Emily wound a loose thread from the hem around her finger.

“Am I in trouble?”

“No,” I told her.

“Then why do I have to keep telling people?”

“Adults need to make sure you’re safe,” the physician said.

“You can tell us if you need a break.”

When the medical assessment was finished, the documented concerns were reported through the appropriate safeguarding process.

A responding officer spoke with us in a consultation room that evening.