For a child
If you have any concerns about the safety and/or welfare of a child or young person, contact Birmingham Children's Social Care: Children's Advice & Support Service (CASS):
- Telephone: 0121 303 1888
- Secure email: CASS@birminghamchildrenstrust.co.uk
Staff will look at referrals Monday to Thursday 8.45 am to 5.15 pm, Friday 8.45 am to 4.15 pm.
If you believe that the referral you are making is urgent and needs to be responded to when CASS staff are not routinely available, please contact the Emergency Out of Hours Team:
- Telephone: 0121 675 4806
For more information about making or to make a referral: Request for Support (Referral) Form.
If you believe your concern is an emergency, or if someone is in immediate danger, you should contact the Emergency Services, call 999.
See Birmingham Safeguarding Children Partnership for further information.
For an adult
If you are a member of the public and need to report Safeguarding concerns for possible abuse or neglect of an adult with care and support needs, contact Birmingham City Council's Adult Social Care service :
- Online form
- Email: CSAdultSocialCare@birmingham.gov.uk
- Telephone: 0121 303 1234
- Text relay: dial 18001, followed by the full national phone number
Staff will look at referrals Monday to Friday 9.00 am to 5.00 pm. If you wish to discuss your concerns please telephone 0121 303 1234.
If you believe that the referral you are making is urgent and needs to be responded to when Adult Social Care staff are not routinely available, please contact the Out of Hours Team:
- Email: AMHPoutofhours@birmingham.gov.uk
- Telephone: 0121 464 9001
If you believe your concern is an emergency, or if someone is in immediate danger, you should contact the Emergency Services, call 999.
See Birmingham Safeguarding Adults Board for further information.
Who can I tell?
Who you tell will largely depend on what you want to happen. It may also depend on how recently the abuse occurred. It is advisable to tell someone who you know and trust to be supportive.
Reporting to the police / SARC
It is your decision whether you want to report the abuse. You can choose to contact your local police directly or get help through your nearest Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC). SARCs aim to provide a pathway of services tailored to meet the needs of victims of rape and sexual assault. They aim to ensure all victims are empowered to make informed choices and are aware of the range of options of support, for example, Independent Sexual Violence Advisor (ISVA) service, Mental Health Services, Emergency Contraception, and screening for sexually transmitted infections.
If you are unsure whether to contact the police, a SARC will provide confidential advice. They can also provide forensic and medical examinations. They are able to store the information from these until you decide whether or not to report the assault.
Contacting support agencies
Rape Crisis Centres specialise in rape and sexual assault support. You can contact any of the help lines and / or arrange to see a specialist sexual violence counsellor. If there is not a rape crisis centre in your area, you will be given details of appropriate specialist counsellors.
Disclosing childhood sexual abuse
Again, it is your choice to disclose childhood sexual abuse. If you feel you may want to take this step, you could begin by talking to someone you know and trust, or you could talk through your options with someone anonymous and impartial such as through a helpline. These will be able to direct you to the right services that can support you.
Another option would be to talk to your GP who would be able to direct you to the appropriate services to support you. Again, it will be your choice whether or not you wish to report the abuse to the police.
Disclosing to professionals
If you choose to disclose sexual abuse to a health care professional they will work to support you in the best possible way, getting you the help you need. Health care professionals do have a duty of care to ensure that you are now safe and are no longer at risk of being harmed. If they were concerned that you were still at risk of harm you would be supported to ensure you were protected and that other vulnerable people were also protected. This may in some cases mean a health care worker talking to a safeguarding team.