Child-on-child Abuse

Inappropriate behaviours between children that are abusive in nature including physical, sexual, or emotional abuse, exploitation, sexual harassment, all forms of bullying, coercive control, hate incidents, hazing/initiation rituals between children and young people, both on and offline (including that which is within intimate personal relationships).

Adapted from Keeping Children Safe in Education 

• • At least 20,000 violent crimes at schools were recorded by police forces in England and Wales during 2024, this included 150 knife crimes (Channel 4 News).
  • Child-on-child abuse accounts for just over a half (52%) of all child sexual abuse and exploitation offences recorded in England and Wales (National Police Chiefs’ Council).
  • One in ten girls aged 11-16 have missed school to avoid sexual harassment (Girls’ Attitudes Survey, 2025).
  • In 2021, 8,000 allegations were made regarding rape and sexual violence in schools (BBC).
  • An estimated 1,544,000 children aged 10 to 15 years (34.9%) experienced an in-person bullying behaviour and 847,000 children (19.1%) experienced an online bullying behaviour, in the year ending March 2023 (Office for National Statistics).

• Absence from education or lack of interest in activities at the education setting.
• Rumours or ‘coded’ talk among students that suggest concerning interactions or coercion is occurring.
• Physical injuries.
• Mental or emotional ill-health.
• Becoming withdrawn.
• Poor self-esteem.
• Tiredness.
• Alcohol or other substance misuse.
• Changes in behaviour.
• Unexpected behaviour for their age and stage of development.
• Enacting harmful behaviour towards others.

Child-on-child abuse needs to be addressed consistently and to do this requires a whole-setting approach. This should be cohesive, collective and collaborative including the whole setting community – students, parents/carers, staff and leaders should be actively involved in identifying child-on-child abuse and taking steps to challenge it.

• be designed with direct input from students – students have a good understanding of how child-on-child impacts them and their peers, their active involvement is vital and students need to have a variety of safe ways to report it.
• be consistent in application – there should be processes in place to ensure that the responses are applied consistently by everyone.
• embedded across the curriculum – opportunities for education and guidance regarding respect, kindness and positive relationships should be available within all teaching and learning.
• considerate of the different spaces child-on-child abuse can occur – this might mean strategies to monitor places within the education setting where harm might occur. It’s also important to consider online spaces and use of technology.
• supported by clear and understood policies – policies should help everyone know what to do if they have concerns about child-on-child abuse and outline what will happen for both the harmed and the harming child.

Keep talking - Staff and students should feel able to openly discuss issues that could motivate child-on-child abuse. Make it clear that your setting has a zero-tolerance, whole-setting approach which means that harmful behaviours will not be passed off as “banter”, ”just growing up”, etc. and that fair actions will always be taken to ensure everyone is safe and supported. 

Create a safeguarding culture - ensure children and young people feel secure and able to express their emotions and concerns, where they know they will be listened to, and can ask for the help they need. 

Create an environment based on equality and informed choice – provide information to allow pupils to make informed choices. It’s well established that success in learning within a supportive setting community can tackle prejudice and inequality. 

Ensure any incident of child-on-child abuse receives a rapid response – offer a variety of ways for students to be able to share concerns and follow your setting’s policy and procedures. 

For boarding schools, residential special schools, residential colleges and children’s homes – consider the additional safeguarding factors due to the unique nature of (and the risks associated with) children sharing overnight accommodation. Be alert to the extra vulnerabilities experienced by children with special educational needs and/or disabilities in such settings, the impact of a significant gender imbalance within the setting, inappropriate student relationships, and how children’s personal electronic devices are safely managed within the setting.

Spot the signs and know what to do – you know the children and young people you work with. Be aware of the signs and how to recognise them. Follow your safeguarding procedures and have confidence in your ability to consider child-on-child abuse as a possibility. 

Take action – any concerns should be raised with the designated safeguarding lead. If a child is in immediate danger call 999.

When working with parents and carers, practitioners should prioritise a child-centred approach, fostering partnerships to ensure understanding, support and safety. 

Remember:

• Collaborative efforts are crucial, especially in cases of suspected harm. 
• Practitioners must engage effectively with diverse families, demonstrating empathy, respect and cultural awareness. 
• Communication should be clear, inclusive and accessible. Encouraging parental/carer involvement in decision-making and valuing their input is essential. 
• Involving families and communities in designing processes fosters a holistic approach to safeguarding children. 
• Continuous reflection and adaptation based on feedback from parents and carers enhance practice effectiveness.
• Have you considered if:
  * the setting’s behaviour policy and any strategies related to child-on-child abuse are easy to understand and accessible to all parents and carers, with consideration given to things like literacy, language and disability?
  * the setting has easy ways for parents/carers to report child-on-child abuse concerns, should they have any?
  * the parents/carers of those students who have been harmed are always offered the space to discuss their child’s needs and any support which their child might benefit from?
  * the parents/carers of those students who have harmed are always offered the space to discuss their child’s needs and any support which their child might benefit from?