Abstract

This paper reports findings from a UK-wide evaluation of Speak Out Stay Safe, a manualised child abuse and neglect (CAN) prevention programme delivered by the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) to children aged 6–11 years. The study examined which groups benefit most, the immediate impact on children’s knowledge of CAN, and the retention of this knowledge and help-seeking attitudes over time. Three survey measures assessed children’s understanding of abuse types, readiness to seek help, and perceptions of school culture at baseline, immediately post-intervention, and six months later. Statistical analyses included paired and independent t-tests, MANCOVAs, and Chi-square tests. Children showed significant immediate improvements in identifying neglect, sexual, emotional, and physical abuse, with knowledge largely retained at six months. Older pupils demonstrated the strongest sustained gains, particularly in recognising trusted adults and understanding sexual and emotional abuse. Girls showed significantly higher awareness and differentiation across abuse types, especially those with lower initial knowledge. Future prevention programmes should focus in depth on the concept of neglect and sexual violence in particular as these were areas where children’s knowledge was lower, especially among boys and those in more deprived school settings.