Transcript Safeguarding our students

Safeguarding our students
Equality and Diversity Conference
'Diversity is what we have in
common'
Friday, 11th November 2011
University of Huddersfield
Jim Reid
Senior Lecturer
Safeguarding children and young
people (0-18)
SAFEGUARDING VULNERABLE
ADULTS
The problem of ‘child abuse’ and what to do
about it has been the dominating issue in
child welfare policy and practice since the
early 1970’s and has had a major impact upon
the public image and priorities of social
workers.
‘Child abuse’ Public Inquiries have played a
major role in influencing public policy
After May 1997 policies for children lay at the heart of
the New Labour project to refashion the welfare state.
Because it put a particular emphasis upon:
Tackling ‘social exclusion’
Improving ‘social investment’ – ‘Education, Education,
Education’
Intervening in problems at an early stage so that they
do not become chronic
‘Child Protection’ became ‘Safeguarding’ (and
‘promoting the welfare of the child’)
Legislation and guidance
• S175 (3) Education Act 2002
– The governing body of an institution within the further
education sector shall make arrangements for
ensuring that their functions relating to the conduct of
the institution are exercised with a view to
safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children
receiving education or training at the institution
• Working Together to Safeguard Children (2010)
– Statutory Guidance
The death of Baby Peter caused an intense political and media
reaction which engendered very high anxiety amongst
government ministers and officials and had a profound impact
on safeguarding practice.
All this was happening at the same time as the UK economy
was experiencing the biggest economic downturn since the
early 1930s – with increased unemployment, homelessness
and public and personal debt
A coalition government in a hurry – huge changes since
May 2010
Major reforms and new legislation in:
•Health
•Schools and Education
•The Welfare Bill – Universal Credit and reduction of £18bn in
budget
•Protection of Freedoms Bill
•Reduction in Prison Places with a greater emphasis on
rehabilitation and control in the community (??)
•Open Public services White Paper - commissioning services
out and ‘payment by results’
Survey of Director’s of Children’s Services
(Response Rate: 25 Directors; CYP Now 25/1/11)
• 13% Average Cut to children’s services budgets in 2011/12 –
ranging from 6% - 25%
Services Hardest Hit
• Youth services 56%
• Early years and Children’s Centres 44%
• Connexions 40%
• School improvement 40%
• Back office functions 24%
• Vol. and Com. Sector 12%
• Education Welfare 8%
• Educational Psychology 8%
• Play 8%
• Transport 8%
Brewer, M, Browne, J and Joyce, R (2011) Child and Working-age Poverty from 20102020. London: Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS Website)
‘The net direct effect of the Coalition government’s tax and benefit changes is to increase
both absolute and relative poverty to the highest levels since 2001/2’
Action for Children (2011) The Red Book: Impact of Government spending decisions on
children, young people and families 2010/11. London: Action for Children (AfC Website).
Research on its services around the UK which showed that since the Comprehensive
Spending Review in October 2010:
‘Our findings show that while there are more children in need of support, cuts to the
budget of vital services mean that increasingly this need cannot be met.’ p.10
Gill C, La Ville I and Brady ML (2011) The Ripple Effect: The
nature and impact of the children and young people’s
voluntary sector. London: National Children’s Bureau (NCB
Website)
‘Perceived implications of cuts to funding were far reaching.
Shrinkage in voluntary and community sector provision will
most immediately impact on the children, young people and
families that use them. Further down the line though, it is
expected that statutory agencies will experience higher
demand and more ‘crisis’ work as the additional capacity
provided by the sector declines’.
Some issues of concern:
• ECM not mentioned in any government pronouncements and
ECM website removed
• More targeted services for the most ‘vulnerable’ families –
(‘cycle of deprivation’) – not Every Child Matters
• Focus on child protection
• C&YP’s Plans and Children’s Trusts de-regulated
• CWDC funding withdrawn
• National Safeguarding Delivery Unit disbanded June 2010
• Increases in inequality, social divisions and areas of high
deprivation
• Duty to co-operate’ in promoting pupil ‘well-being’ for
schools to be repealed
Prevalence
11-17 year olds
• Around one in five children (18.6%) have been severely
maltreated.
• More than one in eight children (13.4%) have experienced
severe maltreatment by a parent or guardian.
• One in 14 children (6.9%) have experienced severe physical
violence at the hands of an adult.
• One in 20 children (4.8%) have experienced contact sexual
abuse.
• One in 10 children (9.8%) have experienced severe neglect.
Radford, Lorraine et al (2011) Child abuse and neglect in the
UK today . Leicester: NSPCC.
18-24 year olds
•One in four young adults (25.3%) had been severely
maltreated during childhood.
•One in seven young adults (14.5%) had been severely
maltreated by a parent or guardian during childhood.
•One in nine young adults (11.5%) had experienced severe
physical violence during childhood at the hands of an
adult.
•One in nine young adults (11.3%) had experienced
contact sexual abuse during childhood.
•Almost one in 10 young adults (9%) had been severely
neglected by parents or guardians during childhood.
Domestic violence
• 29% of women and 18% of men aged 16 to 59 reported that they
had experienced one or more types of abuse (non-sexual abuse
such as use of physical force, being prevented from having
money or seeing friends or being belittled, sexual assault and
stalking) at the hands of a current or former partner at some
time since age 16.
• One in five women (19%) and one in ten men (10%) reported
that they had experienced physical force by a partner or former
partner at some time since age 16.
Coleman, K. et al. (2007) ’Homicides, firearm offences and intimate
violence 2005/2006: supplementary volume 1 to Crime in England
and Wales 2005/2006’ (PDF). London: Home Office. Research,
Development and Statistics Directorate.
Statement of Government policy on adult
safeguarding DH 16 May 2011
• The Government’s policy objective is to prevent and reduce the risk of
significant harm to vulnerable adults from abuse or other types of
exploitation, whilst supporting individuals in maintaining control over their
lives and in making informed choices without coercion.
• The Government believes that safeguarding is everybody’s business …
• Empowerment - Presumption of person led decisions and informed
consent.
• Protection - Support and representation for those in greatest need.
• Prevention - It is better to take action before harm occurs.
• Proportionality – Proportionate and least intrusive response appropriate to
the risk presented.
• Partnership - Local solutions through services working with their
communities. Communities have a part to play in preventing, detecting and
reporting neglect and abuse.
• Accountability - Accountability and transparency in delivering safeguarding.
Safeguarding vulnerable adults
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increasing concern about mental disorder in students
including in;
Schizophrenia,
Depression,
bi-polar disorder,
eating disorders,
autism spectrum disorders,
alcohol and drug misuse.
the impact of childhood trauma
the isolation of international students.
The Royal College of Psychiatrists (2011) ‘Mental Health of
Students in Higher Education’. London:RCP
The report concludes that;
‘sociodemographic factors associated with symptoms
include gender, social class, ethnicity and nationality’ (p32)
which is particularly relevant in a widening participation
institution.
It goes on to say; ‘in view of the increasing social and
cultural diversity of UK students, it is possible that there will
be a rise in symptom reporting and diagnosable conditions’
(p.32).
Equality Act 2010
The 2010 Act changed the definition of disability very slightly to:
A person has a disability if –
• He has a physical or mental impairment, and
• the impairment has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on his
ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities’. (Part 6)
‘Substantial disadvantage’ is defined as ‘more than minor or trivial’
Children Act 1989
S17 (11) a child is disabled if he is blind, deaf or dumb or suffers
from mental disorder of any kind or is substantially and permanently
handicapped by illness, injury or congenital deformity or such other
disability as may be prescribed
The QAA in the Code of Practice for the Assurance of
Academic Quality and Standards in Higher Education (2010),
Section 3 (Disabled Students), recognises that students with
disabilities are an integral part of the academic community
with a general entitlement to the provision of education in a
manner that meets their individual requirements.
Abuse is not an event but a process!
With thanks to
Professor Nigel Parton:
Parton, N (2011) The increasing length and complexity
of central government guidance about child abuse in
England: 1974-2010. Discussion Paper. University of
Huddersfield, Huddersfield. (Unpublished)
Parton, N. (2011) Critical Reflections on Recent
Developments in Child Protection. Presentation.
University of Huddersfield: Huddersfield. (Unpublished)