HALF a million children in the UK suffer abuse and neglect each year, and the NSPCC is here to help as many of them as possible.

But not every young person is able to speak out about it, so it’s vitally important that all of us realise the role we can play in supporting and keeping children safe. New survey findings from YouGov showed almost a third of adults polled in Yorkshire had been worried about a child, but one in five didn’t act on those concerns. The survey also found that more than two in five parents had experienced difficulties as a parent which they found hard to manage alone.

Our campaign, Listen up, Speak up, offers free online or face-to-face training to help adults recognise when something might be wrong, and what they could do to help. Face-to-face workshops were piloted here in Yorkshire last year and are now being offered to groups and organisations nationwide to help the public understand when a child might be at risk.

We want to inspire a million people and help create a nation of safeguarders who can offer support to families before they reach crisis point. The survey showed that the main barriers preventing people from acting were being unsure about if what was happening was abuse, being worried about making things worse and not being able to prove it. That’s why Listen up, Speak up is so important. Whether you take the simple training online or in-person, you’ll be given guidance on how to spot when something might not be right, and confidence in offering support. That could be as simple as offering a listening ear to a struggling teen or parent, stepping in to help juggle childcare, or calling the NSPCC Helpline if you think a child is at risk.

Listen up, Speak up workshops are free to schools, businesses, organisations and community groups. Last year, workshops were held for audiences as diverse as childcare professionals, shopping centre staff, independent shopkeepers and book groups. They take 45-60 minutes and offer vital safeguarding advice and guidance.

The online training is around 10 minutes, offering advice on signs that a child might be at risk, how to approach difficult conversations and who to contact if you're concerned. By looking at different scenarios developed from real-life situations and shaped by last year’s pilot scheme we aim to talk about what might stop people raising concerns and offer advice on what to do next. We'd love to hear from community groups, businesses or organisations that would like to host one. Visit nspcc.org.uk/speakup or email localcampaigns@nspcc.org.uk