Child Protection Group 1 Refresher Child Protection - Basic Awareness Clive Haines and Helen Young Welcome

Aims To refresh your understanding of safeguarding children and what steps to follow if there is a child protection concern To raise awareness about your roles and responsibilities in relation to safeguarding children and young people within your organisation

Legislation Working Together to Safeguard Children 2015 Definitions Signs and Indicators Information sharing Keeping Children Safe in Education 2015 Safe recruitment Educating children in E-safety through the curriculum Governors’ Responsibilities Your School Policy Overall statement of safeguarding intent Referral procedures Information sharing Whistle blowing Professional code of conduct

The Role of Designated Person Child Protection Two minute discussion on your interpretation of the role and responsibilities of the Designated Person. Feedback

Definitions (Working Together 2015) Reminder Categories of Child Abuse and Neglect (Ofsted will ask) Physical Abuse Sexual Abuse Emotional Abuse Neglect Including CSE, forced marriage, honour based violence, FGM & Counter Terrorism Act.

Examples of abuse (Working Together 2015) Child rarely receives praise Parents regularly drink spirits and let their child sip out of the glass Parents who punish their child excessively if they do not get the highest marks for every piece of work Parents ignored child’s compliant of earache and chronic ear discharge Parents usually punish their child by spanking sometimes leaving red marks on the skin Children deprived of contact with estranged parent due to adults disagreement

Child rarely receives praise N/E Parents regularly drink spirits and let their child sip out of the glass P Parents who punish their child excessively if they do not get the highest marks for every piece of work E Parents ignored child’s compliant of earache and chronic ear discharge P/N Parents usually punish their child by spanking sometimes leaving red marks on the skin P Children deprived of contact with estranged parent due to adults disagreement E

Scenarios – please discuss 1.You overhear two year 8 girls arguing about a boy who is an ex pupil. It would appear both think they are in a relationship with him. The boy is planning to collect girl A from school in his friend’s car. Girl B is asking her not to go. You know that attendance for Girl A has suddenly become erratic however her mother has been out of the country visiting family and father is working and caring for three daughters. 2.During a conversation a colleague tells you his 12 year old daughter has been spending a lot of time on her computer. He tells you that she had taken her 6 year old nephew to her bedroom to play games with her on the computer. When the nephew visited the following week, he cried and didn't want to go the bedroom with her. 3.You have had concerns about a year 11 boy who has started to spend a lot of time on his own rather than with friends in school. When you asked him about an injury to his hand he said that it had happened in rugby practice; your colleague confirmed that the boy plays with no regard for his own safety. One of his friends then complains to you that the boy has punched and damaged several lockers.

When To Act A child’s disclosure Signs of any of the behavioural or physical indicators of abuse Third party witness report Admission from someone seeking help because they have harmed a child

Responding to a Child’s Disclosure What would you not do? Do not ask leading questions Do not investigate or try to get ‘the truth’ of the child’s story Do not make any promises that you cannot keep – including keeping confidentiality Do not criticise the abuser Do not chat about it in the staff room or talk to anyone else other than the Designated Person

Responding to a Child’s Disclosure What should you do? Stay calm Reassure the child that telling you was the right thing to do Allow the child to speak at their own pace Listen carefully Explain you cannot keep a secret Make accurate factual notes with the time, date and signed Inform your Designated Person for the school as soon as possible Follow procedures of your CP policy or the LSCB Cue Card

Information Sharing If you have concerns, seek advice as soon as possible from the DP who can ask advice from Social Care Referral and Assessment The concerns should be discussed with the parent(s) if the DP thinks the child will not come to further harm or be placed in immediate significant danger All conversations/concerns/incidents should be recorded and shared on a ‘need to know’ basis Follow up if you are unsure Seek support for yourself at supervision or from DP

Policies and Procedures Is your Safeguarding policy up to date? Does it reflect  Working Together to Safeguard Children 2015  Keeping Children Safe in Education 2015 Does it include E-safety & Whistle blowing? Who reviews the policy? Who contributes? Do you have a Code of Conduct? Do you think anything should change following this training?

Remember  Think the unthinkable  A child is a child until 18  It is better to act than to do nothing  Children have the right to be safe  Children want the abuse to stop