1. Safeguarding Children11
Standard

2. 11 Learning outcomes Standard
11.1 To be able to recognise potential indicators of child maltreatment – physical, emotional, sexual abuse and neglect including radicalisation, child trafficking and female genital mutilation (FGM)
11.2 To be able to understand the impact a parent/carer’s physical and mental health can have on the wellbeing of a child or young person, including the impact of domestic violence
11.3 To be able to understand the importance of children’s rights in the safeguarding/child protection context
11.4 To know what action to take if you have concerns, including to whom you should report your concerns and from whom to seek advice
11.5 To be able to demonstrate an understanding of the risks associated with the internet and online social networking
11.6 To be able to understand the basic legislation (Children Acts , 2004 and the Sexual Offences Act 2003). 11
Standard

3. Child protection and safeguarding
Child protection and safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility
If you come into contact with children in your day-to-day work you have a duty to promote their welfare and protect them from harm and abuse.
Child protection and safeguarding
Safeguarding is preventative and involves promoting the welfare of children by protecting them from harm and recognising the risks to their safety and security.
Child protection is the activity of protecting children who are suffering or may be likely to suffer from significant harm as a result of abuse or neglect.
Additional Information
The term ‘child/children’ includes any child or young person up to the age of 18.

4. What is child abuse? Physical abuse Emotional abuse Sexual abuse
This is any abuse where a child is physically harmed or injured such as punching, hitting, slapping, biting, burning, hair pulling
Emotional abuse
This means a child’s emotional needs are not being met. They may be made to feel inadequate or feel unloved and insecure
Sexual abuse
This could involve sexual acts, being made to watch sexual acts, being shown pornography or being sexually exploited
Neglect
The failure to meet the basic needs of the child e.g. providing insufficient food and clothing, poor parenting
Additional Information
Child abuse is any wrongdoing that causes, or is able to cause, significant emotional or physical harm to a child.
Child sexual exploitation (CSE) means that children are manipulated sexually for the abuser’s benefit.
Activity
Ask the health and social care worker/s to think of some examples of the signs that could suggest that abuse is happening.
Answers should include:
Physical abuse: Unexplained or untreated injuries. Injuries of different ages and in different places. Examples include: broken bones, bruises, unexplained loss of clumps of hair, bite, burn or scald marks. The child might make up stories to explain injuries or try to cover them up with clothing.
Emotional abuse: Anxiety, lack of confidence, low self-esteem, disturbed sleep, delays in development, speech disorders or a fear of making mistakes or overreacting to them.
Sexual abuse: Awareness and knowledge of sexual activities beyond what would be expected at their age, genital or anal pain or itching, bruising to inner thighs.
Neglect: Being hungry, poor personal hygiene, delays in development, tiredness, looking ill, being underweight.
Radicalisation: Behaviour changes, changes in the way they speak with others or having a new circle of friends, use of extremist terminology, reading material or messages.
Child trafficking: Domineering adult accompanying the child all the time and speaking for them. The child could appear withdrawn, compliant and unkempt, or show little or no use of the English language.
Female genital mutilation (FGM): Severe pain and bleeding and chronic infections. Psychological, mental health and sexual problems or damage to the reproductive system and infertility.
Radicalisation
Children and young people are taught and encouraged to adopt extreme views based on political, social or religious beliefs.

5. Female genital mutilation
What is child abuse?
Child trafficking
This means recruiting, moving or receiving a child through force, trickery or intimidation to take advantage of them
Female genital mutilation
The removal, constriction or disfigurement of a girl’s labia or clitoris for non-medical reasons

6. Parental/carer mental and physical health
Poor parental or carer physical or mental health could be a risk to the wellbeing of the child. Examples of possible harm are:
Mental health issues may make it difficult for them to build attachments
Children may become carers and be forced to make decisions they are not ready for
A child with a parent/carer who is blind or deaf may be at greater risk of physical harm if they are unable to assess dangerous situations.

7. The impact of domestic violence/abuse
Seeing or hearing domestic violence is a risk to the child’s physical, emotional and social development
Seeing or hearing domestic violence can have a similar effect on children as being emotionally abused
The child may feel helpless and may not feel safe
Research suggests that:
It is likely that aggression could turn towards children present
The stress of experiencing violence at home can impair the brain development of babies.
Additional Information
Additional Information
Domestic violence is a risk to the child’s physical, emotional and social development.
Seeing or hearing acts of domestic violence can have a similar effect on children as being emotionally abused.
The child may feel helpless and may not feel safe.
Research suggests that:
There is a high likelihood that aggression could turn towards children present.
The stress of experiencing violence at home can impair the brain development of babies.
Domestic violence and abuse
The cross-government definition of domestic violence includes violence and abuse experienced by 16 and 17 year olds.
Definition
Any incident or pattern of incidents of controlling, coercive, threatening behaviour, violence or abuse between those aged 16 or over who are, or have been, intimate partners or family members regardless of gender or sexuality.
The abuse can encompass, but is not limited to:
Psychological
Physical
Sexual
Financial
Emotional
Domestic violence/abuse can be experienced by men and boys as well as women and girls.

8. Children’s rights
You have a duty to promote the rights of all individuals.
Children have rights under:
The Human Rights Act 1998
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC).
The right to life
The right to education
The right to live a healthy life
Freedom from torture or degrading treatment
Protection from discrimination
The right to liberty and security
Activity
Ask the health and social care worker/s for some examples of children’s rights that relate to safeguarding children and child protection.
Correct answers should include:
The Human Rights Act 1998
The right to life
Freedom from torture or degrading treatment
The right to education
The right to liberty and security
Protection from discrimination.
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child
The right to live a healthy life
The right to not be separated from their parents unless they are at risk of harm
The right of protection from drugs, sexual abuse or any harm to their development.
The right of protection from drugs, sexual abuse or any harm to their development
The right to not be separated from their parents unless they are at risk of harm

9. Actions when abuse is suspected or alleged
If you are worried about a child:
Report your concerns to your manager immediately
Make a record of your concerns that is factual and sign and date it
If you feel that this process is taking too long, dial 999 and call the police; they can quickly remove a child to somewhere safe
Follow your organisation’s safeguarding policies and procedures. These will set out clearly how workers are to act when abuse is suspected or alleged.
Activity
Ask the health and social care worker/s what they should do
Answers should include
Report your concerns to your manager immediately
Make a record of your concerns that is factual and sign and date it
If you feel that this process is taking too long, dial 999 and call the police; they can quickly remove a child to somewhere safe
Follow your organisation’s safeguarding policies and procedures. These will set out clearly how workers are to act when abuse is suspected or alleged.
Workers must understand that they have a duty to report their concerns about the abuse or welfare of a child to their manager, even if they are not in a role where they work directly with children.
Policies and procedures will give information on signs and symptoms of abuse, how to respond to the victim, lines of reporting and important telephone numbers so that any worker can feel confident when dealing with an incident
Do not hesitate if you have any concerns about a child being abused
It is not your role to judge situations, that is the responsibility of the police and social workers, but if you don’t alert them, they cannot act.

10. Whistleblowing
Your manager will follow agreed ways of working for reporting and investigating your concerns; this may mean contacting relevant agencies
If your concerns are not acted upon you must report them to a senior manager
Further advice and support can come from the NSPCC or children’s services at your local council.

11. Internet and online social networking
The internet gives access to endless information making it a valuable tool. It is also a potential risk to safety. It is important to monitor what a child sees, shares and is exposed to. Risks to child safety and wellbeing include:
Risk of exposure to sexual predators (e.g. in chatrooms)
Risk of exposure to pornography (e.g. in chatrooms)
Risk of exposure to radicalisation. (e.g. in chatrooms)
E-bullying on networks such as Twitter and Facebook.
Activity
Ask the health and social care worker/s to think about how online activity can be a threat to the safety and wellbeing of children.
Answers could include:
Risk of exposure to sexual predators (e.g. in chatrooms)
Risk of exposure to pornography (e.g. in chatrooms)
Risk of exposure to radicalisation. (e.g. in chatrooms)
E-bullying on networks such as Twitter and Facebook.

12. Legislation relating to safeguarding and protecting children
Key pieces of legislation include:
The Children Act 1989
The Children Act 2004
The Sexual Offences Act 2003
The Care Act 2014
The Children and Families Act 2014.
Additional Information
The Children Act 1989: Legislation written to protect the welfare of children who are at risk and also children who may be in need of services. This tells you exactly what you need to do if you suspect a child or young person is at risk of harm or in need of support.
The Children Act 2004: This Act covers services that children and young people may access. It places a duty on Local Authorities and their partners to cooperate and make sure that services work together and (where possible) have a joint plan developed in partnership with the parents, children and young people. This is known as the Common Assessment Framework (CAF). The Act also encouraged the establishment of local Safeguarding Children Boards and joint databases.
The Sexual Offences Act 2003: This Act has two parts, the first one stating what is considered a sexual offence, including physical and non-physical contact. The Act also defines sexual offences against children under 13 and under 16. The age of consent is set at 16, unless you hold a position of trust in relation to the young person, for example as their worker, teacher, trainer etc. In that case the age of consent is 18. The second part of the act deals with the sex offenders register and civil protective orders.
The Care Act 2014 brings care and support legislation together into a single Act with new wellbeing principles at its heart. Although the Care Act is meant for adults in need of support and their carers it also makes some provisions for children and young carers. Children who care for their parents in their own home are being made part of their parent’s needs assessment in order to establish the support and help they need.
The Children and Families Act 2014 aims to provide young carers with the same help and support as adult carers. All carers under the age of 18 have the right to have their support needs assessed and local authorities will help them caring for a family member as best as they can.

13. Knowledge check
Being underweight, hungry and lacking personal hygiene could be signs of which of the following?
Click to reveal answer
Sexual abuse
Radicalisation
Neglect
Trainer should ask class why they chose the correct answer.
Feedback
A – Signs of sexual abuse include pain when walking or sitting, bruises on the inside thighs, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and having an awareness or knowledge of sexual activities beyond that which you would expect for their age. Being underweight, hungry and lacking personal hygiene are more likely to be signs of neglect.
B – Signs of radicalisation include changes in behaviour, changes in the way they speak with others and having a new circle of friends. They may also use extremist terminology and access extremist reading material.
C – Neglect is the failure to meet the child’s basic needs. Being underweight, hungry and lacking personal hygiene can all be signs that a child is being neglected.
D – Signs of physical abuse include bruising, burns and broken bones. Being underweight, hungry and lacking personal hygiene are more likely to be signs of neglect.
Physical abuse

14. Knowledge check Who has a duty to protect and safeguard children?
Click to reveal answer
Everyone
Childminders
Social workers
Trainer should ask class why they chose the correct answer.
Feedback
A – Everyone who comes into contact with children in their day-to-day work has a duty to safeguard children
B – Safeguarding children is everyone’s responsibility. Anyone who suspects abuse must raise their concerns with their manager
C – Social workers may be responsible for investigating allegations of abuse but it is everyone’s responsibility to safeguard children and their concerns about the safety and wellbeing of children
D – LSCBs set out the procedures for safeguarding children locally. It is everyone’s responsibility to safeguard children.
Local Safeguarding Children Boards

15. Knowledge check
Which of the following is a human right of all people in the UK, including children?
Click to reveal answer
To intimidate and take advantage of others
The right to do as you please
The right to apply for emancipation from parents or carers
Trainer should ask class why they chose the correct answer.
Feedback
A – All people in the UK have the right to live their lives free from torture or degrading treatment. It is no-one’s right to intimidate or take advantage of others.
B – All people in the UK have the right to live their lives free from torture or degrading treatment. Children do not have the right to do as they please
C – All people in the UK have the right to live their lives free from torture or degrading treatment. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child makes it the right of every child not be separated from their parents unless they are at risk of harm
D – The Human Rights Act 1998 makes it the right of everyone in the UK to live their lives free from torture and degrading treatment.
Freedom from torture or degrading treatment