Wiltshire Whole School Child Protection Training : Safeguarding Children in Education (Foundation level)

1. Wiltshire Whole School Child Protection Training: Safeguarding Children in Education (Foundation level) March 2012

2. Scope of Whole School Child Protection Training Pack March 2012 To enable schools to deliver CP training to groups of staff, governors and volunteers, to meet the requirements of s.175 or s.157 Education Act 2002 Staff with specialist roles will need additional training, either single agency or multi-agency.

3. AimsParticipants to: recognise signs and symptoms of child abuse know what action to take if they have concerns about a pupil or an adult Understand the roles and responsibilities of the different Child Protection agencies

4. Safeguarding is not just about protecting children from deliberate harm. It includes issues for schools such as: • Pupils’ health and safety • Bullying • Racist abuse • Harassment and discrimination • Use of physical intervention • Meeting the needs of pupils with medical conditions • Providing first aid • Drug and substance misuse • Educational visits • Intimate care • Internet safety • School security • School/local specific issues e.g. gang activity

5. Child Protection Child Protection is one element of safeguarding. It refers to those actions that are taken to protect specific children who may be suffering, or at risk of suffering, significant harm.

6. Child Protection is everyone’s responsibility Social care Police Education Health Voluntary groups (e.g. Scouts, NSPCC, sports groups, faith groups…) Probation service Members of the public

7. Key guidance and procedures ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children’ – Government Departments March 2010 ‘What to do if you’re worried a child is being abused’ Government Departments 2007 South West Multi Agency Child Protection Procedures (available online only) www.swcpp.org.uk ‘Safeguarding and Safer Recruitment in Education’ DCSF 2006 ‘Guidance for Safer Working Practice for Adults Working with Children and Young People’ – Government Offices for the Regions 2009.

8. Working Together to Safeguard Children (2010) “Everyone shares the responsibility for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children…irrespective of individual roles. Nevertheless, so that organisations and practitioners can collaborate effectively, it is vital that all partners who work with children… are aware of, and appreciate the role that each of them plays in this area.’

9. s.175 Education Act 2002: requires a Governing Body to ensure their school: has a Designated Senior Person (DSP) for child protection has a named governor overseeing Child Protection (CP) in the school has a CP policy, with which everyone working in the school is familiar, including volunteers provides CP training for the DSP at least every two years Provides CP training to anyone working in the school at least every three years Carries out an annual audit of CP work.

10. Child Protection in schools School staff spend more time with children and young people than staff in any other organisation. School staff know children well and are able to spot new or different behaviours. Schools provide a universal service. Schools can provide a ‘safe place’ where pupils can ask for help.

11. What is ‘child abuse’? When a child is suffering, or is likely to suffer, significant harm, as a result of someone inflicting harm or failing to act to prevent harm May happen in the child’s family, or in a community or institutional setting A ‘child’ is anyone under the age of 18.

12. ‘Significant harm’ means: Ill treatment or impairment of health or development ‘Development’ can be physical, intellectual, emotional, social or behavioural ‘Health’ can be physical or mental ‘Ill treatment’ includes sexual abuse, emotional abuse, physical abuse, and neglect Significant harm can be a single traumatic event, or a series of events over a period of time.

13. The four categories of child abuse Physical abuse Emotional abuse Sexual abuse Neglect

14. 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.

15. Physical abuse Signs and symptoms may include: physical injuries, such as cuts, bruises, fractures unexplained or unusual injuries improbable excuses, reluctance or refusal to explain injuries reluctance to change clothing for games or PE fear of physical contact fear of suspected abuser being contacted.

16. Physical abuseHow did it happen? Does the explanation fit the injury? Is there a reluctance to explain the injury? Are there any other concerns about this pupil?

17. Emotional abuse: This 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. Some level of emotional abuse is involved in all types of maltreatment of a child, though it may occur alone.

18. Emotional abuse Signs and symptoms may include: feeling depressed withdrawal from social interaction low self-esteem isolation from friends and family fearfulness, increased anxiety feeling of shame / guilt mood changes not trusting others extreme dependence on others telling lies aggressive behaviour substance misuse

19. Common types of emotional abuse: Neglecting / rejecting Isolating / scapegoating Abusive expectations (demands, criticism) Ignoring, denying (refusal to listen or understand child’s feelings) Exploiting Constant chaos Emotional blackmail (threatening) Aggression (blaming, commanding, threatening) Dominating Verbal assaults (sarcasm, berating) Unpredictable behaviours (mood changes, emotional outbursts)

20. Sexual abuse involves forcing or enticing a child or young person to take part in sexual activities, including prostitution, not necessarily involving a high level of violence, whether or not the child is aware of what is happening.

21. Sexual abuseSigns and symptoms may include: frequent need to urinate / urinary tract infections age-inappropriate sexual knowledge, language, behaviours regressive behaviours such as thumb sucking, needing previously discarded cuddly toys loss of appetite or compulsive eating becoming withdrawn, isolated inability to focus reluctance to go home bed-wetting drawing sexually explicit pictures trying to be ‘ultra good’ over-reacting to criticism

22. ‘Grooming’ for sexual abuse An abuser may ‘groom’ a victim by giving or withholding rewards such as gifts or special attention They may use physical or psychological threats to ensure co-operation The grooming process is often well planned and very effective, ensuring that parents and other adults trust the abuser and find it difficult to believe that abuse has taken place

23. Abusers who groom are often: in a position of trust, leadership good at their job able to win respect, affection, or fear from colleagues charismatic articulate domineering, bullies caring dutiful, over-helpful manipulative distorted in their thinking.

24. Neglect 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 involve failure to: provide adequate food, shelter, clothing Protect child from physical harm or danger (including exposure to domestic abuse)

25. NeglectSigns and symptoms may include: constant hunger emaciation compulsive scavenging poor personal hygiene constant tiredness clothing poor, dirty, inappropriate for weather untreated medical problems poor social relationships destructive tendencies

26. Task 3 Look at these examples of record keeping. Identify good practice What’s missing? In five groups consider one of the examples on your handout. When you have noted your comments, please read the other examples. You have 10 minutes for this task

27. Response to a disclosure - 1: Do: listen carefully and take it seriously stay calm, however shocked you may be reassure the person explain what you will do next report it urgently to the Designated Senior Person in the absence of Designated Person or Head, take immediate steps to protect the child or individual if necessary record the disclosure fully, in accordance with the school’s policy.

28. Response to a disclosure – 2: Don’t: ask leading questions – avoid ‘who, what, when, where’ questions try to obtain more information by ‘interviewing’ people before taking advice appear shocked or angry make judgements promise anything you can’t deliver, including keeping secrets confront or question an alleged abuser

29. Recording a disclosure: Do: use your school’s standard recording form use the child’s own words, don’t paraphrase make your record as soon as possible after the event, so that you don’t forget anything keep it brief and to the point distinguish between fact and your opinions ask for help with writing it up if you need it include information about what action was taken afterwards, even a decision that no action is needed remember the Data Protection Act: adequate, accurate, securely held.

30. Referral to Children’s Social Care The school may want to ring Children’s Social Care for advice and guidance before deciding whether to make a referral – this is welcomed and encouraged. ‘Working Together’ makes it clear that the Designated Senior Person will normally tell parents before making a referral, unless doing so might place someone at increased risk of harm. When making a referral, the school must make clear the full reasons for doing so. If a referral is made by phone, it must be confirmed in writing immediately. Children’s Social Care must notify the school of the outcome of any referral they make – the school must chase this if not received.

31. Response to a Child Protection referral The Local Authority must make enquiries where there is ‘reasonable cause to suspect that a child in their area is suffering, or is likely to suffer, significant harm’. The enquiries are carried out by the Children’s Social Care teams. School staff must co-operate with CP enquiries, and should be consulted in multi-agency strategy discussions to decide how these should progress. These are sometimes referred to as ‘s.47 enquiries’

32. Common Assessment Framework (CAF) Framework for early intervention - when a child has additional unmet needs and you cannot provide the required help pre-assessment checklist - helps identify children who would benefit from a common assessment process for undertaking a common assessment - helps practitioners gather and understand the needs and strengths of a child, based on discussions with the child, their family and other practitioners .

33. Data protection and information sharing The seven golden rules The Data Protection Act is not a barrier to information sharing. Be open and honest. Seek advice if in doubt. Share with consent where appropriate. Consider safety and well-being. Make sure it is necessary, proportionate, relevant, accurate, timely and secure. Keep a record.

34. Child protection and information sharing: Baby Peter Child Death Review 2009 “It is important for professionals to trust their feelings when they perceive children to be suffering, and not make assumptions that others have also perceived it and are better placed to act. It is simpler to lift the telephone than to live with the regrets of not having done so.” “Everybody working as ‘safeguarders’ in the safeguarding system, especially those working in the universal services… needs to become more aware of the authority of their role, and to use it to safeguard the children as well as to support parents. The mode of relationship with parents, especially on first meeting them, needs to be observing and assessing as well as helpful.”

35. What if I’m not sure? Your responsibility is to act if you have any concerns about a child or young person, by passing the concern on. It is not your responsibility to decide whether or not abuse has taken place and/or the identity of the abuser.

36. Barriers to reporting abuse Pupils may: not know who to report to not be comfortable with a particular adult feel embarrassed lack the language / vocabulary fear they will not be believed Fear consequences for themselves or others Adults may: delay because the person to report to is not available be anxious about putting details on paper disbelieve what has been shared with them be afraid of interfering be afraid of being wrong be afraid of possible consequences for the alleged abuser be afraid of possible consequences for themselves feel they don’t have time (too many forms to fill in...)

37. Diversity matters Vulnerability of some children with special needs Cultural issues Children who are privately fostered Children missing from education Looked-after children

38. Other factors which may increase pupils’ vulnerability • Parents/carers who misuse drugs or alcohol • Domestic violence within the family unit • Poor mental health of parents/carers • Chaotic, unsettled or transient lifestyles • Lack of parental control • Those for whom English is not the first language • Armed Forces children

39. Child protection in this school Nationally, approximately 10% of children and young people live with abuse. This means that one in 10 pupils in this school may be living with abuse. Who are they?