Children and young people have the right to be kept safe from harm and protecting children is everyone’s responsibility. We are committed to making sure that children are kept safe from harm. This includes supporting parents and carers, and helping them to understand their children’s well-being and needs.

We have a team of nurses who specialise in safeguarding children. The Safeguarding Team do not work directly with children but do offer support and guidance to all front-line health workers and, where it is necessary, communicate and share information other agencies and professionals to make sure children’s needs are always placed first and to make sure children are able to meet their full potential.

If you have concerns about a vulnerable child who is being harmed or abused, our safeguarding team can be contacted on 020 8973 3080. 

Call 999 Immediately for urgent concerns.

For non-urgent situations of abuse or neglect, the service you need to contact depends on the area where the child lives.

Richmond Children’s Services

Richmond and Kingston Single Point of access
Guildhall 2
Kingston
KT1 1EU
 
Tel: 020 8547 5008 between hours of 8am to 5.15pm, Monday to Thursday, and 8am-5pm on Friday

Out of hours

Tel: 020 8770 5000

Websites and resources

Action for Children
Provide support for children and young people, provide practical and emotional care and support, ensure their voices are heard, and campaign to bring lasting improvements to their lives.

Adfam families, drugs and alcohol
National organisation working to improve support for families affected by drug and alcohol use

Childline
24-hour support for Children and young people, Childline is here to help anyone under 19 in the UK with any issue they’re going through

Domestic violence
Safe lives work with organisations across the UK to transform the response to domestic abuse. Safe lives want what you would want for your best friend. They listen to survivors, putting their voices at the heart of their thinking. They look at the whole picture for each individual and family to get the right help at the right time to make families everywhere safe and well. Safe lives challenge perpetrators to change, asking ‘why doesn’t he stop?’ rather than ‘why doesn’t she leave?’ This principle applies whatever the sex of the victim or perpetrator and whatever the nature of their relationship

Drugs
Support Line provides a confidential telephone helpline offering emotional support to any individual on any issue. The Helpline is primarily a preventative service and aims to support people before they reach the point of crisis. It is particularly aimed at those who are socially isolated, vulnerable, at risk groups and victims of any form of abuse. Support Line is a member of the Helplines Association. Support Line also provides support by email and post.

Friend (London)
London Friend offer counselling and support around issues such as same-sex relationships, sexual and gender identity and promoting personal growth and self-confidence. We're also home to Antidote - the UK's only LGBT drug and alcohol service. Our social groups provide a safe space to meet and socialise as an alternative to the bar and club scene.

Female genital mutilation
The National FGM Centre’s Vision is to keep children and young people safe from FGM and other Harmful Practices, including ending new cases of FGM by 2030.

Mencap
Charity that supports people with a learning disability e.g. jobs, housing, leisure opportunities
Mencap is the leading voice of learning disability. Everything Mencap does is about valuing and supporting people with a learning disability, and their families and carers.
Mencap’s vision is a world where people with a learning disability are valued equally, listened to and included.

Mind
A – Z on mental help

Modern Slavery Helpline
Slavery continues today and harms people in every country in the world. Women forced into prostitution. People forced to work in agriculture, domestic work and factories. Children in sweatshops producing goods sold globally. Entire families forced to work for nothing

NHS website
A comprehensive health information service with thousands of articles, videos and tools, helping you make the best choices about your health and lifestyle

NSPCC
Provide help and support to parents, professionals and families to protect children from abuse

Prevent
Prevent is about safeguarding people and communities from the threat of terrorism. Prevent is 1 of the 4 elements of CONTEST, the Government's counter-terrorism strategy. It aims to stop people becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism.

Respond
Supporting people with learning disabilities and their families, carers and professionals affected by trauma and abuse.