What is Kooth?
Watch the videos below about things that we know can worry children. You can learn more about staying safe online, play games and watch videos at the ThinkUKnow website.
In Scotland children have the right to be safe and protected from harm. This means adults must look after you, help you feel safe and step in when something is not right.
Children’s Rights Officers help children and young people understand their rights. This means helping you know what you should be treated like and what help you can ask for, especially if you are looked after or living away from home. If you are over 5 years old and grown ups are worried about keeping you safe, Children’s Rights Officers can listen to you and help make sure your voice is heard.
Find out more at the Children and Young People’s Rights in Child Protection website.
YPOC — Young Person's Organising and Campaigning Group
YPOC are a group of care experienced young people who come together once a month to make a difference for other young people who are care experienced.
For more information, visit our Children's Rights GIRFEC Webpage →
Within our Children's Services Plan, a priority is that Aberdeenshire's Care Experienced Young People will have a good loving childhood, where their needs are met, and outcomes are improved for them through ensuring The Promise is kept.
For more information and to read Aberdeenshire's Corporate Parenting Plan, go to the GIRFEC Webpage.
Nobody has the right to harm you. Nobody has the right to make you do things that feel wrong. If something doesn't feel right, tell an adult you trust straight away.
It can be hard to talk to someone you know about things that are worrying you and it might help to talk to ChildLine. You can talk to them about anything. Their counsellors will listen carefully to what's on your mind and help you think about the kind of help you need. You don't have to tell them anything that you don't want to.
You can call any time, any day. The Childline website also provides lots of helpful advice. You can chat online or email if you have a locker account.
Sometimes adults find it hard to look after their children, and sometimes children might not feel safe at home. When adults are worried about this, other grown-ups whose job is to help children — like social workers, nurses, teachers and police officers — work together to help keep you safe.
These adults might want to talk with you and your family to understand what help you all need. They want to make sure the grown-ups who care for you have everything they need to help you feel safe and well.
It's okay if talking about your worries feels a bit scary. The adults will be kind, go at your pace, and their job is to help you.
Sometimes children share something that has made them scared, uncomfortable, or worried. This is called telling, or a disclosure.
What happens next?
After you tell someone, different professionals talk together. These might be people from Social Work, Police, Health, or your school or nursery.
Why do they talk?
They talk together to make decisions that keep you safe.
An interview is a conversation where specially trained adults talk with you about what has happened. They want to understand your experiences so they can help.
Where will the interview be?
Most interviews happen in a friendly and safe place called the Bairns' Hoose. It is specially designed to help children feel comfortable. Sometimes a local safe space is used instead. Adults will think about what space is best for you.
Who can support you?
You and your family have the option to have support from an Advocacy Rights and Recovery worker. They can:
They don't sit in the interview, but they are there to support you and your family.
After adults speak together about your safety, you and your family will be offered support, if you choose to.
What this means:
Support might include:
Support can change as your needs change. You can always ask for help.
Sometimes, after something worrying or upsetting has happened, a child or young person may need to see a doctor or nurse. This is to check that their body is ok and to help them feel safe and cared for. This short video explains who Sexual Assault Response Coordination Service are and how they support children and young people in a calm and respectful way. You can watch the video at your own pace and stop at any time if you need to.
Sometimes a meeting is held to make a plan to keep you safe. This is called a Child Protection Planning Meeting.
Who goes to the meeting?
What is the meeting for?
Your views and feelings matter. Adults will make sure these are heard.
Lots of adults are working together to help you feel safe, listened to, and supported. You can always ask questions about what is happening.
If professionals are very worried about what is happening with you and feel you need to be kept safe, they might arrange a Children's Hearing. The Children's Hearing will ask for everyone to send a report so they can better understand what is happening.
You have the right to tell the Hearing what you want to happen, and they will listen carefully to this. The Hearing might decide that a Compulsory Supervision Order (CSO) is needed — this is a legal order which tells people how you are to be cared for, where you live and who is to look after you.
You can find out further information about what happens at a Children's Hearing.
Sometimes, when adults are making decisions to keep you safe, a court might need to be involved. This can feel worrying, but you won't have to face it alone.
A court is a place where important decisions are made to help keep people safe. Court decisions are always about making sure you get the help and protection you need.
You won't need to stand in a courtroom. Most children do not go into a courtroom. If the court needs to hear from you, this will usually happen in a private, calm space at the Bairns' Hoose instead of a court building.
At the Bairns' Hoose you can:
Your voice matters. You have the right to be listened to. What you say will help the judge make the best decision for you.
You have not done anything wrong. If you need to go to court, it is not your fault. The court is there to help keep you safe and make sure you get the help you need. If you have to go to court, someone will be with you to explain what is happening in a way you can understand and to support you the whole time.
No. You will not get into trouble for telling someone if you are being hurt or made to feel unsafe.
It can be really hard to speak up and you might worry that something bad could happen if you tell. But it is never your fault when someone hurts you or makes you feel scared.
The grown ups who work with children want to help stop what is happening and keep you safe. Telling someone is a very brave thing to do.
It can be hard if a friend tells you they are being hurt and asks you not to tell anyone. The best thing you can do is tell a trusted adult so they can help keep your friend safe.
You can also tell your friend about Childline where they can talk to someone any time on 0800 1111 or online if that feels easier.
It is important that you tell an adult you trust so they can help. You should still tell someone even if your friend doesn't want to talk to anyone. They might be upset that you told someone but it's the only way you can make sure they are safe.
If you think someone you know is being abused or neglected, it's important you are able to tell someone because it might keep happening unless someone is able to help.
You can also tell your friend about ChildLine — their counsellors will listen carefully to your friend and help them think about the kind of help they need. Your friend can phone on 0800 1111, chat online or email at any time on any day. The Childline website also provides lots of helpful advice.
