 triggers of abuse and neglect. Children may be vulnerable to neglect, abuse or exploitation from within their family and, or from individuals or peers they come across in their day-to-day lives. Sharing small pieces of information can help to build a fuller picture over time or can help to fill gaps in information to form a better understanding of the child or family’s life. Abuse and neglect can take a variety of different forms, including but not limited to: • sexual abuse • physical abuse • emotional abuse • neglect (i.e., a child might be left hungry or dirty, or without proper clothing, shelter, supervision, health care or denied their right to education) • domestic abuse, including controlling or coercive behaviour • exploitation by criminal gangs and organised crime groups • serious or physical violence (i.e., knife and gun crime) • trafficking and modern slavery • online abuse • child on child abuse • sexual exploitation • female genital mutilation • influences of extremism leading to radicalisation • exposure to parental mental health issues; and • drug or alcohol abuse Whatever the form of abuse or neglect, practitioners should put the needs of children first when determining what action to take. Children may report experiences of abuse or neglect to trusted adults, such as teachers, youth workers or sports coaches, or there may be visible signs of abuse or neglect, in which case the decision to share information is clear. Action should be taken quickly to respond to the report or signs. In other cases, e.g., neglect, the indicators may be subtle and appear or build up over time. In these cases, the situation can often be more difficult 20 to judge, however action should still be taken, and you should report concerns in line with safeguarding policies and pro