- Cuts or bruises that don't seem to be caused by normal “rough and tumble.”

- Summer parties where adults are drinking heavily, or using drugs around children.

- Adults on a family outing who are hitting a child or verbally abusing them.

- Children at a social gathering who seem to be withdrawn or upset.

- Children who seem upset by the person “babysitting” them in the holidays.

- Young people who appear to be sleeping rough.

- Children being left unsupervised when parents go off on holiday.

- A child left in a car on a hot day - maybe in a supermarket car park.