Information for children and young people

Important information about the Safety During Childhood Survey (SDCS) specifically relating to the importance of the survey, details about the survey and how we will protect your personal data can be found in ‘About the Safety During Childhood Survey (SDCS) pilot section’.

This animation gives an overview of the survey, choosing to take part and the support available.

At school, there will be an information session to give you more details about the survey and the support available to you. You will also be asked to sign a permission form at the start of the survey to take part. 

It is your choice if you take part in the survey or not. We recommend that you speak to a trusted adult about taking part. Your teachers, parents and carers already know about the survey. 

If you decide to do the survey, you can pause or exit at any time. You will be able to play games or do other activities until your classmates have finished.  

If you choose to opt out, your choice will not affect your relationship with the school, the ONS or the NSPCC. Your parent or carer can opt you out of the survey if they do not want you to take part. 

It is not possible for your responses to be removed once the survey has been completed, as they will be anonymous.

You will complete the survey questions on a tablet. You will have the opportunity to see how the questions and survey work during your information session. There will be a security screen on the tablet to ensure that responses are not visible to other people in the room or other participants. 

There is no right or wrong answer, so say what you think is right for you. Each question has the option to say "don't know" or "don't feel comfortable to say".