Children with specific needs or disabilities are seen as being more at risk of being neglected and abused. There are various factors that affect this: complex needs, the stresses on parents and carers, difficulty of communication. It can be hard to identify abuse even for professionals and it can be challenging to deal with.

From a safeguarding point of view, we need to remember that SEND children are more at risk. We should not accept that an injury or example of harm is the result of the needs of the child, but could be caused by another factor
Remember that as with all children, self-harm can be an indicator of abuse, particularly for those children for whom communication is a challenge

If you have concerns about the physical, mental and emotional well-being of a student, then follow the child protection procedures that we have covered in this course.

• Report all concerns to your DSL
• If you think a child is in immediate danger, call 999