Transcript Extended CP Course - Bath and North East Somerset

C
An Introduction to
Child Protection – for Schools
Delivered on behalf of
Bath and North East Somerset
Local Safeguarding Children Board
C
Aims & Objectives
•
•
•
•
•
At the end of this session participants will :
Be clear about key roles and responsibilities in
and for schools
Understand the safeguarding agenda for
schools and where child protection fits into it
Be aware of different types of abuse and
possible signs and symptoms
Be clear about what to do if they are concerned
about a child
Be clear about how to respond to a child who
tells them about possible abuse
C
What has child abuse got
to do with me?
Safeguarding in Education
Safe Recruitment
& Selection
ICT / E-safety
Child protection
Whistle-blowing
SEN and CiC
Duty to
Safeguard
&
Promote
Welfare
Behaviour
Management
Extended
Services
C
Managing
Allegations
School Security
& Physical
Environment
PSHE
& Curriculum
Anti-Bullying
Attendance
admissions
exclusions
Staff Conduct
(inc. volunteers)
Group Discussion / Exercise
• How do we decide what is ‘normal’ /
‘abusive’?
• What are our thresholds and what shapes
them?
• What is and is not negotiable and why?
Lauren Wright
• Died in 2000 age 6
• Lost four stone and weighed just over two stone at time
of death
• Often appeared with bruises which were explained away
• Killed by step-mother who was a member of school staff
• DTCP had left and governor offered to take on this
responsibility
• No referral made to Social Services
“…lots of times she was covered with lots of
small bruises and with major bruises about
once a month. These included black eyes,
bruising on her face and scratches on her
back.” (Lauren’s class teacher)
“… her physical deterioration had been
apparent for at least five months before
she died.” (Head teacher)
Victoria Climbié
• Died February 2000
“… the food would be cold and given to her on a piece of
plastic while she was tied up in the bath. She would eat it
like a dog … … Except, of course, that s dog is not
usually tied up in a plastic bag full of excrement. To say
that Kouao and Manning treated Victoria like a dog
would be wholly unfair; she was treated far worse than a
dog.”
• Authorities had 12 separate opportunities to intervene
C
Taking action
What if I’m wrong
I could make things worse
Fear
I don’t know what to do
Not my job
CHILD
Disbelief
What do I know about child abuse?
Protection of Child
Potential Pitfalls
• Losing sight of the child e.g. Unwillingness to
challenge where we have concerns
• Mindsets e.g. It doesn’t happen here
• Failure to share information
• Unclear about roles / responsibilities
• Failure to seek appropriate advice / support
• Failure to record
• Assumptions e.g. someone else will act, about
the family, explanations etc
• Not acting promptly where we have concerns
e.g. same day
Legislation, Roles &
Responsibilities
Main Legislation & Guidance
•
•
•
•
•
Children Act 1989
Education Act 2002
Children Act 2004
Bichard 2005
ISA?
C
• Working Together to Safeguard
Children March 2010
• DfES ‘Safeguarding Children and
Safer Recruitment in Education’
(January 2007)
• Guidance for Safer Working Practices
2007
• B&NES Safeguarding Children
Procedures
• School’s CP Policy / Procedures
• www.swcpp.org.uk
• Framework for Schools Inspections
Legal Responsibilities under Section 175
(S157 – Independent Schools)
C
• ‘Safeguarding & Promoting Welfare’- covers more than the
contribution made to child protection in relation to individual
children e.g. bullying, medical needs, school security etc
• LAs, Governing Bodies and establishments must have in
place relevant policies and procedures
• Must have DTCP for child protection (and back-up person
recommended)
• DTCP to update their cp training every two years
• All staff to receive training every three years and on induction
• Safe recruitment procedures
• Not about increased individual liability. Legislation refers to
making and having in place ‘arrangements … … ‘
C
DTCP Role and Responsibilities
• Responsible for maintaining
child welfare and child protection
records centrally, securely and,
where appropriate (i.e. CP
records), confidentially
• Responsible for sharing records
appropriately when children
leave or move schools
• Responsible for co-ordinating
action in child protection
situations e.g. monitoring and
support plans in school, referring
to other agencies, attending
Child Protection Conferences
and other meetings
• Ensures that a CP policy is in
place and that staff are aware
• Reviews policy annually and
ensures sign-off by Governing
Body
• Attends refresher training every
2 yrs (inc. multi-agency
training)
• Ensures all staff receive
induction and an update every
3 yrs
• Offers support and advice to
staff , day to day, who may
have concerns about children
in school.
Duty to Make Enquiries (s.47)
The Local Authority (Social Services) has a duty to make
enquiries wherever there is reasonable cause to suspect
that a child is suffering or is likely to suffer significant
harm.
Significant Harm (s.31(10))
•The threshold which justifies statutory intervention
into family life
•Significance is measured against a child’s health
and development and what might reasonably be
expected of a similar child
•Physical, social, intellectual, emotional and
behavioural development
•Harm means ill-treatment or the impairment of
health or development
•Physical and mental health
Common Assessment
Framework
CAF and Lead Professional
Information Sharing and Assessment
Tools and processes
Benefits
Cross Government
Information Sharing
Guidance
Earlier, holistic
identification of needs
Common Assessment
Framework
Earlier, more effective
intervention
Lead Professional
Improved information
sharing across agencies
Children’s Services
Directory
Better service
experience for children
and families
Cross Government Information
Sharing Guidance
Aim:
Improve practice by giving practitioner’s across
children and young people’s services clearer
guidance on when and how they can share
information.
Children’s Services Directory
• Online searchable directory of all children’s services
– Contact details for local providers
– Eligibility criteria
– Geographical location
– Access procedures
• http://www.1bigdatabase.org.uk/
Common Assessment Framework
Definition
CAF is a tool to enable early and effective
assessment of children and young people
who need additional services or support
from more than one agency
Common Assessment Framework
It is a process for:
 recognising the signs that a child may have unmet needs
 developing a child/young person’s centred and holistic
approach to assessment of needs
 recording information using the CAF form and, with
consent, sharing information
 developing appropriate and timely support plans
 may lead to specialist assessment
CAF benefits
Benefits:
• Multi-agency working and child-centered services
• Shared language across agencies
• Earlier identification and earlier intervention
• Easier, less bureaucratic access to a range of services
and less repetition for children and families
Where more than one practitioner is involved, one will take
the lead
Lead Professional
•
Two main responsibilities:
 act as an single point of contact for the child / young
person and family
 coordinate support where more than one practitioner
is involved to ensure that support is streamlined,
effectively delivered and regularly reviewed
Who can be a Lead Professional?
• Many practitioners in the children’s workforce could take on
the lead professional role
• We define the role by the functions and skills needed,
rather than by particular professional or practitioner
groupings
• As the needs of the child, young person or family
change, so will the skills, knowledge and competence to
carry out the role – not only over time, but also as the
complexity or intensity of their support needs change.
C
Child Abuse?
When a child is hurt or harmed by
another person in a way that causes
significant harm to that child and which
may have an effect upon the child’s
health, development or well-being, via
acts of omission or commission.
Arousal – Relaxation Cycle
Fahlberg 1994
NEED
QUIESENCE
TRUST
SECURITY
ATTACHMENT
SATISFY NEED
DISPLEASURE
Child Abuse &
Children with more
Complex Needs
Discussion
Are the ‘rules’ different insofar as safeguarding
Children with disabilities and complex needs are
concerned?
What are the issues for
a. the young people themselves
b. parents
c. professionals
1:
Disabled children are in most senses
just like other children; they have the
same basic needs and general principles of
good practice in child protection work
apply equally to all children.
2:
Disabled children have the same right to
protection as all children.
Myths, Stereotypes & Barriers
• Not vulnerable – wouldn’t be targeted
• Not as harmful as abuse to non-disabled
children
• Impossible to prevent
• More likely to make false allegations
• If abuse has occurred, best to leave well
alone once child is safe
• Parents and carers are saints/reluctance
to challenge carers
“Society still seems to be in denial about the fact that
disabled children are more likely to be abused than non-disabled
children. This may be because generally speaking
less attention is paid to their human rights and to providing
advocacy services for them. They are still commonly seen in
terms of their impairment and the characteristics that make
each child unique – age, gender, ethnicity, religion and culture
are subsumed in the one label. This has to change so that
the systems set up to safeguard all children cover disabled
children on equal terms.”
Source: Stuart and Baines (2004) p 2122
….child abuse and neglect are inextricably
interwoven with disability. The literature is
replete with evidence that children who are
abused or neglected are at greater risk of
becoming emotionally disturbed, language
impaired, mentally retarded (sic) and/or
physically disabled, while children with
disabilities may be at greater risk of abuse
and neglect.
Cohen and Warren 1990 p254
Increased Vulnerability?
•
•
•
•
Neglect
Sexual Abuse
Physical Abuse
Emotional Abuse
3.8 times more likely
3.1 times more likely
3.8. times as likely
3.9 times as likely
Source : Sullivan & Knutson, 1997
Group Discussion:
What factors do you think may
increase and / or perpetuate
vulnerability?
Increased Vulnerability
• Individual
characteristics
• Assumed that disability
‘protects’
• Medical models, labels
etc - disempower
• Segregation & isolation
• Lack of training and
resources
• Communication issues
• Intimate personal care
/ variety of carers
• Reluctance to
complain
• Primary focus upon
needs of parents
• Imbalance regarding
need and risk issues
• Professional beliefs,
feelings …
Private Fostering
• Arrangement made privately without the
involvement of the local authority
• Applies to children under 16 years or 18 if
disabled where they have been cared for
by someone other than a parent of close
relative for 28 days or more
C
Physical Abuse
• Physical abuse may involve hitting, shaking,
throwing, poisoning, burning or scalding,
drowning, suffocating, or otherwise causing
physical harm to a child. Physical harm may
also be caused when a parent or carer
fabricates the symptoms of, or deliberately
induces, illness in a child.
For
Non-Accidental
Injuries
For
Accidental
Injuries
Eyes
Ears
Cheeks
Mouth
Forehead
Neck
Shoulder
Body spinal
protuberances
Chest
Upper Arms
Inner Arms
Stomach
Elbow
Genitals
Front Thighs
Buttocks
Back Thighs
Knees
Crown
Liana crest
(hip)
Shins
Physical Abuse
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Not all bruising or marks are causes for concern
No failsafe checklist exists
No need to investigate / diagnose
What and where e.g. linear, outline, several /
recurrent, parallel, soft tissue
Are explanations consistent e.g. child, parent?
Patterns? Circumstances? Life events / changes
/ behaviour?
Act promptly – same day discussion with DTCP
No photos! Clear records!
C
Emotional Abuse
• The persistent emotional maltreatment of a child such
as to cause severe and persistent adverse effects on a
child’s emotional development.
• It may involve conveying to a child that they are
worthless or unloved, inadequate, or valued only insofar
as they meet the needs of another person.
• It may include not giving a child opportunities to express
their views, deliberately silencing them or making fun of
what they say or how they communicate.
• It may feature age or developmentally inappropriate
expectations being imposed on children. These may
include interactions that are beyond the child’s
developmental capability, as well as overprotection and
limitation of exploration and learning, or preventing the
child participating in normal social interaction.
C
C
• It may involve seeing or hearing the illtreatment of another.
• It may involve serious bullying (including
cyberbullying).
• causing children frequently to feel
frightened or in danger.
• the exploitation of corruption of children
• Some level of emotional abuse is involved
in all the types of maltreatment of a child
thought it may occur alone.
Group Discussion
What are some of the potential problems
associated with identifying emotional
abuse?
What might you observe in a child who
was being emotionally abused?
C
For example, for a child this can mean:
• Persistent ridicule,rejection, humiliation
• Living in atmosphere of fear and
intimidation
• Being allowed no contact with other
children
• Inappropriate expectations being imposed
• Low warmth, high criticism
• Being bullied, scapegoated
Neglect
C
• Is the persistent failure to meet a child’s basic physical
and/or psychological needs, likely to result in the serious
impairment of the child’s health or development.
• Neglect may occur during pregnancy as a result of
maternal substance abuse.
• Once a child is born, neglect may involve a parent or carer
failing to provide adequate food and clothing, shelter
including exclusion from a home or abandonment.
C
Failure to
• Protect a child from physical and emotional
harm or danger
• Ensure adequate supervision (including the
use of inadequate care-givers) or
• Ensure access to appropriate medical care
or treatment
• It may also include neglect of, or
unresponsiveness to, a child’s basic
emotional needs.
C
For example, for a child this can
mean:
•
•
•
•
•
Lack of adequate nourishment/shelter
Not receiving medical attention when necessary
Lack of interest in the welfare of the child
Inappropriate clothing
No boundaries, limits in terms of actions and
behaviour
• Child’s needs not recognised / prioritised by
parents
Sexual Abuse
• Sexual Abuse involves forcing or enticing a
child or young person to take part in sexual
activities, not necessarily involving a high level
of violence, whether or not the child is aware of
what is happening
• The activities may involve physical contact,
including assault by penetration (for example
rape or oral sex) or non-penetrative acts such
as masturbation, kissing, rubbing and touching
outside of clothing
C
C
• They may also include non-contact activities
such as
• Involving children in looking at, or in the
production of, sexual images, watching sexual
activities, encouraging children to behave in
sexually inappropriate ways or
• Grooming a child for abuse (including via the
internet)
• Sexual abuse is not solely perpetrated by adult
males. Women can also commit acts of sexual
abuse, as can other children
C
• Not necessarily about touch / penetrative
acts e.g. access to inappropriate
materials, language, what children see
• Barriers to disclosure i.e. ‘grooming’
• May be physical, emotional, social /
behavioural signs although may be subtle
and attributable, potentially, to a range of
things
Disability & Disclosure
Issues
The ‘usual’ barriers apply in respect of children
recognising and/or telling us that they are being
abused. In addition, workers should
• Modify communication patterns to suit individual
needs
• Use simple sentences & verbs. No clauses, linked
sentences, multiple questions
• Provide clear feedback / summaries / clarification
at various points / as required
• Be prepared to ‘start again’ if a conversation
becomes difficult for the young person.
Talking and Listening to
Children
Do
Don’t
• Keep an open mind
• Reassure the child that they
are right to tell
• Listen carefully
• Work at the child’s pace
• Ask only open questions – if
you must ask them, clarify the
facts, don’t interrogate
• Explain what you need to do
next
• Record accurately and quickly
using child’s words
• Pass on to DTCP same day
• Make false promises about
confidentiality
• Interrupt
• Interrogate / investigate
• Assume e.g. this child tells lies
• Make suggestions about what
is being said
• Speculate or accuse anyone
• Show anger, shock etc
• Tell the child to go and speak
to someone else
• Forget to record accurately
and/or pass on to DTCP
C
Recordings need to …
C
• Be written as soon as possible (& certainly within
24 hrs)
• Be written in ink, signed and dated
• Differentiate clearly between fact, opinion (if one
is offered) & interpretation
• Use the child’s language wherever possible (if
you use quotation marks be very clear &
precise!)
• Be given to the appropriate person (DTCP) as a
matter of urgency
C
Making Professional Judgements
There may well be occasions and circumstances
in which staff have to make decisions or take
action, in the best interests of a child, where little
or no guidance currently exists. Under these
circumstances, staff will be required to exercise
their own professional judgement.
Statistics
• An estimated 3,000 allegations of abuse made
against staff in maintained schools each year –
66% physical abuse, 15% sexual abuse, 15%
inappropriate behaviour.
• On average, 1 in 8 schools will deal with an
allegation of abuse each year
• In 2005 2,416 people were reported to DfES to
consider including them on List 99 or the PoCA
List and 525 people were added to one or other
of the lists.
C
When might you be vulnerable &
why?
•
•
•
•
Alone with a child
Administering first aid
Restraining a child
When a child seeks
affection
• Providing intimate
personal care
• Social networking sites
• Lack of training or
support
• When you are unclear
about guidance and/ or
procedures
• When you fail to report or
seek advice / poor lines
of communication
• When you fail to record
• Ethos and culture
Guidance on Safe Working Practice
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Introduction
Status of document
Duty of care
Exercising professional
judgement
Power and Positions of Trust
Confidentiality
Propriety and Behaviour
Dress, Appearance and Social
Contact
Gifts
Physical contact
Discipline and punishment
Physical Intervention
Sexual contact with yp
One to one situations
Infatuations and crushes
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
C
Pupils in distress
First aid and intimate care
Children with special needs
Overnight supervision and
examinations
PE and other activities requiring
physical contact (see BALPE)
Showers and changing
Out of school trips and clubs
Curriculum
Photography, video and creative
arts
Internet use
Whistle-blowing
Self-reporting
Reporting and recording incidents
Staff and pupil welfare
Allegations Management process
New guidance was introduced in 2006 following the Inquiry undertaken
by Sir Michael Bichard into the murders of Holly Wells and Jessica
Chapman by Ian Huntley in Soham in 2002.
The guidance is designed to ;
• make it harder for unsuitable people to have access to children
through their employment or volunteering activities
• deal efficiently and effectively with any allegations made against
those people employed or working with children and young people
via the allegations management process
C
Allegations Management process
Definition of an allegation
For the purpose of this process an allegation is where an
adult working with or on behalf of children has:
• Behaved in a way that has harmed, or may have harmed
a child, or
• Possibly committed a criminal offence against or related
to a child, or
• Behaved towards a child or children in a way that
indicates unsuitability to work with children.
C
Allegations Management process
• Where staff become concerned about the behaviour of an
adult/colleague that may meet any of the above criteria particularly
where there are concerns about behaviour that may indicate unsuitability
then they should discuss these with the Designated person for Child
protection.
• The Designated person for Child Protection will then need to consider
whether discussion with/ referral to the Local Authority Designated
Officer (LADO) who has overall responsibility for allegations
management within the LA area is appropriate.
• The Designate person should record any concern raised and decision
made to refer/discuss with the LADO or not.
• If concerns held are about the Designated person then they should refer
discuss these with the HT/Chair of Governors.
C
Allegations Management process
Concern arises
NFA/Record
decision
Discuss with
Designated person
Consult with LADO
Record decision
NFA/strategy
discussion/internal
investigation
What Next?
• Am I clear enough about my role in school and
that of other key people?
• Am I clear about the relevant policies and
procedures in school?
• Am I clear about what I should do if I am
concerned about a child’s welfare?
• Am I clear about the appropriate sources of
advice and support available to me?
• Is there anything I need to speak to the DTCP
about?
C