Your role in Safeguarding Children and Young People

Your role in Safeguarding Children and Young People

‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’ Statutory Guidance for Schools & Colleges 2014 • This is the new statutory guidance from the Department for Education issued under Section 175, Education Act 2002. • This document contains information on what schools and colleges should do and sets out the legal duties with which they must comply. It should be read alongside ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children 2013’. • ‘School’ means all schools whether maintained, non-maintained or independent schools, including academies and free schools, alternative provision academies and pupil referral units. It does not include maintained nursery schools. • ‘College’ means FE colleges and sixth-form colleges, and relates to children under the age of 18, but excludes 16-19 academies and free schools (which are required to comply with relevant safeguarding legislation by virtue of their funding agreement’.

Keeping Children Safe in Education Statutory Guidance for Schools & Colleges 2014 • The new guidance for schools states: • Everyone who comes into contact with children and their families has a role to play in safeguarding children (including providing a safe environment in which children can learn) • School and college staff are particularly important as they are in a position to identify concerns early and provide help for children to prevent concerns from escalating. • Schools and colleges should work with social care, the police, health services and other services to promote the welfare of children and protect them from harm. • Each school and college should have a designated safeguarding lead who will provide support to staff members to carry out their safeguarding duties and who will liaise closely with other services such as social care etc.

What staff need to know • All staff members should be aware of systems within their school or college which support safeguarding and these should be explained as part of staff induction (or as an annual update). • This includes: the school’s or college’s child protection policy, the staff behaviour policy (sometimes called a code of conduct) and the designated safeguarding lead. • All staff members should also receive appropriate child protection training which is regularly updated (suggested every 3 years) • All staff need to be aware of the signs of abuse and neglect so they are able to get appropriate help or protection for a child.

NEGLECT PHYSICAL ABUSE SEXUAL ABUSE EMOTIONAL ABUSE Recognising Abuse Children can be abused in a family or in an institutional or community setting, by those known to them or, more rarely, by a stranger for example, via the internet. They may be abused by an adult or adults, or another child or children. ( Working Together to Safeguard Children 2013)

Physical Abuse • 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 fabricates the symptoms of, or deliberately induces, illness in a child.

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. • It may involve conveying to children that they are worthless or unloved, inadequate or valued only insofar as they meet the needs of another person. • It may also involve overprotection and limitation of exploration and learning, or preventing the child participating in normal social interaction. • It may involve seeing or hearing the ill-treatment of another; it may involve serious bullying, causing children frequently to feel frightened or in danger, or the exploitation or corruption of children. • Some level of emotional abuse is involved in all types of maltreatment of a child, though it may occur alone.

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. • Neglect may occur during pregnancy as a result of maternal substance abuse. • Once a child is born, neglect may involve a parent or carer failing to: • Provide adequate food, clothing and shelter • Protect a child from physical and emotional harm or danger • Ensure adequate supervision (including the use of inadequate care-givers) • Ensure access to appropriate medical care or treatment • It may also include neglect of, or unresponsiveness to, a child’s basic emotional needs

Sexual Abuse • Sexual abuse involves forcing or enticing a child to take part in sexual activities, whether or not the child is aware of what is happening. • It may involve physical contact, including assault by penetration (eg rape) or non-penetrative acts such as masturbation. • It may also include non-contact activities such as involving children in looking at, or in the production of, sexual images, watching sexual activities, encouraging a child to behave in sexually inappropriate activities or grooming a child in preparation for abuse (including via the internet). • Sexual abuse is not solely perpetrated by adult males. Women can also commit acts of sexual abuse, as can other children.

Rotherham Child Protection Plan Statistics Category of Abuse: • Neglect 169 • Emotional 99 • Physical Abuse 48 • Sexual 18 • 14 children on CP plans are disabled • 234 children on CP plans are White British • 40 children on CP plans are aged between 0 and 1 year

The impact of maltreatment on children • The maltreatment of children can have major long-term effects on all aspects of a child’s health, development and well being. • The immediate and longer-term impact can include anxiety, depression, substance misuse, eating disorders and self-destructive behaviours, offending and anti-social behaviour.

The impact of maltreatment • Maltreatment is likely to have a deep impact on the child’s self image and self esteem. • Difficulties may extend into adulthood: the experience of long term abuse may lead to difficulties in forming or sustaining close relationships, establishing oneself in work, and to extra difficulties in developing the attitudes and skills necessary to be an effective parent. • (Working Together to Safeguard Children 2010 – Chapter 9, Lessons from Research)

Sources of Stress • Domestic Violence – DV affects both adults and children within the family. Some 200,000 children (1.8%) in England live in households where there is a known risk of domestic violence and it rarely exists in isolation (Lord Laming 2009:The Protection of Children in England: Progress Report) • Mental illness – can affect parents and their families; this includes depression and anxiety and psychotic illnesses such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. At any one time, one in four adults in Great Britain may be affected. Approximately 30% of adults with mental ill health have dependent children. (D Meltzer 2003 ‘Inequalities in mental health: A systematic review’)

Sources of Stress • Parental substance misuse – it is hard to know with any degree of certainty how many children are living with parents who are problem drug users as such behaviour is against the law and characterised by denial and secrecy. In England and Wales it is estimated that 1% of babies are born each year to women with problem drug use and 2 to 3% of children under 16 years have parents with problem drug use. • Parental problem alcohol use – it is estimated that up to 1.3 million children are affected by parental alcohol problems in England. An analysis of calls received by Childline shows that the majority of callers (57%) identified their father or father figure as the problem drinker, a third their mother or mother figure and 7% indicated both parents had a drink problem. (2003 Hidden Harm: Responding to the needs of children of problem drug users & Childline 1997 - Beyond the limit: children who live with parental alcohol misuse)

Factors which may increase a child’s vulnerability • Disability and special educational needs • Looked after children/being in care • Parents who misuse drugs or alcohol • Domestic Violence • Parental mental illness • Extreme religious or cultural practices • Chaotic, unsettled or transient lifestyles • Lack of parental control

What is Safeguarding? • Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is defined as: • Protecting children from maltreatment • Preventing the impairment of children’s health or development • Ensuring that children grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care • Taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes • Where a child is suffering significant harm, or is likely to do so, action should be taken to protect that child. • Action should also be taken to promote the welfare of a child in need of additional support, even if they are not suffering harm or at immediate risk. *Children includes everyone under the age of 18 years

What helps? Children are usually less badly affected by difficult events if they have: • families who support them • people around who care and help them feel good about themselves • adults who take what they say seriously • good school experiences • friendly community groups that help them feel that they are all right Daniel B and Wassell S (2002) Assessing and Promoting Resilience in Vulnerable Children. Jessica Kingsley, London. Gilligan R (2001) Promoting Resilience: a resource guide on working with children in the care system. British Agencies for Adopting and Fostering, London.

Factors that stop children reporting abuse and accessing help • May not be listened to or believed • Embarrassment & shame; lack of vocabulary, understanding or language • Fear of consequences; over reaction; lack of control; not knowing what will happen next • Protecting the abuser or siblings; not knowing who to tell • Understanding or recognising abuse – thinking “it’s normal” • Fear of being taken into care or getting the abuser or themselves into ‘trouble’

Why don’t we act? • We don’t know who to tell • We are afraid of repercussions • We have a lack of trust in agencies • “It’s not my job!” • It happened to me and I’m ok • I can’t believe this – they are a really nice family, the child must be making it up or attention seeking • It’s my friend or work colleague – I don’t want to believe it!

Talking to children - 1 • 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. • It is good professional practice to ask a child why they are upset or how an injury was caused and to respond to a child who wants to talk to you. • It is important to remember that it is not the role of professionals, other than the enquiring or investigating Social Worker or Police Officer, to conduct the child protection investigation or enquiry.

Talking to Children - 2 • It is important that when a child is disclosing abuse that they understand that information cannot be kept confidential. • A child volunteering information about abuse should be allowed to talk without interruption and be listened to; expect a calm, kind, non-judgemental response and also to expect a non-directive approach, which avoids asking leading questions. • It is essential for workers dealing with disclosure to make notes of their conversation with the child as soon as possible after it has taken place – ensuring the child’s exact words are recorded. • Remember to record time, date and location of the conversation and also if there were any other people involved.

Designated Senior Lead for Safeguarding(DSL) • Governing bodies and proprietors should appoint a member of staff of the school’s or college’s leadership team to the role of DSL. This should be explicit in the role-holder’s job description. • This person should have the appropriate authority and be given the time, funding, training, resources and support to provide advice and support to other staff on child welfare and child protection matters, to take part in strategy discussions and inter-agency meetings (and/or support other staff to do so) and to contribute to the assessment of children. • The DSL should liaise with the LA and work with other agencies in line with ‘Working Together 2013’. • There should always be cover for this role – a named deputy DSL is advisable so all staff know who to speak to in the absence of the lead person.

Ofsted & Safeguarding • Ofsted defines safeguarding as follows: • ‘safeguarding children in educational settings includes the focus on protecting children from harm by adults but goes beyond it to cover other functions such as: • Promoting good attendance at school • Ensuring positive and safe behaviour and eliminating bullying and other forms of harassment • Providing support for children with emotional and social difficulties • Minimising exclusions from school • Improving security on school sites • Health and safety for in-school and out-of-school activities’

Child Protection Anti Bullying Policies Staff Conduct Children Missing Education Curriculum Safeguarding Managing Allegations Against Staff Behaviour Management Health and Safety Whistleblowing Building Design Safe Recruitment and Selection

Protecting Children from Unsuitable People • There are several aspects to protecting children from unsuitable people. These include: • Safe Recruitment practices; • Procedures for dealing with allegations of abuse against staff; • Guidance about appropriate behaviour and reporting cases to the Disclosure and Barring Service

North Somerset Serious Case Review 2011 • Class teacher committed and was charged with 36 sexual offences • Police uncovered 30,500 indecent photographs and 720 indecent films • The youngest victim was aged 6

What did school know? • The SCR makes reference to at least 30 incidents of inappropriate or unprofessional conduct involving the teacher (only 11 of which were reported formally within the school). Much of the behaviour exhibited by him was typical of grooming activities pursued by adults intent on sexually abusing children. Some of the incidents were: • Inappropriate lesson content • Over-familiarity with children • Indecent touching In December 2010 a pupil disclosed to her mother that the teacher had been indecently touching her in school on an almost daily basis for the past two months. The mother reported this to the police and the teacher was immediately arrested. In June 2011 he was convicted of the offences and given an indeterminate prison sentence for public protection.

North Somerset Serious Case Review 2011 • "The failure of school managers to take action in response to the concerns raised was compounded by the failure of anyone in the school to recognise that the teacher's behaviour might have constituted grooming for sexual abuse. • "This raises questions about the impact of the safeguarding training that staff in the school had received." • Tony Oliver of the North Somerset Safeguarding Children Board said there were "significant failures" • He said the review report showed that the culture of safeguarding children at the school needed to be "much stronger"

Helping to keep children safe • Educating children through PSHE about issues around unacceptable behaviour and how they can keep themselves safe • Listen to children – school should be a safe environment where children feel it is okay to talk, where they know they will be listened to and their concerns taken seriously • Staff need to know that they cannot promise a child complete confidentiality in matters of child protection • Consider producing a safeguarding information booklet for pupils • Parent/Carers also need to understand that schools have a duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and that this responsibility necessitates a child protection policy and procedures

Talking to parents about safeguarding • It is important that parents are made aware of the many ways in which the school safeguards and promotes the welfare of their pupils. Parents will also welcome advice on how they can help to keep their children safe when not in school. • Include the school’s safeguarding statement in the prospectus, newsletters, website and other relevant communications. Display it in reception and other prominent places. • Consider other information such as safeguarding leaflets for parents (and pupils) or having such information available on parents evenings etc.

Statutory Policies Required by Education Legislation • www.education.gov.uk/schools/toolsandinitiatives/cuttingburdens/a00201669/statuory-policies-for-schools • The above document advises of all policies needed by education legislation, but also advises of policies named in statutory guidance - Child Protection is included in this.

South Yorkshire and Rotherham Child Protection Procedures • The South Yorkshire and Rotherham LSCB Child Protection Procedures are available on-line on the Rotherham LSCB website. There is a direct link to the procedures as well as other safeguarding information including Serious Case Reviews. • The ‘Working Together 2013’ link gives access to a Resources Library which contains key publications, Government guidance and regulations. • All paper copies of old procedures should now be destroyed and the on-line version used. The procedures will be continuously updated by Tri.X • www.rscb.org.uk

Responsibilities Know your establishment’s child protection procedures. Know how to recognise the signs that should cause concern. Discuss your concerns about a child with your manager, a senior manager or the person with responsibility for child protection. Always make a referral to the Contact and Referral Team (CART) when you have cause to believe that a child has suffered and/or may suffer harm. Seek advice from CART if in any doubt about making a referral – 01709 823987

Your role in Safeguarding Children and Young People