What happens if abuse is reported to social services?

When Children's Services receive an allegation of child abuse they have 24 hours to decide what to do next.

Children's Services may decide to either:

• conduct an ‘initial assessment’ of the child’s needs; this will mean that social services have decided that there is a need to look at the allegation in more detail;

• make a referral to another agency;

• provide advice or information to the family; or

• take no further action.

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