Child protection single agency training Ground rules Confidentiality

Child protection single agency training

Ground rules § § § Confidentiality and sensitivity; Respect; Keep safe; Avoid jargon; Look through others’ eyes; Mobile phones on silent.

Aims § Introduce the subject of child protection. § Identify signs and indicators of child abuse. § Explain what to do if you have a concern about a child. § Promote the welfare of every child. § Understand individual roles and duties, and demonstrate knowledge of safer working practices.

Introductions Turn to the people on your table. Introduce yourself, your role and what you are hoping to gain from today. Activity 1: Truth or myth

Truth or myth 1. Children are abused mostly by strangers. False 2. It is only men who sexually abuse children. False 3. Disabled children are less likely to be abused. False 4. Girls are much more likely to be abused than boys. False 5. In some cultures, it is considered acceptable for children to be treated in a way which other cultures would deem abusive. True

Truth or myth 6. If Children’s Social Care becomes involved, children are usually removed from their homes. False 7. Children are resilient, and therefore quick to recover quickly from abuse. False 8. Children under the age of five are more likely to be abused than older children. True 9. More children are abused now than 20 years ago. False 10. Children often lie about abuse. False

Framework of core legislation and procedures UN Convention on the Rights of the Child 1991 Children Act 1989 & 2004 Plymouth Safeguarding Children Board Working Together to Safeguard Children 2015 Child protection Human Rights Act 1998 Keeping Children Safe in Education 2015 South West Child Protection Procedures

Working Together to Safeguard Children 2015 § All individuals have a duty to work together with other agencies to safeguard and promote the welfare of all children. § Sharing information and maintaining interdisciplinary relationships is essential to effective and safe practice. § The requirements are bound by legal statute.

Key safeguarding and child protection definitions § Safeguarding § Early Help – Early Intervention § Children in need § Child abuse § Child protection § Children in need of protection § Significant harm

Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is defined as: § protecting children from maltreatment; § preventing impairment of children’s health or development; § ensuring that children are growing up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care; and taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes (Working Together 2015)

Early help… early intervention § Early help and intervention promotes resilience in children and families; preventing or reducing the risk of problems occurring or getting worse. § Early help and intervention may be provided through: - universal services - targeted support during the early years - targeted support at specific life turning points or transitions - statutory services.

Children in need Children who are defined as being ‘in need’, under section 17 of the Children Act 1989, are those whose vulnerability is such: § that they are unlikely to reach or maintain a satisfactory level of health or development, § or their health and development will be significantly impaired, without the provision of services.

Child abuse § “Child Abuse consists of anything which individuals, institutions or processes do, or fail to do, which directly or indirectly harms children or damages their prospects of safe and healthy development into adulthood. ” (National Commission of Enquiry into the Prevention of Child Abuse 1989) § “Harm” means ill-treatment or the impairment of health or development including impairment suffered from seeing or hearing the ill-treatment of another.

Child Protection The government defines child protection as : “Part of safeguarding and promoting welfare. This refers to the activity that is undertaken to protect specific children who are suffering or likely to suffer significant harm” (Working Together 2015)

Children in need of protection Children who are defined as being “in need of protection” are those who have been assessed under section 47 of the Children Act 1989 as suffering or likely to suffer significant harm to development, and require planned statutory intervention to ensure longterm safety.

Significant harm § The Children Act 1989 introduced the concept of significant harm as the threshold that justifies statutory intervention in family life in the best interests of children. § There are no absolute criteria on which to rely when judging what constitutes significant harm. § Sometimes, a single traumatic event may constitute significant harm; for example, a violent assault, suffocation or poisoning. § More often, significant harm is a compilation of significant events, both acute and long-standing, which interrupt, change or damage the child’s physical and psychological development. § Significant harm or likelihood of harm can also be attributable to a lack of adequate parental care or control.

Plymouth Assessment Framework Part One: Local Standards for Assessment Part Two: Plymouth Thresholds Protocol including examples Part Three: Further Guidance

Multi Agency Thresholds of Need

The Grid

Incidence of child abuse

Recognising child abuse § Child development § Common conceptual framework

Child development § A sound knowledge of child development is a fundamental component of child protection practice. § Understanding child development provides the basis for establishing children’s safety and wellbeing. § Development (as defined in the Children’s Act 1989) includes a child’s physical, intellectual, emotional, social or behavioural development. § Knowledge of child development enables a comparison “with that which could reasonably be expected of a similar child”.

The inter-agency concept of a child: always consider the child in their family and social context…

…and think about what it looks like for the child.

Categories of child abuse and their definitions § § Neglect Physical Sexual Emotional Abuse

Neglect § Neglect 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. § Can be episodic or single event § Neglect can be an act of commission or omission.

Indicators of neglect Untreated medical problems Failure to meet child’s basic needs Inability to meet child’s emotional needs nt in al Dry, sparse hair Lack of adequate caretakers Ch il dd Neglect Alcohol or drug difficulties rs Failure to thrive ev e lop me to ica ind Unkempt appearance Mental health difficulties nt Voracious appetite re dic a Pa to rs Constant tiredness Lack of supervision Family and environments indicators ort pp su ork nt use tw ne me ho ab me ge ga en pt em or Po k Un of of e us ry ab isto st h ck La stic me Do Pa

For a child, neglect can mean: § lack of adequate nourishment/shelter § not receiving medical attention when necessary § feeling uncared for § inappropriate clothing § no boundaries or limits in terms of actions and behaviour.

Physical abuse may involve hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning or scalding, drowning, suffocating, or otherwise causing physical harm to a child. It also includes when a parent or carer fabricates the symptoms of, or deliberately induces, illness in a child.

Indicators of physical abuse Unexplained bruising/marks Over chastisement of child rs elo pm Ch il rs dd ev Refusal to discuss injuries to Physical abuse ica ind Wary of adults Delay in seeking treatment al en t in nt Repeated accidents Aggressive behaviour re dic a Pa to Marks not consistent with explanation offered Aggressive / withdrawn Parent with injuries Family and environments indicators ab use nity ab mu of s ue iss lth ea lh nta se Me bu ga dru or ol oh Alc me ho t n fe sa me Un on vir e en us stic me Do ry om dc isto st h late Iso Pa

For a child, physical abuse can mean: § extreme, inappropriate physical chastisement § deliberate, malicious injuries § restraining a child inappropriately

Sexual abuse § Forcing a child to take part in sexual activities § Includes penetrative and nonpenetrative acts § Includes non-contact activities and grooming.

Indicators of sexual abuse History of sexual abuse me elo p Sexual abuse Inappropriate displays of behaviour Conviction for sexual offences Urinary tract infections Poor attention span Ch ild Withdrawal / aggression de v Uncomfortable undressed Excessive interest in the child s tor ica ind nt Inappropriate sexual behaviour tal ind ren ica Pa tor s Sudden changes in behaviour Overly/unnaturally tactile Daughter / mother role reversal Family and environments indicators alth ues iss e bus r u vio ga a beh ty uni se abu dru l he nta Me l or oho Alc ing om Gro stic me Do use f ab ry o m om dc late Iso isto st h Pa

For a child, sexual abuse can mean: § 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.

Emotional abuse § Emotional abuse is the persistent emotional maltreatment of a child such as to cause severe and persistent adverse effects on the child’s emotional development. § Some level of emotional abuse is involved in all types of maltreatment of a child, though it may occur alone.

Emotional abuse activity Indicators of emotional abuse in the child? Parental indicators? Emotional abuse Family and environmental indicators?

Indicators of emotional abuse to me lop Ch il dd ev e Emotional abuse rs Inappropriate emotional responses Inappropriate displays of behaviour to ica ind Low self esteem Isolation of the child al nt in nt re dic a Pa Passivity or aggression Depression Over-reaction to mistakes rs Abnormal or indiscriminate attachment Rejection and unresponsiveness Lack of physical contact Family and environments indicators ues iss alth l he nta e Me bus ga dru e l or hom oho ng Alc lati imu f st nt e ko Lac ironm env se stic abu nity mu use f ab ry o om dc me Do late Iso isto st h Pa

For a child, emotional abuse 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.

Abuse in other forms § Domestic abuse § Online abuse § Hidden harm

Domestic Abuse “Any incident or pattern of incidents of controlling, coercive or threatening behaviour, violence or abuse between those aged 16 or over who are or have been intimate partners or family members regardless of gender or sexuality. This can encompass, but is not limited to, the following types of abuse: psychological; physical; sexual; financial; emotional. Controlling behaviour is: a range of acts designed to make a person subordinate and/or dependent by isolating them from sources of support, exploiting their resources and capacities for personal gain, depriving them of the means needed for independence, resistance and escape and regulating their everyday behaviour. Coercive behaviour is: an act or a pattern of acts of assault, threats, humiliation and intimidation or other abuse that is used to harm, punish, or frighten their victim. ”

On-line Abuse § § § § Cyber-bullying Grooming for child sexual abuse Inappropriate images Sexual exploitation Child trafficking Offending behaviour: illegal gambling; drug sales Identity theft / extortion / slander Importance of managing behaviours in the ‘online’ and the ‘real world’.

Hidden Harm § Hidden harm is the misuse of drugs, alcohol and other substances which can lower parenting ability and increase child vulnerability. § Parental problematic drug and/or alcohol use can and does cause serious harm to children at every age from conception to adulthood. § The needs of the child become secondary to the power of, and preoccupation with, the substance.

Disclosures “Experience, and consultation with children, shows that they will talk about their concerns and problems to people they feel they can trust and feel comfortable with. ” Safeguarding Children in Education & Safer Recruitment 2006, Annex B. 9

What is a disclosure? § A disclosure occurs when a child tells you or lets you know in some other way that he or she has been, or is being, abused. § Disclosures can be direct, indirect or third party. § Disclosures do not need to be proved or validated in order to be acted upon. § All disclosures should be reported no matter where or when they happened. § A child is likely to feel scared, guilty, ashamed and confused when disclosing information. § At disclosure you must always believe the child and ensure the child recognises you believe them.

If a child discloses information to you… DO DON’T § Stay calm § Panic or look shocked § Listen and be attentive § Rush the child § Take the child seriously § Minimise, make assumptions, or offer explanations § Ask open-ended questions for clarification § Offer reassurance and tell the child that they have done well § Tell the child what you are going to do next § Record the child’s words § Ask leading questions § Make promises you may not be able to keep § Criticise the alleged perpetrator § Try to deal with it yourself.

Responding to disclosures § Tell me § Explain § Describe § Who? § What? § Where? § When? § How? George, age four years, is sitting with you looking at a book about families. He says ‘Mine makes me sad’ and looks upset. He holds out his arm and shows you an angry red mark and says ‘Mummy’. What could you say to ‘George? ’

What to do if you are worried a child is being abused P Recognise P Respond O Investigate O Resolve All those who come into contact with children and families in their everyday work, including those who do not have a specific role in relation to safeguarding children, have a duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.

What to do if you are worried a child is being abused § Discuss your concerns with the Senior Designated Person for safeguarding in your organisation. § If, after this discussion, you still have concerns, and consider the child is or may be suffering significant harm contact Children’s Social Care using the PAF to aid your discussion. § If your concerns are about a child who is already known to Children’s Social Care, the allocated social worker should be informed of your concerns.

Information sharing is essential to effective safeguarding practice. There are 7 ‘Golden Rules’ of information sharing. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Data protection is not a barrier to sharing information Be open and honest Seek advice Share with consent where appropriate Consider safety and well-being Necessary, proportionate, relevant, accurate, timely and secure. 7. Keep a record.

Recording information § Record your concerns § Include the child’s name, age, ethnicity and any disability or special educational needs (if known) § Include dates, times, what you have observed, what the child has said to you and your reply § Give the form or record to your line manager or the appropriate senior member of staff.

Parental consent/knowledge § There is a general principle to make families/children & young people aware of the fact that you are submitting a referral. However, if knowledge of the referral would place a child at greater risk then families or individual children should not be notified a referral is being made. There may also be exceptional circumstances in which a police and social care investigation may be undermined, for example where evidence may be destroyed, if families are aware of a referral. § In such circumstances your line manager or other senior colleague should clarify with the statutory agencies, how best, when and by whom the parents should be told about the referral.

Further information on child protection procedures South West Child Protection Procedures http: //www. online-procedures. co. uk/swcpp/ § This website should be routinely accessed by all those working with children. § Staff should be familiar with the relevant policies and procedures on this website to ensure there is no delay in referral.

Safer working practices Guidance for safer working practices for adults working with children

Safer working practices § All staff should understand the importance of maintaining appropriate professional boundaries. § A culture should be created where children and adults feel safe to report and discuss their concerns in a timely manner. § All staff should be vigilant to ensure that poor or unsafe practice is identified at the earliest opportunity.

What to do if you have a concern about a colleague § Speak to your line manager or other senior colleague. § Write down your concerns. § Report your concerns to the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO). § Do not try to investigate the concern. Do not question the child or other adults about the concern as this may prejudice any potential Social Care and or Police involvement, if this is deemed necessary.

Key messages § § § The welfare of the child is paramount. Any child might be abused. Most abusers are known to the child. Valuing and respecting children contributes to their safety. Indicators are not evidence but indicators should not be ignored. Reporting and recording procedures. Inter-agency cooperation. 90% of children are not harmed or abused. Safeguarding is everybody’s business. Most child abuse is preventable. Some children are at increased risk of abuse.

Key contacts § Advice and Assessment (Children’s Social Care) 01752 308600 / Out of hours 01752 346984 § Police – Child Abuse Investigation Unit 01752 284522 § Local Authority Designated Officer 01752 307144 § CAF team 01752 307160 § Early Years Safeguarding and Welfare Officer 07795 121445 / 01752 308997.

Next steps Multi-Agency Training www. plymouth. gov. uk/homepage/social careandhealth/childrenssocialcare/local safeguardingchildrenboard/pscbsafegu ardinglearninganddevelopment/pscbtrai ning. htm