What to be wary of?
This section gives information about what to be wary of, including the signs and indicators of potential abuse.
You should be wary of:
- Activities where parents are discouraged from staying to watch or become involved.
- Behaviour or activities that encourage rough play, sexual innuendo or humiliating punishments.
- Individuals who take charge and operate independently of organisational guidelines.
- Individuals who show favouritism or personally reward specific children.
- Encouragement of inappropriate physical contact.
- Poor communication and lack of parental involvement, leaving you feeling uneasy.
- Children who drop out or stop going for no apparent reason.
- Invitations for children to spend time alone with staff or volunteers (or even to visit their home).
REMEMBER to listen to your children and ask questions about the activities that they take part in to ensure that they are enjoying it.
Things to look out for are:
- Unexplained bruising
- Sudden changes in behaviour
- Something that is said to you
- Sexually explicit language or behaviour
- Something about another adult’s behaviour towards a particular participant or group of participants
These signs are not confirmation of abuse, but they are potential indicators. Remember, it is not your responsibility to decide whether or not a child or vulnerable adult is being abused, but it is your duty to report any concerns that you have so that they can be investigated. Reporting such matters can be difficult, however, it is the welfare of the child or vulnerable adult that is paramount.
