Designated Senior Persons Training

Designated Senior Persons Training
June Williams Sherran Finney

Ground Rules Confidentiality Time Out
Questions & contributions welcome Mobiles on silent please Handouts This is a sensitive and emotive subject which raises many issues and for some people they may find this session upsetting or uncomfortable; it may bring back difficult memories of their own childhood. Reassure that all will be treated with respect and personal information will not be repeated outside this group unless we felt there was a risk to a child. Insert your own ground rules into this slide if preferred. It is possible that a participant may raise a concern during the briefing. Tell participants that you have a responsibility to report any information you are given that indicates that a child is currently at risk of being harmed or that an individual poses a risk to children

Aims To provide an awareness of safeguarding children and young people in education settings To raise an awareness of the signs and indicators of abuse, how to respond and how to refer appropriately both within school and to other agencies Remind everyone that this is only a basic introduction to safeguarding and is aimed at all members of staff. Say whether you will hand out a copy of the slides or whether you will them to participants. Emphasise that the training will only provide basic information and is designed to raise awareness, not make participants into child protection experts. The most important messages are that safeguarding is everybody’s responsibility and any concern about a child or young person should be reported.

Consider the following:
What do you think Child Abuse is? Who does it happen to? Whose responsibility is it to protect children from abuse? Why do you need this training? What can you do? First group discussion – gets the conversation going and starts to introduce the subject of child abuse. We will go through what child abuse shortly/it can happen to anyone/we all have a duty to protect (legislation will follow background)/we need to be trained to spot signs and indicators and know how to respond appropriately/speak out, don’t wait to be proved right

Background Serious Case Reviews and Inquiries High profile cases
Recommendations Updated and new legislation Has it made a difference? Following the brief discussion mention what a serious case review is – an enquiry following the death or serious injury of a child where there are child protection concerns, originally called Part 8 reviews (Part 8 of Working Together) Usually these are high profile cases as the following slides show Each resulted in a number of recommendations and some to major changes in legislation eg Victoria Climbie, Area Child Protection Committees were to become Local Safeguarding Children Boards with wide ranging responsibilities. Membership was to be from Senior Managers from each partner agency not Operational Managers as was previously the case Children Act 2004, Safeguarding Children and Safer Recruitment in Education etc. We will briefly look at what went wrong and has the way we protect children improved The slide relating to Maria Colwell contains similarities to Lauren, Victoria and Peter These slides may be difficult for staff, it may be an idea to be very brief and just use the information to set the scene. He information on the notes can be used, but not if it is too distressing.

Lauren Wright ‘’often she was covered with lots of small bruises and with major bruises about once a month. These included black eyes, bruising on her face and scratches across her back” Class teacher When Lauren died she had lost 4 stone and weighed only 2 stone Often appeared with bruises, which were explained away Lauren was killed by her step mother who was a dinner lady at her school, a small village school Lauren is probably the least known of the three children in these slides. There was no public enquiry, but a serious case review was held

Victoria Climbie “the food would be cold and would be given to her on a piece of plastic while she was tied up in the bath. She would eat it like a dog, pushing her face to the plate…” Neil Garnham, QC to the Victoria Climbie Inquiry Died in February 2000 aged 8 years old Her ‘aunt’ and partner found guilty of murder and received life imprisonment in January 2001 Inquiry into Victoria’s life and death set up in April 2001 Inquiry chaired by Lord Laming Report published in April 2003 Victoria was known to: 3 housing departments 4 social services departments 2 GP’s 2 hospitals 2 police child protection teams 1 NSPCC family centre An unregistered child minder Faith based organisations ‘The extent of the failure to protect Victoria was lamentable’ Lord Laming

Peter Connolly ‘Baby P’ 2006 – 2007
On 1st August 2007, Peter attended at the child development centre. The doctor found him to be unwell and miserable and advised Peter’s mother to take him to her GP or to hospital if he did not get better It is now known that, at that stage, Peter was suffering from a fractured spine. Peter died on the 3rd August 2007 aged 17 months. He had a fractured spine, numerous cuts and bruises and eight broken ribs. At the time of his death Peter was subject to a plan of protection. Mother smeared his face with chocolate to hide the bruises First presented at hospital with a head injury in December, 2006, staff felt it was a non accidental injury Multi agency assessment and police enquiries followed, but no charges were brought. 22/12/06 CP plan in place Numerous visits by social care further visit to hospital Professionals felt injuries were because he was ‘clumsy’

What went wrong? Lauren, Victoria and Peter were abused and killed by people they knew; in Lauren’s case by her step-mother; Victoria by her great-aunt and her boyfriend; Peter by his mother, her boyfriend and another man who lived with them. All these children came to the notice of a number of agencies including school, early years, housing, health services, police and social care in the months leading up to their deaths. All were let down by the agencies which should have protected them. All their deaths led to major changes in legislation, policy and practice across all agencies. Point out that the signs were there and in all of the cases the deaths were preventable The next slide is the serious case review following the injury caused by the two boys in Edlington You will probably be familiar with this high profile case

Local Serious Case Review January 2010
Although no death of a child occurred similar issues highlighted Number of agencies involved with the family Staff not trained to deal with complexity of situation and mistakes made Assault was preventable Co-ordination of services inadequate Lines of accountability insufficiently robust Focus of intervention not on children Edlington case, included because it is local and again showing similarities to previous cases. Record keeping was also an issue with this case. The next slide is of the enquiry into the death of Maria Colwell in 1973.

What has changed Maria Colwell 25th March 1965 – 6/7th January 1973
Died at the hands of her step father Number of agencies involved Referrals made by neighbours and other agencies Information not passed on to workers Let down by agencies which should have protected her Led to major changes in legislation and procedures Point out the similarities of the previous cases and although we keep changing legislation similar mistakes are still being made. That is why as a school we are in a unique position to notice changes in behaviour, patterns of attendance and to listen to children

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 movies The youngest victim was aged 6 You may or may not wish to include these slides, but there importance is shown in the need for clear reporting, code of conduct and whistleblowing polices, when staff are known to be acting inappropriately There are some slides later in the presentation relating to allegations against members of staff.

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" The Teacher had worked in the school for 15 years, however within his first year colleagues had a variety of concerns. 30 incidents of inappropriate or unprofessional conduct were recorded in school but none were referred through the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO)

Framework of legislation and guidance
UN Convention on the Rights of the Child 1989 Ratified by UK in 1991 Education Act 2002 Children Act 1989 Children Act 2004 What to do if you’re worried a child is being abused (2006) Working Together to Safeguard Children (2006 & 2010) Sexual Offences Act 2003 Local Safeguarding Children Board procedures Very briefly this is the legislation and statutory guidance we use. No need to spend much time on this slide Local authority & school child protection policies Education and Inspections Act 2006 Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 Safeguarding Children and Safer Recruitment in Education

Section 175 Education Act 2002 Everyone in the education service shares an objective to help keep children and young people safe by contributing to Providing a safe environment for children and young people to learn in education settings Identifying children and young people who are suffering or likely to suffer significant harm and take appropriate action with the aim of making sure they are kept safe both at home and at school Overarching principle – all have a responsibility no matter what your role is in school – this is why you are running the training today to give everyone the same, clear message. Section 175 of the Education Act 2002 relates to safeguarding and the document ‘Safeguarding Children and Safer Recruitment in Education’ sets out the roles and responsibilities of local authorities, schools, FE colleges and governing bodies in relation to protecting children in any education establishment. Section 175 came about as a result of the death of Lauren Wright, a six-year-old who was murdered by her stepmother in Lauren’s school did not have a designated senior person, staff had not attended child protection training and the school did not call social care even though Lauren was frequently bruised, uncared for, anxious and unhappy. Lauren’s stepmother was a lunchtime assistant at the school.

ECM Five Outcomes Stay Safe Healthy Enjoy and Achieve
Economic Wellbeing Positive Contribution Children Act duty to co-operate using the five outcomes. Most people are aware of the five outcomes for children and young people. Use the acronym SHEEP to remember

Local Safeguarding Children’s Board (LSCB)
The LSCB is 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 and for ensuring the effectiveness of what they do. Membership of the LSCB is made up of senior managers from different services and agencies in a local area, including the independent and voluntary sector. The Doncaster SCB has a number of sub-groups including Serious Case Reviews, a Young People’s Group and an Education Sub group. The Doncaster SCB website is Web link for further information and procedures

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’ Compliance with Section 175 and Ofsted also includes: ll nominating a senior designated person ll ensuring staff and volunteers receive training ll checking the suitability of staff and volunteers to work with children (CRB checks/ISA registration) ll having a child protection policy and making it available to all staff, volunteers and parents ll procedures that enable staff to report concerns about the behaviour of a colleague (whistleblowing). Note that this is not an exhaustive list, but demonstrates that schools must have appropriate arrangements in place.

Safeguarding Child Protection Staff Conduct Anti Bullying Policies
Children Missing Education Curriculum Safeguarding Managing Allegations Against Staff Behaviour Management A child is defined by the Children Act of 1989 and 2004 as anyone who has not yet reached their 18th birthday. Local Authority Social Care will also carry out pre-birth assessments of unborn babies where there are safeguarding concerns. Explain that ‘safeguarding’ relates to everything the school does to keep all pupils safe. Mention one or two examples of how your school safeguards all pupils, for example: ll discussing personal safety in PSHE lessons ll effective anti-bullying procedures ll offering a peer-support scheme ll actively involving parents Whistleblowing Health and Safety Building Design Safe Recruitment and Selection

Definition of Abuse 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 a stranger. They may be abused by an adult or adults, or another child or children. Most children are abused by someone they know – stress that abuse can happen anywhere and in any culture – we don’t hide behind race, culture or religion and it’s not something that only happens to children living in poor deprived areas This slide shows that abuse can be a deliberate act, or it can occur when adults fail to act responsibly towards children. An example of inflicting harm could be burning a child with a cigarette, while an adult might fail to prevent harm by allowing a small child to play out all day without knowing where the child is going or who they are with.

Categories of Abuse Physical Abuse Emotional Abuse Neglect
Sexual Abuse As defined by ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children (2013)’ These are the same categories no matter where you are in this country – ‘Working Together’ document defines them – the definitions are to follow on the next slides.

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 Fabricated and/or induced illness used to be known as Munchausen’s Syndrome or Munchausen’s Syndrome by proxy but we now use the new terminology. Could give example of mother deliberately withholding insulin for diabetic child, mother wants attention and can get it by making the child ill etc.

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 (including cyber 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. Acknowledge that emotional abuse can stand alone as a category but must understand that it runs alongside all the other categories. The word ‘persistent’ is in bold to show that emotional abuse is about regular ill treatment rather than an isolated incident. Many adults occasionally lose their temper and say something to a child they later regret. This is not necessarily emotional abuse. Emotional abuse occurs when a child is constantly demeaned, ridiculed, humiliated or ignored and made to feel worthless and unloved. Over time, this treatment may result in the child losing all self-confidence and being unable to form positive relationships. Witnessing domestic violence is also now recognised as being emotionally abusive. Some children who witness domestic violence may also be subjected to physical or sexual abuse or neglect.

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 Again, the key word here is ‘persistent’. There is no desire to target families who are struggling to make ends meet and simply cannot afford good-quality food and clothing but are doing their best. Neglect occurs when parents are unwilling to meet the basic needs of their children or are apathetic or ambivalent about the circumstances in which their children are living. Neglect may also result from parental learning difficulties, mental health needs or substance misuse that reduces the parent’s capacity to take proper care of their child. Consider the elements of neglect – how we may all have different standards in our homes but we need to consider circumstances where it may be dangerous for children to be living in that condition. Do some parents just need a guiding hand? Doncaster SCB has produced a toolkit to support the practitioners deal with this issue.

Sexual Abuse Sexual abuse involves forcing or enticing a child or young person to take part in sexual activities, including prostitution, whether or not the child is aware of what is happening. The activities may involve physical contact, including penetrative or non-penetrative acts. They may include non-contact activities such as involving children in looking at, or in the production of, sexual online images, watching sexual activities, encouraging children to behave in sexually inappropriate ways or grooming a child in preparation for abuse (including via the internet). Remember that the term ‘sexual exploitation’ rather than prostitution is used as the young people have not made a choice to become a prostitute and are usually groomed by older men. The Sexual Offences Act 2003 brought in a number of new offences including internet grooming and the offence of Abuse of Trust (ie teachers having relationships with pupils) Does Doncaster have such a team?

Discuss, in groups, the signs you might encounter which could indicate possible abuse.
(Child Protection procedures apply to children and young people below the age of 18 years so remember to consider all ages of children in your discussion.) Depending on numbers attending, split into 4 groups and give each group one category to look at and come up with some signs and indicators – remind them to consider all ages of children not just the age group which they are used to working with. Ask each group to feed back to the main group. Alternatively just ask them to think of some general signs and indicators which could cover all categories of abuse.

Indicators of Abuse Some indicators are highly suggestive of abuse, others less so. No list of indicators can be complete, and it is important in every case to consider the child’s experience of living in his/her family and the other things that are happening in his/her life. If a child has suffered one kind of abuse, the likelihood of suffering another kind is increased. The information contained on the following slides about the indicators/impact of abuse is taken from Chapter 1(1.3) of the South Yorkshire and Doncaster SCB Child Protection Procedures

Accidental Occurs from everyday play activities and accidents
Patterns do not differ between boys and girls Increase in number with age and mobility Most common on bony prominences and at the front of the body, including the forehead

Common Sites For Accidental Injury
FOREHEAD NOSE CHIN BONY SPINE FOREARM ELBOWS HIP Use this diagram to demonstrate some of the common sites for accidental injury. Not all bruising or marking is cause for concern. However when explanations do not correlate or the bruising is in an unusual place, this should be recorded and discussed with the Senior Designated Person. Emphasise to participants that, if they think a child is being physically abused, their responsibility is to report it. They do not have to see any injuries or make a decision about whether an injury is accidental or not. Under no circumstances should they ask a child to remove clothing in order to see a bruise. KNEES SHINS

Non-accidental or Unexplained Injuries
No gender difference On average more numerous and significantly bigger than in accidental Multiple bruises in clusters May carry the impression of the implement used Fatal non accidental head injury and fractures can occur without bruising (shaken baby)

Common sites for unexplained injury
SKULL - fracture or bleeding under skull (from shaking EYES - bruising, black (particularly both eyes) CHEEK/SIDE OF FACE - bruising, finger marks EARS - Pinch or slap marks, bruising NECK -bruising, grasp marks MOUTH - torn frenulum UPPER & INNER ARM - bruising, grasp marks SHOULDERS - bruising, grasp marks Use this diagram to illustrate some of the areas that are suggestive of physical abuse. Reinforce the need to share any concerns with the Designated Senior Person. Remind all staff that they must never take a photo of a child with an injury, any photos would be taken by those investigating in conjunction with the medical services – usually the police surgeon or paediatrician would do this. Body maps are ideal for schools to use to demonstrate where injuries are on the child. CHEST - bruising, grasp marks BACK } BUTTOCKS } THIGHS } Linear bruising. Outline of belt/buckles. Scalds/burns GENITALS - bruising KNEES - grasp marks

Physical Abuse Withdraw from physical contact or close relationships with adults and children; be apprehensive when other children cry; Be frightened of going home; show reluctance for parent/carer to be contacted or appear to be frightened by a particular person (parent/carer or other) Being aggressive to others – children and adults; be reluctant to undress for PE or swimming; refuse to discuss or give improbable causes about injuries Parent/Carer may make repeated presentation of minor injuries or illnesses, often to the GP or A & E, which may represent a ‘cry for help’ and which, if ignored, may lead to more serious injury. Minor injuries in babies may be an indication that more serious injuries, like fractures, have already been sustained

Emotional Abuse Domestic Violence, adult mental health problems and parental substance misuse Sudden speech disorders, over-reaction to mistakes, fear of new situations, inappropriate responses to stressful situations Self harm, low self esteem, extremes of passivity or aggression, attention seeking behaviour; Scapegoating of one child Not allowing the child to receive gifts, play with toys, go on outings, when other family members are Indifference to the child’s needs; hostility towards the child; ridicule, sarcasm, deliberate frightening of a child Cruelty, like being locked up in cold, dark surroundings Signs of Neglect

Possible signs of Neglect
Poor personal hygiene/Poor state of clothing Constant tiredness, untreated medical problems Poor physical condition/Emaciation/Failure to Thrive, without an organic reason Frequent lateness or non-attendance at school or nursery/poor intellectual development/underachieving Repeated or frequent accidents due to low levels of, or inadequate, supervision Inadequate or inappropriate diet/Poor skin and hair condition, slow to heal sores etc. Signs of emotional abuse, low self esteem, attention seeking behaviour, no social relationships, isolation

Possible signs of Sexual Abuse
Bruising around the knees, thighs, bottom, genitalia and upper arms (often symmetrical, suggesting grip marks) Mouth injuries; burns/bite marks; Injuries, infections, bleeding, abnormal discharge in the genital or anal area Pregnancy – particularly when concealed; Soiling and Wetting Sexualised drawings, play or language; low self-esteem, suicidal gestures, self harm, running away, eating disorders, sleep disturbance Promiscuity, confusion as to the abuse Signs of ‘grooming’ Withdrawn and depressed Explain to participants that this list is not exhaustive but provides examples of some signs that could indicate that a pupil might be at risk. These indicators are not conclusive evidence of abuse. However, they should always be reported to enable the school to offer appropriate support to the pupil. Ensure that participants know that they do not have to provide evidence of abuse. If they see or hear anything that concerns them, they should report it. In addition to noticing signs in pupils, participants may also observe the behaviour of a parent, a member of staff or another adult that concerns them. These concerns should also be reported.

Internet and mobile phones
The risks to children and young people include: increased exposure to sexually inappropriate content access to sites which may promote harmful behaviours, such as promoting anorexia, demonstrating how to make weapons and explosives or explaining how to take one’s own life being coerced, tricked or forced into sexual conversations, or sexual acts which are filmed and uploaded onto websites meeting people who present a risk cyber-bullying and harassment inappropriate photographs taken on mobile phones and distributed freely Violent extremism – exposure to, or involvement with, groups or individuals who condone violence as a means to a political end is a particular risk for some children. Experience suggests that young people from teenage years onwards can be particularly vulnerable to getting involved with radical groups through direct contact with members (may already be a family member) or, increasingly, via the internet. CEOP (Child Exploitation and Online Protection) have an excellent website for children and young people called ‘thinkuknow’ – there are lessons plans on there and other materials which teachers can use in school. Inform participants of your e-safety policy that sets out how the school tries to manage these risks and alert pupils to the dangers.

Talking to children

Group Exercise What stops children from telling us about their abuse?
Can you think of factors which may increase a child’s vulnerability What stops us from taking action? Professionally Personally .

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’ Research concludes that around half of children who are abused or neglected do not speak out at the time. This may be because they are frightened, feel they will not be believed, cannot identify anyone to trust, are too young or immature to understand what is happening to them or do not have enough vocabulary to articulate what is happening. Occasionally, a child may make an allegation against an innocent person because they are too frightened to name the real abuser. This is known as displacement. Emphasise that everyone can contribute to pupils’ safety by being observant and supportive and reporting concerns as soon as they arise

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 A child with a disability is three times more likely to suffer abuse than a child who does not

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! Your CP/Safeguarding policy, which should be reviewed on an annual basis, should answer all questions. Staff need to know who is their Designated and Deputy Designated Person and should feel confident to discuss any concerns

Dealing with disclosure and talking to children
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. Ask if anyone has ever taken a disclosure from a child, how they dealt with it and how they felt afterwards. Ask for some ideas for good practice when dealing with children who are talking about being abused – consider also things that you wouldn’t do! Why are children with disabilities more likely to be abused? Statistics show that around 10% of all children are being abused or neglected so how would that work out in your school?

Golden Rules DO DON’T Listen carefully
Make accurate notes using the child’s words Inform the designated person for child protection Tell the child that they have done the right thing by telling you Ask leading questions Use your own words to describe events Investigate Promise confidentiality The key messages are: ll Listen carefully without showing shock or distaste. ll Give reassuring nods and affirmation if you feel it will help. Say things such as, ‘this must be very difficult for you’, ‘I’m sorry this has happened to you’ or ‘You have done the right thing in telling me’. ll Do not interrogate. Do not ask questions such as ‘how many times has this happened?’, ‘Does your mother know this is going on?’ or ‘Who else knows about this?’ ll Gently tell the pupil that you want to help and you need to pass what they have told you on to someone who will know what to do. ll Offer verbal rather than physical comfort. A distressed child will not necessarily welcome physical touch, however well meant. ll Report and record what has happened.

Referral Process The Designated Senior Person (DSP) for Child Protection in school should be consulted in the first instance if there are any concerns raised about a child’s welfare. The DSP will make enquiries, seek advice and, where necessary, make a referral to Social Care. Part of the Designated Person’s role is to talk to parent/carers about the concerns raised. Research shows that being open with parent/carers from the beginning results in better protection for the child. All reasonable efforts should be made to inform parents/carers beforehand, however, an inability to inform them should not prevent referrals being made If you have a standard school form that everyone uses to record concerns, hold it up so participants can see what it looks like. You may feel it would be helpful for each participant to be given a copy to take away with them. Explain the procedures in your school – named staff etc. Ensure that participants understand their responsibility to respect the privacy of the pupil. They only need to report their concern to one person, either the DSP or a senior member of staff. Written information is also confidential. Participants should not need to keep a copy of the form they have completed. Reassure participants that all records that relate to possible abuse or neglect are stored in a locked facility, away from the pupil’s main file, and are password protected if stored in electronic format.

When NOT to talk to parents
There are cases where it will not be appropriate to discuss concerns with parents/carers before referral so in these situations the timing of contact with parents/carers will be agreed with Social Care and/or the Police once the referral has been made Some examples of when it would not be appropriate to inform the family are: Where discussion would put the child at further risk of harm Where there is evidence that involving the family would impede the investigation Where sexual or physical abuse is suspected Where to contact the family would place you or your staff at risk As stated in previous slide, talking to parents would usually be done by the Head or DSP Best advice is to seek advice! Reiterate that talking to parents and referring is usually done by the DSP within the school – this takes away the responsibility on other members of staff to do this which can be worrying for some and may prevent them passing on information in some cases.

The Referral Process Refer – by telephone to Children’s Multi Agency Referral and Assessment Service (CMARAS) on Record – all referrals must be followed up in writing within 48 hours (use CAF Form in Doncaster) Retain – keep the original copy of the referral form in school – securely and separate from any academic records Remember – your record may be needed in any subsequent investigation, child protection conference or any Court action by Police or Social Care. Chapter 3 of the Doncaster SCB procedures contains information on the Continuum of Need, Referral and Assessment Pathways The school does not work in isolation when a concern is raised about a child’s safety or welfare. The DSP or other staff will communicate and cooperate with other agencies to identify the pupil’s particular needs and reach agreement about the best way to support them. When a pupil is thought to be at risk of significant harm, the DSP will make a referral to children’s social care.

Case Study – Shannon, 6 years
You are a secretary at the primary school Shannon attends. Shannon has been sick in school today and you have been asked to contact her parents and to ask them to come and take her home. You get no reply at home so you contact father on his mobile number – he seems very angry at being phoned at work and says he will send his wife to collect Shannon. He said he will deal with Shannon later for “making a fuss over nothing, again” You feel concerned at his reaction. What do you think you should do? You may wish to finish off with a Case study.

Case Study – Craig, 16 years
You are a Youth Worker and Craig attends the senior session at your youth centre. When he attended tonight he told you that he nearly didn’t come as he had been feeling unwell all day, he has a headache, is feeling sick and he also shows you a red mark on his cheek. When you talk to him further he tells you that he and his dad had a really bad argument this morning and that his dad hit him and he then fell against a cupboard. Craig says that he thinks he pushed his dad too far, that he can handle himself and doesn’t want to take it any further. What do you think you should do?

Case Study – Carl, 10 years You are the Headteacher at the primary school Carl attends. You have been having problems with Carl’s behaviour for some time but today he has had a nasty fight with another boy in school. You are considering excluding him for the fight and when you tell him you will be contacting his mum he becomes very upset, crying and asking you not to exclude him. He keeps repeating “I don’t want to go home, please don’t make me go home” When you ask him why he doesn’t want to go home he says “something happens but I can’t tell you what it is” What will you do next?

Case Study – Khyra, aged 7 Khyra’s mother informs school that she now intends to home educate her daughter and will remove her from school immediately. She does not give a reason for this decision. There have been no attendance or bullying issues raised, nor any other school issues involving Khyra. She has always seemed to be happy in school and has many friends. School staff are, in fact, quite concerned about the care of Khyra and her siblings and have made previous referrals to Social Care, this is now compounded by the fact that mum wants to keep her at home. In an attempt to talk mum out of her decision, the class teacher and Deputy Head make a home visit but fail to gain access to the home. The EWO then makes a home visit but mum will not let her into the house or see Khyra. A further referral is then made to Social Care due to the concerns for Khyra’s welfare. What are your concerns at this stage? What should happen next?

What happens next? A professional making a referral to Social Care should be informed of the outcome and reasons for any decisions made within 1 working day. Both Social Care and the referrer should record the outcome of this discussion. If an initial assessment is required they should involve relevant agencies that are working with or known to the child and family If you have not heard anything within 3 working days you should contact Social Care again. If the pupil has health needs, has sustained an injury or needs a medical examination, health services will become involved. If a crime has been committed, the police will also become involved. All agencies are required to work together and share information to protect children. Schools are not allowed to investigate cases of abuse and neglect.

What happens next? It may be, as a result of your referral, that a S47 investigation into the incident is carried out. The only agencies who can investigate child abuse are Social Care, the Police and the NSPCC. If the abuse is confirmed or the child considered to be at risk of significant harm, a child protection case conference may be called to consider whether to place the child on a child protection plan. Your DSP will be invited to attend or be asked to submit a report to the conference about your involvement with the child and family Social Care will take the lead in assessments (Initial, Child in Need or Core Assessment depending on the circumstances) Some investigations are run jointly between the police and social care – usually very serious cases where maybe a criminal offence has been committed such as physical abuse, sexual abuse etc. Schools are not allowed to investigate cases of abuse and neglect but a school would always cooperate with any investigations being made by other agencies.

Reports for Conference
Reports to conference by schools should be holistic – not just concentrating on academic performance or attendance data. The chair of the conference will most likely have no prior knowledge of this child and their family and they need to see the “whole picture” Chapter 3 of the Doncaster SCB child protection procedures contains information on the conference system. It is a good idea to consider the Assessment Framework using the headings to consider what information to include in the report. You will realise that you know more than you think about the child and family. It is also good practice for the DSP to sign off any report that has been completed by any other member of staff.

Framework for the Assessment of Children and their Families 2000 available to download free

Child Protection Case Conference
The child protection case conference is central to child protection procedures. It brings together the family and professionals concerned with them and provides the opportunity to exchange information, assess risk and plan future action. The case conference will decide whether placing the child’s name on a Formal Plan of Protection is appropriate or not. If the child’s name is placed on a formal plan of protection the conference members will identify which category of abuse is most appropriate, discuss a proposed plan of action and a Core Group will be identified The Core Group will consist of the family and workers who have direct involvement with them. A multi-agency child protection plan will then be formulated, looking at risks of significant harm, ways that the child can be protected and establish short and long term aims and objectives, with clear roles identified. The case is regularly reviewed at 3 and 6 monthly intervals. The process of taking children off a child protection plan is just as important and this would only take place within the formal case conference arena with clear de-registration criteria. Schools always play a big role on core groups and at case conferences – if a child is school age there will always be a representative from school named on the core group alongside other professionals such as the social worker, health visitor, midwife, school nurse etc. The child can attend the conference if they wish but only if they are over 11 years and it is judged that they can cope with this type of meeting where very sensitive and often upsetting information is being shared. There is no pressure for the child to attend. What other ways could be used to hear what the child has to say? Schools very often hold Core Group meetings in school as it is a ‘neutral’ location to meet and usually more convenient for the family and professionals attending.

Roles and Responsibilities
All staff and governors need to undertake child protection training at 3 yearly intervals. The DSP is expected to have child protection training every 2 years and be allowed to attend multi-agency training courses run locally by the Safeguarding Board. All staff should know who their DSP is – Ofsted like to see photos of staff displayed with clear information about who is the named DSP, Fire Officer, First Aider etc. All governing bodies should have a designated governor for child protection and safeguarding. All staff should know the process for reporting allegations. All staff should know that they cannot promise a child complete confidentiality in matters of child protection. If you have time highlight one or two key policies and explain how they contribute to safeguarding and child protection. Ensure that participants know where to find these policies should they need to, or wish to read them.

Allegations against Staff
Allegations may be genuine, malicious or misplaced. They may arise from differing perceptions of the same event and they are inevitably distressing and difficult for all concerned. It may be that someone 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; or behaved towards a child or children in a way that indicates s/he is unsuitable to work with children Do not go into details about processes, the main thing that staff need to take away is the fact that they should be confident in reporting any concerns and the matter should be kept confidential. This could be linked to the previous Somerset Serious Case Review

Reporting Allegations against staff
Any concern relating to a member of staff should be reported to the Head who then contacts the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) for advice on how to proceed. The LADO role is carried out by senior managers within the DSCB – contact Some allegations are so serious to warrant immediate referral to social care and the police for investigation - this will happen alongside disciplinary procedures All allegations are considered on an individual basis and will be dealt with accordingly, which may involve a strategy meeting to which the Head will be invited (or the Chair of Governors in the event that the allegation is about the Head) It is important that staff have the confidence to report any concerns This should be clearly explained in procedures.

Allegations against staff
There may be up to three strands in the consideration of an allegation: A police investigation of a possible criminal offence Enquiries and assessment by social care about whether a child is in need of protection or in need of services Consideration by an employer of disciplinary action in respect of the individual This slide does not have to be used if not confident in the delivery

Staff conduct - consider the following questions:
Would I do this/say this/treat this pupil in this way if we were being observed? Would I be happy if someone did this/said this/treated my own child in this way? Would I be concerned if I observed a colleague behave in this way? If challenged, can I explain my behaviour in terms of my professional duties? Ask the staff to consider the questions and if the answer is in the negative, what would they do?

Final Thoughts Proactive safeguarding – what can we do to build resilience in the children and young people who attend this school? How do we keep the child in focus? How do we let our pupils know about safeguarding issues? How do we let staff know about safeguarding issues? What about the parents or carers? Do staff know of the process in school for involving parents, are children taught how to keep safe etc. Can they come up with the answer or is more work needed?

Proactive safeguarding – what we can do to build resilience
Promote good peer relationships Involve pupils in decision-making and policy development Provide positive adult role models Offer a positive school experience Create opportunities to achieve success Use the curriculum to promote safeguarding Be a listening school

Information NSPCC child protection helpline 0808 800 5000
If you would like to speak to someone about your personal history, or if you have a concern about a family member or a child who does not attend this school, you can contact these agencies: NSPCC child protection helpline Doncaster Children’s Social Care: South Yorkshire Police: 101 (new number for non urgent police enquiries) Childline StopItNow! (for child sexual abuse) In an emergency call 999

South Yorkshire and Doncaster Child Protection Procedures
The South Yorkshire and Doncaster SCB Child Protection Procedures are available on-line on the DSCB website. There is a direct link to the procedures as well as other safeguarding information including local Serious Case Reviews and Key Contacts. 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

“I never told anyone what went on, how violent my dad was, how I didn’t change into pyjamas when I went to bed on a Saturday night because he would come in drunk and my mum and I would have to run into the street. I never told anyone about the knots in my stomach as I heard him hitting her and felt so useless, so small. But I know my teacher understood. Her kindness and understanding kept me going, her classroom was my sanctuary. I never told her, she just knew……..that’s what teachers do” A teenager’s reflection on a violent childhood (Quote taken from Child Protection & Safeguarding Handbook for Schools)

UPDATES Policies outlined in legislation Role of DSP CRB and ISA
Changes Current changes before Parliament

Statutory Policies Required by Education Legislation
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

Role of Designated Senior Person
Referrals Refer cases of suspected abuse or allegations to the relevant investigating Act as a source of support, advice and expertise within the educational establishment when deciding whether to make a referral by liaising with relevant agencies. Liaise with head teacher or principal (where role not carried out by the head teacher) to inform him or her of any issues and on going investigations and ensure there is always cover for this role. Safeguarding Children and Safer Recruitment in Education 2007

Training To recognise how to identify signs of abuse and when it is appropriate to make a referral. Have a working knowledge of how LSCBs operate, the conduct of a child protection case conference and be able to attend and contribute to these effectively when required to do so. Ensure each member of staff has access to and understands the school’s child protection policy especially new or part time staff who may work with different educational establishments. Ensure all staff have induction training covering child protection and are able to recognise and report any concerns immediately they arise. Be able to keep detailed accurate secure written records of referrals and or concerns. Obtain access to resources and attend any relevant or refresher training courses at least every two years. Safeguarding Children and Safer Recruitment in Education 2007

Raising Awareness Ensure the establishment’s child protection policy is updated and reviewed annually and work with the governing body or proprietor regarding this. Ensure parents see copies of the child protection policy which alerts them to the fact that referrals may be made and the role of the establishment in this to avoid conflict later. Where children leave the establishment ensure their child protection file is copied for the new establishment as soon as possible but transferred separately from the main pupil file. Safeguarding Children and Safer Recruitment in Education 2007

Allegations against Staff
Allegations may be genuine, malicious or misplaced. They may arise from differing perceptions of the same event and they are inevitably distressing and difficult for all concerned. It may be that someone 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; or behaved towards a child or children in a way that indicates s/he is unsuitable to work with children Safeguarding Children and Safer Recruitment in Education January 2007

Allegations Guidance DfE 2012
Any allegation against a teacher – quick resolution to be a priority and all unnecessary delays eradicated Suspension only considered if no alternative available. Reasons for decision documented by the school and individual notified of the reasons Malicious allegations removed from personnel records and any that are not substantiated, are unfounded or malicious should not be referred to in employer references.

Allegations Guidance DfE 2012
Pupils that are found to have made malicious allegations are likely to have breached school behaviour policies and sanctions considered All schools and FE colleges should have procedures for dealing with allegations which make it clear that all allegations should be reported straight away and identify the person to whom concerns should be reported

CRB and ISA Criminal Records Bureau and Independent Safeguarding Authority have merged and are known as THE DISCLOSURE AND BARRING SERVICE Are responsible for - processing requests for criminal records checks deciding whether it is appropriate for a person to be placed on or removed from a barred list placing or removing people from the DBS children’s barred list and adults’ barred list for England, Wales and Northern Ireland

Changes to Disclosure and Barring
Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 Major Changes in September 2012 New definition of Regulated Activity Repeal of Controlled Activity Repeal of Registration and Continuous Monitoring Repeal of additional information Minimum age (16) at which someone can apply for CRB check More rigorous ‘relevancy’ test for when police release information held locally Not Changing Appropriate referrals must still be made Must be no engagement in regulated activity with someone who is known to be barred by the DBS Everybody with the pre-September definition of regulated activity will remain eligible for enhanced CRB checks, whether or not they fall within the post-September definition of regulated activity

Latest Update Filtering of old and minor convictions and cautions –
At the end of March 2013 the legislative process began to filter old and minor convictions and cautions from appearing on a DBS certificate following a decision made by the Court of Appeal

Filtering Rules now before Parliament
An adult conviction will be removed from a criminal record certificate if, 11 years have elapsed since the date of conviction it is the person’s only offence and it did not result in a custodial sentence. But only then if it is not on the list of specified offences. If more than one offence all will be included Adult cautions removed after 6 years from date of caution

Filtering Rules now before Parliament
For those under 18 at the time of the offence a conviction received as a young person would become eligible for filtering after 5.5 years - unless it is on the list of specified offences, a custodial sentence was received or the individual has more than one conviction a caution administered to a young person will not be disclosed if 2 years have elapsed since the date of issue - but only if it does not appear on the list of specified offences

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