Who do they talk to?

"I believe the best service to the child is the service closest to the child, and children who are victims of neglect, abuse, or abandonment must not also be victims of bureaucracy. They deserve our devoted attention, not our divided attention."
Kenny Guinn

More then one in 6 children are abused in the UK at some point in their childhood according to an NSPCC report last year.  Whether a child will be abused is not based on their location or their standard of life, it can affect any child.  The only way to stop it is through adequate services and to abandon its secrecy.  I don't however believe our nannying culture is really helping.  We've reached a point where we're frightened to talk to kids for fear of being accused of bad intentions.  This leads to children not trusting anyone, at which point, who do they talk to?

That's where I believe Youth groups step in.  The Boys' Brigade for instance becomes a lifeline for a child.  As such we should strive to create an environment where children can trust the officers and leaders.  (Of course in a 'safe to grow' manner for the protection of those children and the leaders).  This leads to a position where the children in question feel safe enough to talk, even when real problems arise.  It also comes as a way to monitor changes in a child.  Often children who suffer abuse become withdrawn or their general disposition changes.  We should look for these changes, then act appropriately to find the reason.  This could be a child becoming quiet, or angering easily.  Like a trail of bread crumbs these children often leave clues even when they're too frightened to talk in the way of emotions and their actions.

If nothing else, the Boys' Brigade is a refuge, a meeting each week where life's problems can be forgotten for a short time, where friends and role models can be found in a fun and fulfilling environment.  Our work is as important as ever.