Supporting a Safer Workforce 17 th October 2008

1. Supporting a Safer Workforce17th October 2008 Sharon Hubber (AMA) Linda Richardson Allegations Management Adviser (AMA)

2. Role of AMAs To support Local Safeguarding Children’s Boards ensure that: • LSCB partners and others have arrangements for dealing with allegations of abuse against people working with, or on behalf of, children and young people and • where allegations arise they are dealt with speedily and consistently to provide effective protection and support for children and those who work with them

3. Working Together to Safeguard Children 2006 …’we all share a responsibility for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people’

4. Working Together to Safeguard Children 2006 Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB) ‘LSCBs are the key statutory mechanism for agreeing how the relevant organisations in each local area will co-operate to safeguard and promote the welfare of children in that locality, and for ensuring the effectiveness of what they do’

5. Working Together to Safeguard Children 2006 ‘Children can be subjected to abuse by those who work with them in any and every setting. An allegation of abuse or maltreatment by a professional, staff member, foster carer or volunteer must therefore be taken seriously and treated in accordance with consistent procedures.’ 6.20:

6. Working Together to Safeguard Children 2006 ‘All organisations that provide services for children , or provide staff or volunteers to work with or care for children, should operate a procedure for handling allegations that is consistent with [statutory guidance] 6.22:

7. Child Protection Procedures ALLEGATION COMP AINT CONCER Complaint Procedures Disciplinary Procedures

8. Roles and Responsibilities LSCB member organisations should have a named senior officer who has overall responsibility for: ensuring that the organisation operates procedures for dealing with allegations in accordance with statutory guidance; and liaison with LSCB and LSCB ensures that there is an LA designated officer (s) to be involved in the management and oversight of individual cases (WT 2006,6.23) LSCB advises on role of Senior Managers in employers’ procedures

9. Senior Manager considers: • What information do I have about the subject of the allegation? • What information do I have about the child/adult making the allegation? • Am I aware of any incident/tension/friction between the parties? Senior Manager must then consider: • Does the allegation suggest that the individual has: • behaved in a way that has harmed, or may have harmed, a child • possibly committed a criminal offence against, or related to a child, a child; or • behaved towards a child or children in a way that indicates s/he is unsuitable to work with children

10. Allegation Allegation reported to senior manager named in employers procedures Behaved in a way that has harmed, or may have harmed a child Senior manager considers alleged behaviour Internal Action e.g. Support for Staff/ Child Parent Policy review Staff Training Possibly committed a criminal offence against, or related to, a child; or Contacts LADO Behaved towards a child or children in a way that indicates s/he is unsuitable to work with children Initial discussion with LADO and decision re course of action Police investigation Assessment by Social Care Employers Action (including disciplinary action) Strategy mtg or Initial Consideration meeting LADO tracks progress, monitors outcomes and reports to the LSCB and DfES

11. What we have learnt about many adults working with children and young people • They are often unclear about what is acceptable and unacceptable behaviour and where personal and professional boundaries should lie • Many staff are nervous about becoming the subject of allegations and certain practices e.g. touching children, one to one, intimate care, physical intervention • Staff subject to allegations often express surprise and disbelief that their behaviour has given rise to suspicion or concern and could be considered abusive, harmful, criminal or misconduct • Some staff are not aware of the law and modus operandi of sex offenders

12. How do we minimise the risk of Allegations being made?

13. Guidance isn’t necessary… said some people.. • Staff are bound by professional codes anyway • It is not possible to legislate for every type of behaviour • An explicit code would be too long and boring to read • Role of management is to supervise professional behaviour • People use ‘common sense’ to govern actions

14. Guidance is necessary said the majority • Assists staff to work safely and professionally • Reduces the burden of assumption • Promotes transparency and minimises ‘grey’ areas • Makes clear implications of not working to code. • Makes clear to everyone what behaviour is expected and what is not acceptable • Clarifies responsibilities of both employer and employees

15. What is guidance for safe practice? A description of appropriate and non-appropriate behaviours for adults working with children and young people

16. How might guidance be used? • for staff to monitor their own behaviour • as a management tool to advise staff of what behaviours are expected of them • to review the outcome of an incident , concern or allegation • as a framework to assess risk of ‘unsuitability’