Child protection training for school based teaching and non-teaching staff and volunteers in Devon (Version 1, last revised 2005)

•Queries about these materials/contents can be made to Devon

LEA’s Lead Officer for Child Protection.

•The presentation starts with the next slide.

SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN

S U P P O R T I N G S T A F F

Child Protection Training (1) for school- based staff and volunteers in Devon

Aims To provide basic child protection information for education staff To know what to do when you have concerns about a child To consider safeguarding children and safe working practices for adults in school

Ground Rules for Child Protection Training Value and respect each other. This means: • listen to each other • treat comments made by others sensitively and confidentially • keep to any time –keeping arrangements Be aware that this training is not the place to express personal concerns, nor to discuss cases which should remain confidential

(One way of accessing support for adults with personal concerns) NSPCC National Helpline number:

0808 8005000

Education Staff’s Crucial Role in Child Protection “Through their day to day contact with pupils and direct work with families, education staff have a crucial role to play in noticing indicators of possible abuse or neglect, and in referring concerns to [social services]” ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children’.

Lauren Wright

was a little girl whose life might have been saved if the systems designed to protect her had been in place She died in 2000.

She attended her village primary school, where her stepmother was employed, regularly. The school had no designated child protection person and no effective procedures in place. The staff had not received training.

(see handout)

Safeguarding Children is a Legal Responsibility • Since June 2004 everyone who works with children in the education service has a legal duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.

• This means that we must have safeguarding arrangements in place that we understand and follow.

• Most importantly, we must know what to do when we have concerns about a child/young person. This training session is about this aspect of safeguarding.

THE CHILDREN ACT 1989

This is important child protection legislation. It enshrines the following principles: •the welfare of the child is paramount •partnership with families •children are best kept within birth families where possible •intrusion into family life should be minimised •the wishes and feelings of children are ascertained •race, culture, religion and language to be taken into account

The Children Act 1989 (cont.d) • Children must be protected from serious harm. The local authority has a duty to investigate any report that a child is suffering, or likely to suffer, significant harm. (section 47) • Services necessary to safeguard and promote the welfare of children in need should be provided (section 17)

What is Child Abuse?

It is neglect, physical, sexual or emotional abuse, inflicted, or knowingly not prevented, which causes significant harm or death.

How can education staff recognise abuse?

• Education staff are only required to pass on their concerns. • They do not have to be sure that significant harm has happened or may happen. • They must not investigate in an effort to find evidence to support a concern.

Who abuses?

Abuse can be inflicted or not prevented by a person who looks after the child, a person known to the child who is not the carer, someone who works with the child, or more rarely someone not known to the child. Abuse can also be committed by another child.

In many cases children are subjected to a combination of forms of abuse.

Abusers Can Be:

• • • • • • • Any age Male or female (including sexual abusers) From any social class ‘Nice’ people Work in ‘helping professions’ Related to the child or not Damaged individuals, but very convincing liars. May appear to be “pillars of the community

Who might be abused?

Any child might be abused, but we know that there are some factors which make children more vulnerable. These are: – Disability – Special Needs – a “Difficult child” – A vulnerable child e.g. previous trauma or abuse – Dependent child – Lack of opportunities to develop resilience

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 feigns the symptoms of, or deliberately causes ill-health to a child whom they are looking after (this is called fabricated or induced illness.)

For example, this may include: • Extreme, inappropriate physical chastisement • Deliberate, malicious injuries • Restraining a child inappropriately

Emotional Abuse

Is the actual or likely adverse effect on the emotional and behavioural development of a child under the age of 18 years caused by persistent or severe emotional ill-treatment or rejection.

For example, for a child this can mean: • Persistent ridicule, rejection, humiliation • Living in an atmosphere of fear and intimidation • Being allowed no contact with other children • Inappropriate expectations being imposed • ‘Low warmth, high criticism’ • Being bullied, scapegoated

Neglect

Children under the age of 18 years who have been persistently or severely neglected or the failure to protect a child from exposure to any kind of danger. This would include exposing a child to extreme temperatures or starvation or failure to carry out important aspects of care resulting in the significant impairment of the child’s health or development.

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 or limits in terms of actions and behaviour

Sexual Abuse

Sexual Abuse of children is the actual or likely sexual exploitation of a child or adolescent under 18 years of age by any person. This would include any form of sexual activity to which the child cannot give true consent either by law or because of ignorance, dependence, developmental immaturity, or fear.

For example, for a child this may include: • Exposure to pornographic materials • Being involved in the sexual activities of adults • Being touched or talked to in sexually explicit ways- directly or indirectly • Being spoken to about sex in ways which are inappropriate for the child and which seek to gratify the needs of others

Indicators of Possible Abuse

         Marks (bruises, injuries, cuts, burns Changed eating habits ‘Fearful’ ’changed’, ‘unusual’, ‘difficult’, ‘withdrawn’, behaviour Poor hygiene Inappropriate touching Developmental delay Self injury Relationship changes Tiredness

Ways Children May Disclose Abuse • Talk • Play • Drawings • Writing • Behaviour

If a child wants (or appears to want) to share a concern with you:

DO:

• Take the child seriously • Take your time (if you haven’t time at that moment, explain that and say when you will have time later in the day) • Let him/her speak • Reassure (that it is OK to tell you) • Listen carefully

DO:

• Ask – open question (s) • Clarify by open questions • Say what you will do next, (ie.that you will speak to the Designated Person) • Record what was said, sign and date • Provide factual information • Consider medical attention • Tell the Designated Person without delay

DON’T:

• Promise (to keep it a secret) • Stop the child from speaking • Ask leading questions • Question unnecessarily • Make assumptions • Minimise

DON’T:

• Try to deal with the matter on your own • Delay (in passing on your concern) • Force to recall • Ask to show injuries requiring the removal of clothing • End the conversation abruptly • Criticise the alleged perpetrator

Sharing a concern in school:

• You must pass your concern to your Designated Person as soon as possible. • If the DP is not available, see his/her deputy DP • Confidentiality? NO -you cannot keep such a concern to yourself, but only discuss it with appropriate others. Your DP can explain this.

• Record –keeping of what was actually said is essential, give a signed, dated copy of this to your DP • Next? The DP will keep you informed. S/He has been trained in multi-agency child protection procedures in Devon.

Safe Working Practices for Education Staff Staff can minimise the risk of allegations of abuse against themselves by reviewing their own practice and by following the school’s child protection and other safeguarding policies and guidance on safe working practices /codes of conduct.

Discussion about situations where staff find themselves vulnerable will help to highlight concerns, provide useful revision of good practice and support for newer members of staff.

Our School’s Child Protection Policy All staff in the school should know and understand the contents of this policy and any updates. (The policy could be reviewed at this point or summarised here)

Summary • Staff have a duty to pass on child protection concerns to the (named) senior designated person in the school. • His/ her deputy(ies) is/are: • S/He will act in accordance with Devon child protection procedures and the guidance ‘What To Do If You’re Worried A Child Is Being Abused’, and will provide further advice and support as necessary.

• We are all responsible for safeguarding children. Staff are best placed to do this when they understand the school’s child protection and other safeguarding policies.