Types of abuse and neglect

The four categories in KCSIE 2026

Part one of Keeping children safe in education 2026, which all school staff must read, has a section called “Indicators of abuse and neglect”. It defines abuse, then the four categories.

Category	KCSIE 2026	In short
Physical abuse	Paragraph 26	Hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning or scalding, drowning, suffocating or otherwise causing physical harm. Includes a parent or carer fabricating or inducing illness in a child.
Emotional abuse	Paragraph 27	Persistent emotional maltreatment that severely affects a child’s emotional development.
Sexual abuse	Paragraph 28	Forcing, causing or inciting a child to take part in sexual activities, whether or not the child knows what is happening. Includes non-contact abuse and grooming.
Neglect	Paragraph 29	The persistent failure to meet a child’s basic physical and/or psychological needs, likely to seriously impair their health or development.

Paragraph 25 defines abuse as “a form of maltreatment of a child”, by inflicting harm or failing to act to prevent it. Harm includes “the impact of witnessing ill treatment of others”, which is why children who see, hear or experience the effects of domestic abuse are victims in their own right. Abuse can happen wholly online, can come from adults or other children, and can happen in a family, an institution or the community.

KCSIE is clear that these labels are a starting point. Abuse, neglect and exploitation “are rarely standalone events and cannot be covered by one definition or one label alone” (paragraph 20).

What each category includes

Physical abuse. As well as deliberate injury, KCSIE includes fabricated or induced illness, where a parent or carer invents or causes symptoms in a child.

Emotional abuse. Paragraph 27 is the longest definition. It includes telling a child they are worthless or unloved, verbal abuse such as persistent criticism, belittling or name-calling, silencing a child or making fun of how they communicate, expectations beyond their age or development, overprotection that limits learning and social contact, seeing or hearing the ill-treatment of another, and serious bullying, including cyberbullying. Some emotional abuse is involved in every type of maltreatment.

Sexual abuse. It covers contact abuse, non-contact abuse (such as involving a child in looking at or making sexual images) and grooming. KCSIE stresses that women and other children can abuse too, that children are more likely to know their abuser than not, and that children under 13 can never consent to sexual activity (paragraph 28). Abuse between children is covered in Part five; see harmful sexual behaviour and child-on-child abuse.

Neglect. Paragraph 29 lists failing to provide adequate food, clothing and shelter, to protect a child from harm, to supervise them adequately, or to make sure they get medical care. It can begin in pregnancy, for example through maternal substance misuse. The Working Together 2026 glossary adds failing to “provide suitable education”.

Signs staff should know

KCSIE points staff to the DfE advice What to do if you’re worried a child is being abused for examples of indicators (paragraph 55). It is from 2015, but it is still the current DfE advice. It warns that a sign “doesn’t automatically mean a child is being abused”, and that what is worrying in a younger child may be normal in an older one.

General signs it lists include:

a change in behaviour: becoming aggressive, withdrawn or clingy, trouble sleeping, or starting to wet the bed
clothes that are ill-fitting or dirty, or consistently poor hygiene
avoiding particular family members or friends for no obvious reason
not wanting to change in front of others or do PE
a sudden drop in concentration, or seeming tired and hungry
regularly missing school, reluctance to go home, or being picked up late
talking about being left alone, or about running away
flinching at sudden movements or shying away from touch

Signs it gives for each category:

Physical abuse: frequent injuries, and unexplained bruises, cuts, burns, scalds, bite marks or fractures.
Emotional abuse: a child who is excessively withdrawn, fearful or anxious about doing something wrong, and parents or carers who ignore, blame or humiliate the child.
Sexual abuse: sexual knowledge, language or behaviour that isn’t expected for the child’s age, asking others to play sexual games, and physical signs such as soreness, sexually transmitted infections or pregnancy.
Neglect: being left hungry or dirty, no suitable clothing, a dirty or unsafe home, missed health care, and parents who don’t seek treatment when the child is ill or injured.

For sexual abuse, KCSIE also lists the Centre of Expertise on Child Sexual Abuse’s signs and indicators resources for education staff (Annex A).

Watch for overlap with the wider issues in paragraph 30, such as unexplained or persistent absence, drug or alcohol misuse, and criminal exploitation. See child criminal exploitation and county lines and persistent and severe absence.

What to do if you’re worried

KCSIE says that if staff have any concern about a child’s welfare “they should act on them immediately” (paragraph 58), follow the child protection policy and speak to the DSL or a deputy (paragraph 59). In practice:

Listen, don’t investigate. If a child tells you something, reassure them they are being taken seriously (paragraph 15). Never promise to keep it secret (paragraph 14).
Write it down the same day: what you saw, what the child said in their own words, and when. For injuries, describe what you saw and where. See how to record a safeguarding concern.
Tell the DSL or a deputy. If they aren’t available, speak to a senior leader. Don’t let it delay action (paragraph 61). If a child is in immediate danger, call the police.
Let the DSL decide. Options include support within school, a Family Help assessment, or a referral to children’s social care (paragraph 60). See how to make a safeguarding referral and child in need vs child protection.

Children may not tell anyone, or may not see what is happening as abuse (paragraph 16). That is why KCSIE asks for “professional curiosity” and an attitude of “it could happen here” (paragraphs 19 and 57).

Common questions

What are the 4 types of abuse as stated in KCSIE?

Physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse and neglect. Keeping children safe in education 2026 defines them in Part one, paragraphs 26 to 29, under the heading 'Indicators of abuse and neglect'. Paragraph 25 defines abuse in general, and the rest of Part one and Annex A cover exploitation and other specific safeguarding issues.

What are the signs of neglect in a child?

DfE advice lists signs such as a child who is often hungry or dirty, has no suitable clothing (for example no winter coat), has consistently poor hygiene, misses basic health care, or lives in a home that is dirty or unsafe. Parents who don't seek medical treatment when their child is ill or injured are another sign. One sign doesn't prove neglect, which is a pattern over time.

What happens if a child goes to school with bruises?

A member of staff who notices the bruise should write down exactly what they saw and anything the child said, without examining the child or asking leading questions, and tell the designated safeguarding lead or a deputy straight away. The DSL decides what happens next. That may be nothing more than a note, a conversation with parents, or a referral to children's social care if the explanation doesn't fit or there is a pattern.

What are the signs of emotional abuse in children?

DfE advice lists children who are excessively withdrawn, fearful or anxious about doing something wrong, and parents or carers who give a child the 'cold shoulder', blame their problems on the child, or humiliate them with name-calling or negative comparisons. KCSIE 2026 adds that emotional abuse can include persistent criticism and belittling, and that some emotional abuse is involved in all types of maltreatment (paragraph 27).

How many types of abuse are there in safeguarding?

For children, statutory guidance in England uses four categories: physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse and neglect. Longer lists of types usually come from adult safeguarding, which uses different categories. KCSIE also covers exploitation, domestic abuse, child-on-child abuse and other issues, which often overlap with the four.

Sources

Keeping children safe in education 2026 (DfE, statutory guidance, in force from 1 September 2026): Part one, paragraphs 14 to 30, 55 to 61, and Annex A. Last checked 20 October 2026.
What to do if you're worried a child is being abused: advice for practitioners (DfE, March 2015), paragraphs 7 to 21. Last checked 20 October 2026.
Working Together to Safeguard Children 2026 (DfE): Appendix A, glossary entries for maltreatment, neglect and physical abuse. Last checked 20 October 2026.
Signs and indicators of child sexual abuse (Centre of Expertise on Child Sexual Abuse), listed in KCSIE 2026 Annex A. Last checked 20 October 2026.

This guide explains the official guidance in plain words. It isn’t legal advice. Your local safeguarding partnership’s procedures and your own policies also apply. If anything here is wrong or out of date, email support@pupilprotect.co.uk.