Child Protection

1
Child Protection

• Update on V Team Training
• by Robin Watts
• 31st March 2009

2
What is a child?What is abuse?

• A child in the UK is defined as an individual
  under 18 years of age.
• Four legal categories of abuse (PENS)
• Physical
• Emotional
• Neglect
• Sexual
• All cases of abuse are defined as one or more of
  the above.

3
Facts and figures

• Each week at least one child will die as a result
  of an adults cruelty
• Most abuse is committed by someone the child
  knows and trusts
• Three-quarters of sexually-abused children do not
  tell anyone at the time

• Each week over 600 children are added to the
  child protection registers
• Each week at least 450,000 children are bullied
  at school
• The current cost of child abuse to statutory and
  voluntary organisations is 1 billion a year

4
Behavioural symptoms of abuse

• Abused children can be living in a constant state
  of catastrophic stress
• Change of behaviour or inappropriate play
• Self-destructive behaviour
• Eating or sleeping problems
• Pseudo-mature
• Depressed and/or withdrawn
• Problems at school
• And many more
• Can also be none of the above each childs
  reaction is unique

5
How to respond if a child discloses abuse

• Listen but dont ask questions (can lead to
  child suggestibility)
• Never stop a child who is freely disclosing abuse
• Dont make promises (for example, of being able
  to stop the abuse)
• Make notes using the childs words and phrases
  record date, time and place of disclosure
• Record all subsequent meetings with the child
• Dont ever lie to the child
• See government booklet What to do if youre
  worried a child is being abused (Google)

6
The Children Act of 1989

• The Children Act of 1989 introduced the concept
  of Significant Harm as the threshold which
  justifies compulsory investigation in family life
  in the best interests of children
• Section 47 of the Act places a duty on local
  authorities to investigate where it has
  reasonable cause to suspect that a child is
  suffering, or is likely to suffer, Significant
  Harm
• No absolute criteria to judge what constitutes
  Significant Harm may be single traumatic event
  more often, it is a compilation of significant
  events
• Following referral of the case, there will be a
  strategy meeting involving the LA, the local
  police CAIT (Child Abuse Investigation Team), and
  other bodies as appropriate (e.g., childrens
  centre/school/health worker) to discuss the next
  steps of any investigation, and to agree
  immediate steps to safeguard and promote the
  welfare of the child

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Every Child Matters 5 outcomes
The Children Act 2004 states that all
organisations have a duty to co-operate to
improve the well being of children as measured by
the 5 outcomes of Every Child Matters.
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Child Protection PoliciesPolicies are
frequently unwritten, but written policies are
preferable, for many reasons, including

• they force the organisation to think
  strategically and act professionally
• they ensure continuity over time
• they are lent greater importance and therefore
  assure more compliance
• they make sure there is less chance of
  misinterpretation.

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A policy usually contains

• An introduction
• Policy issues definition of abuse, how to
  disclose and respond to abuse, selection of staff
  
• Lists of good practices expected of workers
• Applicable forms to be used to implement the
  policy
• Contact details of assigned child protection
  officers (internal and external to the
  organization)

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Managing allegations against staff

• Initial Action the staff members manager or
  responsible body will consider the action, taking
  advice from the Local Authority Designated
  Officer (LADO). If social services involvement or
  police investigation necessary, a Strategy
  Discussion will take place (individual involved
  will not be invited)
• Suspension A decision to suspend rests solely
  with the employer or responsible body. Suspension
  is a neutral act, and should not be automatic.
  Alternatives should always be considered, e.g.
  leave of absence, transfer duties, and additional
  supervision
• Who will be notified? People, including other
  staff, should only be told about the allegation
  on a need to know basis.

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Managing allegations against staff

• Support Staff member should be offered staff
  support/Counselling Service during this
  stressful time and, if suspended, given a
  workplace contact to update them about normal
  activities
•  What records will be kept? A summary record, to
  which you may add your comments, will be given to
  you, and kept on your personnel file until you
  reach normal retirement age, or for 10 years if
  that is longer. The LADO will also keep a central
  record of all allegations. Other agencies, if
  involved, will keep their own records.
• See Working Together to Safeguard Children HM
  Government 2006 6.20-6.30 and Appendix 5 (Google)

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Nominated Safeguarding Childrens Advisor
Workshop

• Did you know that every group / organisation must
  have a Nominated Safeguarding Children's Advisor
  (NSCA)?
• An NSCA is a senior member of staff in your
  group/organisation who staff must go to if there
  any allegations or concerns over the welfare of a
  child. The NSCA must then consult with the Local
  Authority Designated Officer (LADO) to report
  these concerns. NSCA's are also responsible for
  ensuring that an organisation has and adheres to
  child protection policies and procedures.
• This workshop, brought to you by the Ealing
  Safeguarding Children Board, will explain the
  role and responsibilities of the NSCA, and what
  actions / procedures need to be followed to
  fulfil this role.
• Date 19th May 2009
• Time 10.00am 1230pm
• Venue Ealing Community Resource Centre, 63
  Mattock Lane, West Ealing
• Visit http//www.ealingcvs.org.uk/documents/escb2
  0booking20form202009-2010.doc for a booking
  form and send to ESCBtraining_at_ealing.gov.uk.
• For more information, please contact Varsha Rana
  on 020 8825 7378