Child-on-Child abuse can take various forms and include serious bullying, relationship abuse, domestic violence, child sexual exploitation, harmful sexual behaviour, and/or gender-based violence. This form of abuse occurs when there is any kind of physical, sexual, emotional or financial abuse or coercive control exercised between children. It includes bullying, cyberbullying, sexual violence, harassment and sexting.

It should be recognised that the behaviour in question is harmful to both the perpetrator (who is a child) and the victim. Behaviour may be intimate or non-intimate.

Spotting the Signs and Symptoms

• Absence from school or disengagement from school activities
• Physical injuries
• Mental or emotional health issues
• Becoming withdrawn – lack of self-esteem
• Lack of sleep
• Alcohol or substance misuse
• Changes in behaviour
• Inappropriate behaviour for age
• Abusive towards others

Vulnerable groups

• Those aged 10 and upwards (although victims as young as 8 were identified)
• Girls and young women are more likely to be victims and boys and young men are more likely to be abusers.
• Black and minority ethnic children are often under-identified as victims and over-identified as perpetrators.
• Young people with intra-familial abuse in their histories or those living with domestic abuse are more likely to be vulnerable.
• Young people in care and those who have experienced the loss of a parent, sibling or friend through bereavement
• Young people who have been abused or have abused their peers

Abusers can be younger than their victims

At Carshalton High School for Girls

Students are taught about safeguarding and keeping themselves safe.  This learning takes place through a range of activities and in a range of subjects. During our PSHE Learning for Life days, skills in keeping safe and understanding some of the key issues of safeguarding will be covered specifically.

During the Autumn and Spring Terms, students will have covered issues around self-esteem, bullying behaviours and HBT bullying, depending on their year groups, and later in the year students will be looking at signs of unhealthy relationships.

Reporting Concerns

We encourage students to report any concerns or worries they experience in and out of school and always take these seriously. They can talk to any adult in the school and all of our staff have safeguarding training. Students also have access to an online reporting system: Sharp, which can be accessed here. 

All concerns will be investigated, discussed with parents and any other relevant agencies, which could include, Police and Social care. Emotional and Pastoral Support is available to all students.

The Girls Learning Trust Child Protection Policy can be found here.