Child protection

 Every child and young person has a right to feel safe.  All adults working with children and young people have a duty of care to act in the best interests of the child or young person.

Child protection  The terms ‘maltreatment’ and ‘significant risk of serious harm’ are generally used to define child abuse.  Child abuse includes physical, emotional or sexual actions or inactions which have resulted in, or are likely to result in, significant harm or injury to the child or young person.

Child protection  Your values, culture and child-rearing experience will colour your definition of what constitutes abuse or neglect.  Child abuse occurs across all sectors of the community and is not restricted to a particular culture, race or religious group.

Child protection  Anyone can be a perpetrator of abuse.  Although perpetrators of abuse are more likely to be male, females also abuse children.  Males (predominantly non-biological family members such as a stepfather or a mother’s de facto partner) are responsible for 90 per cent of the sexual abuse of children.

Child protection There are four interrelated factors commonly used to explain why abuse occurs:  individual characteristics  individual’s interpersonal relationships  individual history  socio-cultural

Child protection Perpetrators of abuse:  vulnerable adults  unclear expectations of children  relationship difficulties  social/cultural factors

Child protection  Some children, because of certain characteristics, are more at risk of abuse than others.

Child protection Types of abuse:  physical and emotional abuse  neglect  children living in situations where domestic violence is occurring  sexual abuse

Child protection  Physical abuse refers to the non- accidental injury to a child by a parent, caregiver or any other person.

Child protection Emotional abuse refers to a range of adult behaviours that harm a child, including behaviour that:  destroys the confidence of a child, resulting in significant emotional deprivation or trauma impairs a child’s social, emotional, cognitive or intellectual development  disturbs a child’s behaviour

Child protection  Neglect of children occurs where a child is harmed by the failure to provide the basic physical and emotional necessities of life - ‘continuum of omissions in parental caretaking’.

Child protection  Children can be affected by witnessing violence or by becoming the victims of violence, or a combination of both  Domestic violence has a profound effect on children and constitutes a form of child abuse

Child protection  Sexual abuse of children is perhaps the ultimate act of betrayal and breach of trust  Perpetrators of sexual abuse are almost always known to the child or young person  The impact of child sexual abuse is devastating to the child

Child protection The consequences of sexual abuse may manifest itself in a range of health, emotional and social problems that can be life-long.

Child protection Risk of harm indicators are like signals that something might be wrong.

Child protection  If you have legitimate grounds to suspect that a child or young person is at risk of harm you must report your concerns as quickly as possible.

Child protection  It is not your role to investigate or confirm abuse or confront the suspected abuser – this must be left to other professionals.

Child protection  ‘Disclosure’ of abuse can be an extremely stressful situation for a carer.  You must stay outwardly calm even if you are angry or upset.  Offer reassurance but don’t ask probing questions or prompt the child for details.

Child protection Your role in relation to child protection includes:  be aware and alert to indicators of risk of harm  report concerns to your immediate supervisor  know your school’s protocols for reporting risk of harm  be approachable so children feel comfortable and trust you enough to tell you if they are in harmful situations  support the child or young person if they ask for help  always act as an advocate for children and young people

Child protection  The notification rate of concerns in relation to risk of harm continues to rise in Australia.