HSCB Initial Multi-agency Safeguarding Course

1. HSCB Initial Multi-agency Safeguarding Course

2. Welcome! 2

3. Learning Agreement Confidentiality Personal responsibility Right to challenge statements Acknowledge diversity and respect each others contributions Be aware of language or behaviour that may be offensive to others Right to pass Look after yourself Finish on Time 3

4. Learning Outcomes • By the end of the course, the participants will be able to: • State the legal and procedural framework. • Understand their own role within their agency with regard to safeguarding. • Recognise roles and responsibilities of other agencies. • Understand the Herefordshire Pathway of Intervention • Identify the factors that impact on the vulnerability of children • Recognise the multi-disciplinary nature of the child protection process.

5. Learning Principles • To value and listen to contributions • To question differences constructively,in a manner that is enabling to the process of the group and the objectives of the course • To address and challenge oppressive behaviour or language • To support a principle of confidentiality about personal issues and feelings

6. Introduction

7. Definition of Child Abuse • Abuse is commonly recognised as any behaviour towards a child that causes harm to that child in some way • A child is defined as some one up to the age of 18 under The Children Act 1989 • Someone may abuse or neglect a child by inflicting harm or by knowingly not preventing harm (NSPCC 2000) • Children may be abused in the family, community, institutional setting, or more rarely by a stranger • Most children know the person abusing them • There are four categories of abuse; physical, emotional, sexual & neglect (Working Together to Safeguard Children 2013) • Significant harm is how The Children Act views & determines whether there is any harm to a child www.barnardos.org.uk/btc Barnardo’s Registered Charity Nos. 216250 and sc037605 7 7

8. Abuse and Neglect Are forms of maltreatment of a child. Somebody may abuse or neglect a child by inflicting harm or by failing to act to prevent harm. Children may be abused in a family or in an institutional or community setting by those known to them or, more rarely, by others (e.g. via the internet). They may be abused by an adult or adults or another child or children.

9. Safeguarding & promoting the welfare of children (Working Together 2013)

10. Can you name these children? Which government policies emerged following their deaths?

11. Influences for Change • Victoria Climbe • Peter Connolly • Kyra Ishaq • Holly Wells and Jessica Tate

12. Legislation Quiz • I have a duty to investigate child protection concerns. True/False • If I report a concern the child will be taken into care. Always/Sometimes/Never • Which of the following Acts are part of the framework for child protection work • Children Act 1989 • Children Act 2004 • Education Act 2002 • Homelessness Act 2002 • For a bonus: Can you name any other significant pieces of legislation? • If a child is called a ‘Child in Need’ what are they in need of? • What is ‘Significant Harm’? • Who should attend a Child Protection Conference? • Name any policy or set of guidances that you need to follow to safeguard children. • I should only share information about a child with another professional if the parent consents. True/False • What does ‘whistleblowing’ mean?

13. Legal Framework

14. Child in Need/Child Protection Children’s Social Care will:

15. Framework of Legislation and Guidance UN Convention on the Rights of the Child 1989 Ratified by the UK in 1991 Education Act 2002 Children Act 1989 Children Act 2004 The Laming Report 2003 Working Together to Safeguard Children – 2013 Every Child Matters – Change for Children - 2004 The Bichard Report 2005 The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act - 2006 Safeguarding Children and Safer Recruitment in Education - 2006 What to do if you’re worried a child is being abused - 2006 The Protection of Children in England: A Progress Report - 2009

16. Working Together 2013 – Key Changes • Child Centred • Alert Professionals • Information Sharing • Professionals contribute and review regularly • LSCB’s to co-ordinate and challenge • Publish SCR’s • Local Innovation

17. Working Together to Safeguard Children 2013 • Children have said that they need: • Vigilance: to have adults notice when things are troubling them • Understanding and action: to understand what is happening; to be heard and understood; and to have that understanding acted upon • Stability: to be able to develop an on-going stable relationship of trust with those helping them • Respect: to be treated with the expectation that they are competent rather than not • Information and engagement: to be informed about and involved in procedures, decisions, concerns and plans • Explanation: to be informed of the outcome of assessments and decisions and reasons when their views have not met with a positive response • Support: to be provided with support in their own right as well as a member of their family • Advocacy: to be provided with advocacy to assist them in putting forward

18. Is it or is it not true? • Hitting children is always wrong and is a form of child abuse • Disabled children are more at risk of being abused than other children • Staff and volunteers working with children are unlikely to abuse them • Children often make up stories about being abused • Boys are less likely to be sexually abused than girls • A faith leader is unlikely to abuse a child • Only men abuse children • Children are more likely to be abused by people they know well than by strangers • Cultural practices must be respected, even when they appear harmful to children • It is better to maintain your relationship with a parent than to damage it by reporting concerns

19. Effective recruitment, selection and contractual procedures including safeguarding checks Clear lines of accountability for safeguarding arrangements Procedures for dealing with allegations against staff /volunteers Priorities in strategic policy documents & commission strategies Whistleblowing and culture of sharing concerns Safeguarding and Promoting Children Welfare Safeguarding policies inc. CP policy and complaint procedures in line with LSCB Culture of listening to and consulting with children Arrangements of working with other organisations and information sharing Arrangements for staff/volunteer training , supervision and support

20. Local Influences • Local Safeguarding Children Board • Joint Inter Agency Procedures and Protocols - www.herefordshiresafeguardingchildrenboard.org.uk • Ofsted Inspections Both Local Authority and Education • Herefordshire Serious Case Reviews & Significant Incident Learning Process

21. Learning from Serious Case Reviews

22. The toxic trio • Domestic Abuse • Substance Misuse • Parental Mental Health

23. Biennial Serious Case Review Report: 2003- 2005Brandon, M et al, DCSF (Jan 2008) • 161 serious case review included in the study. Of which: • 12% were on the child protection register • 55% were known to social services • 16% related to head injuries to babies • 21% featured neglect (strict definition of neglect used for the study) • 30% were living in poor living conditions • In relation to age breakdown for the 161: • 47% were under 1 • 20% were age 1- 5 • 7% were age 6- 10 (significantly under represented, given this is one of the highest groups presented to hospital A&E departments • !5% were age 11- 15 • 9% were 16 plus (mainly suicides) • Out of the 161, 47 were looked at in more detail. In these cases: • Domestic violence was present in 66% • Mental health was present in 55% • Substance misuse was present in 57% • In addition the report found that in 1 in 3 cases of the 47 detailed cases, all three of these factors were present. 23

24. Biennial Serious Case Review Report: 2005- 2007Brandon, M et al,( DCSF, July 2009) The Children How old were the children? Over two thirds of the children were aged under five and almost half were less than a year old. Only a small minority were 6-10 years old. Almost a quarter were young people aged over 11 and 11% were much older adolescents of 16 and 17. It appeared that the youngest child in the family had a heightened level of vulnerability and risk of harm. What happened to the children? Two thirds of the 189 children died, and a third were seriously injured or harmed. The highest risk of maltreatment related deaths and serious injury are in the first five years of life. Physical assault was the major cause of death for this age group. Most of the older adolescents died through suicide. A third of the children experienced serious harm, often through neglect (including accidents and house fires). Issues of neglect were often present in those children who died. Sexual abuse was the prime concern in 1 in 12 cases. www.barnardos.org.uk/btc Barnardo’s Registered Charity Nos. 216250 and sc037605 24

25. Key messages from SCR’s • What SCR’s have told us: • First impressions • Rule of optimism • Start again syndrome • Cultural relativism • Natural love • Failure to understand potential behaviour in context • Focussing on single event • Failure to revise assessments • Tunnel vision • Lack of challenge in supervision • Mirroring chaotic families • Fixed thinking • Comprised compliance

26. Themes from serious case reviews • Need to ensure clarity regarding making referrals WHEN – recognising and understanding safeguarding issues HOW – understanding the process and roles and responsibilities BARRIERS - perceptions of thresholds • Need to ensure an awareness in adult services of the needs of children and the impact of parents behaviour on their health and development • Need for greater understanding of the role of information sharing within and between agencies

27. Themes from serious case reviews • Need to be aware of and follow the Inter Agency Procedures for Safeguarding children and to make use of available tools • Need for holistic assessment and analysis of information to ensure a focus on the needs of the child • Need to ensure effective communication with children takes place

28. Themes from serious case reviews • Need to assess all family members and in particular fathers and partners with a focus on their history and possible risks to children • Need for all services to be realistic about the impact on children of adult needs and behaviours such as substance misuse • Need to be aware of risk factors e.g. domestic violence and the cumulative nature of risk for both adults and children • Need to promote evidenced based practice and challenge parents when appropriate

29. Working with Resistant, Violent and Aggressive Families (see LSCB guidance) • No significant change at reviews despite significant input • Parents/carers agreeing with professionals regarding changes but put little effort into making changes work • Change does occur but as a result of external agencies/resources not parent/carer efforts • Change in one area of functioning is not matched by change in other areas • Parents/Carers will engage with certain aspects of the plan only • Parents/carers align themselves with certain professionals • Child’s report of matters conflicts with parent’s/carer's report

30. Possible Impact • Inability to obtain accurate information to inform assessments • Violent/intimidating behaviour may result in ‘keeping professional at bay’ • Usual sources of information/alternative perceptions may be affected • Need to work out specifically which areas of assessment are difficult to achieve and why

31. Review of Vetting and Barring Scheme • Independent Safeguarding Authority ( ISA) has been merged with CRB – Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) • Existing duty on a ‘regulated activity provider’ to ascertain whether a person is barred before engaging in regulated activity remains. • Definition of ‘regulated activity’ has been amended so the range of posts falling within it has been reduced

32. Review of Vetting and Barring Scheme (DBS) • Requirement to register has been repealed • Duty to refer to ISA remains. • Offences remain the same • Copies of CRBs (DBS’s) will be issued to the applicant only and not copied to the body countersigning the application at the same time • Certificates will be updated on a continuous basis removing they need to make repeat applications

33. DBS additional slides

34. The Safeguarding Pathway

35. Safeguarding is much more than Child Protection Wellbeing of the Child Develop appropriately including health and education Have security, stability, and are cared for Stay safe from maltreatment, neglect, violence and sexual exploitation Safe from bullying and discrimination Safe from accidental injury and death

36. Safeguarding and Child Protection ‘Safeguarding’ is: • Protecting children from maltreatment • Preventing impairment of health or development • Ensuring children grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care • Enabling children to have optimum life chances in adulthood ‘Child Protection’ is: • A part of safeguarding and promoting welfare • Refers to the activity that is undertaken to protect specific children who are suffering, or are likely to suffer, significant harm

37. Local Statistics

38. Local Statistics

39. Local Statistics

40. Local Statistics

41. Local Statistics

42. Local Statistics

43. Herefordshire Levels of Need

44. Assessment Framework Triangle

45. Herefordshire Levels of Need and Service Response Guidance • Document aims to summarise the different levels of need that a child or family may experience and shows how typical interventions from a range of services can meet theses needs • Consistent application of assessments processes

46. Key Points • Model based on 4 levels of need • Centre of the windscreen is CAF – a holistic assessment and review which stays with the child or young person as they move across the levels of need. • Other more specialist assessments will feed into the CAF • Introduction of the Eligibility and Priority Framework

47. Pathway of Needs • CAF (referral to children’s social care where there is not child protection concerns) • Multi-agency Groups • Child in Need – Section 17 • Section 47 Significant Harm

48. Local Policies and Procedures • CAF Manual of Guidance • Herefordshire Levels of Need and Service Response Guidance • Multi-Agency Groups Guidance • Standards and Guidance for Multi-Agency Referrals to Children’s Social Care • HSCB – Inter agency Procedures and Protocols

49. Multi-Agency Groups • Meetings of key practitioners from different local agencies and settings • Identify vulnerable children and young people in a locality and try to ensure they receive the support they need through Common Assessment process • Provide support to practitioners who are completing CAFs • Share any additional information that is relevant which may have not been identified in the CAF • Identify any resources and interventions from within the group which may meet the needs identified in the CAF • Agree a plan of action which will address the needs identified and who will carry out different aspects of the plan

50. Unsure? • MASH: 01432 260800 • CAF Support: Information & Assessment Co-ordinators: Locality Team: 01432 260261