Transcript schoolsonline.swindon.gov.uk

Early Years Safeguarding Briefing
Summer Term 2015
Ceri McAteer – Early Years Safeguarding
Adviser
Contact – 01793 465740
07774178011
[email protected]
Agenda
• 9.30 – Housekeeping Arrangements
• 9.35 – Ceri McAteer-Learning from Serious
Case Reviews
• 10.15 – Sarah Turner Supervision
• 10.45 – Comfort break
• 11.00-Rachel Hull- Child Protection
Conference report writing
• 11.30 – Ceri McAteer-Updates
• 12.00- Finish
Serious Case Review child K Southampton
• To give delegates an opportunity to explore
key issues and lessons learned following the
review of Child K’s death.
Synopsis
• Child K was physically, emotionally and sexually abused,
and he was neglected, physically and emotionally.
• From infancy he repeatedly witnessed the domestic
abuse of his mother. It is a mark of his resilience that he
continued to present much of the time as lively and
cheerful.
• In December 2011, K was taken to hospital. MRI scan
revealed devastating head injuries. He died the following
day.
Group discussion
Task:
• Identify the key issues
• What recommendations would you have
made?
Key messages & lessons learned
• The importance of following Child Protection procedures
ie when a child is recognised to be at risk of significant
harm this is reported appropriately and investigations
and assessments are completed without delay.
• Each agency taking responsibility for making a referral
• The importance of challenge and escalation.
• Voice of the child-the importance of seeing and speaking
to the child
• Agencies side tracked by the issue of domestic abuse,
they failed to keep the child at the centre of their
concerns.
• Practitioners failed to make a connection between being
intimidated themselves and that a child would feel
similarly threatened.
• Professionals may have been intimidated by X, a violent
man.
• Recognising and responding to children who need to be
protected as a result of domestic abuse
• Assuming all possibilities (M was both perpetrator and
victim of abuse)
• Agencies never formally identified the likelihood of
physical abuse and appear to have been led by false
confidence
• The importance of listening to close relatives (MGM)
• Differential treatment of K – scapegoating
• Effective supervision of staff.
School’s Safeguarding Adviser
Sarah Turner
Supervision
Supervision
• ‘Effective supervision can play a critical role in
ensuring a clear focus on a child’s welfare.
Supervision should support professionals to reflect
critically on the impact of decisions on the child and
the family. Any professionals working with vulnerable
children should always have access to a manager to
talk through their concerns and judgements affecting
the welfare of the child.’
• Working Together 2015
Main functions of supervision
• Management
• Learning and development
• Support
Supervision is best described as ‘an accountable process which
supports, assures and develops the knowledge, skills and values
of an individual, group or team.’ (Skills for care 2007)
Disqualification
• What is disqualification and disqualification
by association?
• What action do providers need to take?
• How do actions need to be recorded?
Disqualification, including ‘by Association’
Regulations relating to disqualification come under
section 75 of the Childcare Act 2006
The principle of 'disqualification by association' dates
back to the Childcare (Disqualification) Regulations
2009 - so not new!
Disqualification by association is where the person is
living in the same household where another
individual who is disqualified lives or is employed.
Disqualification occurs when…..
• An individual is included on the Disclosure and
Barring Service (DBS) Children’s Barred List;
• An individual is found to have committed certain
violent and sexual criminal offences against children
and adults;
• There are certain orders in relation to the care of
children;
• There is refusal or cancellation of registration
relating to childcare, or children’s homes, or being
prohibited from private fostering;
• An individual is found to have committed an offence
overseas which would constitute an offence
regarding disqualification under the 2009
Regulations if it had been done in any part of the
United Kingdom.
Roles that it applies to?
Managers:
who are directly concerned in the management of early
years.
Staff:
who are employed and/or provide childcare in the early
years.
Volunteers and casual workers:
• if they are directly concerned with the management of
childcare provision, or
• who volunteer or work on a regular basis, (whether
supervised or not in relevant childcare)
Agency staff and third party organisations:
Providers must obtain confirmation that that the agency or
organisation providing the staff has complied with the
requirements of disqualification by association.
Those not covered
Staff who are not employed to directly provide
childcare or manage children:
• Caretakers
• Cleaners
• Drivers
• Transport escorts
• Catering and office staff
Health care provision staff
• school nurses
• speech and language therapists, educational
psychologists etc.
Actions for providers to take
• Check suitability: declaration forms
2 declaration forms
– Current staff/volunteers
– New applicants (pre-employment checks)
“…not knowingly employing a person who is
disqualified…”
• Single Central Record (SCR)
Record the check has been done
- the name of the person who verified the signed
declaration
- date of the check
Identity
Name
Address
Qualifications
DO
B
Evidenc
e & Date
Required
?
Y/N
Evidenc
e & Date
Barred
List
Check
DBS
Childcare
Disqualificatio
n
Requirements
Right to
work in
UK
Overseas
Checks
Check
Evidence
d
Check
Evidence
d & Date
Check
Evidenced &
Date
Check
Evidence
d & Date
Check
Evidence
d & Date
Ofsted
If a declaration is made;
• inform Ofsted as soon as reasonably practicable
but at the latest within 14 days of the date the
provider becoming aware of the information.
• Applying for a waiver
The person (not the setting) will need to apply to
Ofsted for a waiver in accordance with the process
detailed in:
“Applying to waive disqualification: early years and
childcare providers”.
Options whilst a waiver is being
considered
• The provider will need to decide:
– to redeploy the member of staff elsewhere in
the setting
– make adjustments to their role to avoid them
working in the relevant childcare
– paid leave
– as a last resort suspension
• Risk assessment is not acceptable
1. Check suitability
(declaration forms)
No
information
disclosed
2. Record
information on SCR
Setting’s
actions
A declaration
is made
Inform Ofsted
Redeploy /
adjustment to their
role / paid leave /
suspension
Individual applies
for a waiver
Waiver
granted
Individual
resumes
employment
Waiver
refused
Dismissal
Record Keeping
Aims;
• To highlight changes to record keeping
guidance
• What will this look like in practice?
Keeping Children Safe in Education
(Revised March 2015)
• “Where children leave the school or college
ensure their child protection file is transferred to
the new school or college as soon as possible”
Previously it stated ‘is copied for the new
school’. Action: no need to photocopy CP
records when a child transfers.
• An additional sentence has now been added
‘ensure secure transit and confirmation of
receipt should be obtained.’ Action: Ensure you
get a written receipt when information is
transferred to a new setting.
Archived Records
• Further guidance to follow
• Retain for now in accordance to policy.
Useful Advice
• If you are unable to get hold of a social worker
always ask to speak to the team manager
• Assessment Team duty number 466817
Group Manager Balbir Kaur
Duty Managers Wendy de Bruin/Claire Holmes
Follow-up email with phonecall if no response.