Child Protection – for Schools

Child Protection – for Schools
An Introduction to Child Protection – for Schools Delivered on behalf of Bath and North East Somerset Local Safeguarding Children Board Introduce yourself and, in case some don’t know, mention your role in school where safeguarding and child protection is concerned (if you are the DTCP say that you will take about this in more detail during the presentation) This is a basic awareness session for ALL staff in school on safeguarding and child protection (explain that everyone in every school must receive induction and an update every 3 years on child protection) The session will last … … Make clear that whoever you are and whatever you do in school, you have a responsibility to be clear about arrangements for child protection Before outlining at aims and objectives (next slide) acknowledge that child abuse is an emotive subject and that people bring a range of experiences, knowledge, values and beliefs to training around it. The session will enable participants to explore what they know, what they believe and how they feel about child protection, and understand how this might impact upon their practice If anyone struggles with anything at all that emerges for them during or after the session then they can access support via … OK – let’s look at the aims and objectives for the session (NEXT SLIDE)

Aims & Objectives At the end of this session participants will :
Be clear about key roles and responsibilities in and for schools Understand the safeguarding agenda for schools and where child protection fits into it Be aware of different types of abuse and possible signs and symptoms Be clear about what to do if they are concerned about a child Be clear about how to respond to a child who tells them about possible abuse Go through each of the bullet points explaining that these are minimum requirements Explain that the school has a child protection policy which everyone should already be aware of and have read If anyone hasn’t then they can get a copy from … Will there be any breaks? Are you going to use any case studies or exercises? What scope will there be for discussion? Any questions before we start? OK … … NEXT SLIDE is about how important schools are when it comes to keeping children safe and promoting their welfare

What has child abuse got
to do with me? Schools are absolutely crucial contributors to processes that are designed to protect children and promote their welfare; why are we so important (this could be a brief group discussion or with the person sat next to you) MAKE CLEAR Professionals in schools have more contact with children and young people than virtually any other professional They are therefore very well placed to pick up on what are often subtle changes in behaviour or presentation You establish relationships with and have clear lines of communication with parents Research tells us that schools play a hugely important role in terms of promoting resilience, offering stability, warmth, praise, consistency and boundaries, helping children to develop social and problem-solving skills = key things that we know assist children in coping with trauma and adversity Make clear that you do not have an investigative role in child protection; it is not for you to prove or disprove that a child has been or may be being abused (Police and Social Care do that); but you have a role to play at every level: prevention (e.g. PSHE, protection (e.g. reporting concerns, sharing information), support (children who have been abused will still come to school) DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE HOW IMPORTANT YOU ARE but be clear that YOU ARE NOT ON YOUR OWN AND NO SINGLE AGENCY CAN ‘DO’ CHILD PROTECTION, it is imperative that we all work together (there will be more on this later in the presentation) NEXT SLIDE (s) … going to look now at what happens if things don’t work well and how the law has changed because of things that have gone wrong in the past (*NOT going to show anyone any images of abuse or anything like that sop don’t worry!) What can we learn from what has happened in the past?

Safeguarding in Education
ICT / E-safety Safe Recruitment & Selection Child protection Duty to Safeguard & Promote Welfare Whistle-blowing SEN and CiC Behaviour Management Managing Allegations Extended Services WHAT DOES ‘SAFEGUARDING’ LOOK LIKE? Child protection is an integral part of ‘safeguarding and promoting welfare’. However, the new safeguarding and ECM agendas require us all to think more pro-actively, about what do we do to prevent and promote as well as to protect (which is often reactive)? The slide shows some of the key areas which are integral parts of safeguarding and promoting welfare in and for schools and education settings It is imperative that we make links, in terms of policy, procedure and practice, between these key areas and that we are clear about how effective our practice and systems are The agenda is broad and we are all under pressure to ensure that children achieve academically because those remain the key benchmarks against which schools are deemed to be good or no. Resources are finite and we only have so much time to and so many staff to go around; that is a reality. However, how much is a child who is being abused or neglected likely to learn and/or achieve academically? If we don’t get that bit right, not only do we do children an enormous disservice and fail them, we will actually find ourselves using precious resources inefficiently too because those children who are not safe, who are socially isolated or excluded or who are being abused will take up vast amounts of our time and resources and will present major challenges day to day. For some children that is the tragic reality because things have already occurred which were beyond our control – we will work with those children to support them and to promote resilience, to enable them to move on (school continues to provide the most readily identifiable ‘escape route’ for those children. However, we need to make best use of the preventative skills, services and resources at our disposal in order to try and minimise the amount of time and effort we spend playing ‘catch up’ It can be useful to highlight the four main elements that schools should be aware of in relation to the development of a safer children's workforce - Safer Recruitment & Selection processes – Ensuring that as far as possible only adults with appropriate attitudes and motivation towards children are employed (paid or voluntary) - Safer Working Practices – Through an awareness of illegal, unsafe and inappropriate behaviours in situations that are likely to arise in schools - Managing Allegations – Having a clear process in place so that should an allegation be made it can be dealt with appropriately and with proper regard for all parties involved. - Whistle blowing – Having a clear process through which staff can voice concerns about the behaviour of colleagues without fear of repercussion. School Security & Physical Environment PSHE & Curriculum Anti-Bullying Attendance admissions exclusions Staff Conduct (inc. volunteers)

Group Discussion / Exercise
How do we decide what is ‘normal’ / ‘abusive’? What are our thresholds and what shapes them? What is and is not negotiable and why? There are some very basic but important introductory points to make at this very early stage: ‘Normal’ isn’t a helpful starting point! Who decides what is ‘normal’? Doesn’t that change over time as society changes, because of the influence of the media etc. What about cultural issues? By the same token, however, culture, ethnicity, race etc must NEVER be used as an ‘excuse’ for abuse or for not following procedures where we are worried about a child’s welfare. ALL children are entitled to the same level of protection from abuse, maltreatment and neglect! ‘Abuse’ is also a contentious concept in some quarters and for various reasons. The law defines abuse and, in some cases, it will be obvious that this is what we are faced with. Similarly, child protection guidance and procedures tell us what physical, emotional, sexual abuse and neglect look like. However, there are many scenarios within which people disagree e.g. what constitutes emotional abuse? When might being poor blur the boundaries with neglect? Can we all agree on whether or not parents should smack children? What we think depends upon the influences that we have had over the course of our lives: what we were taught, how we were parented etc. As such, those views can and do shift and change over time. What is most important is that we are prepared to examine what we think we know and why; how might that affect my judgement if I was faced with that scenario, where would I seek advice and support? We need to consider the information presented to us on balance and in context; which is why the discussion will generate lots of “well, it depends” comments. Remember, you are not required to investigate suspected abuse or maltreatment or to prove or disprove it. If you are a member of staff with a worry about a child then go and speak to the DTCP. Unusual is a much better place to start than ‘normal’ or ‘abusive’. First, it is less ‘loaded’ and also makes us think very carefully about children and young people as individuals; what is ok for one child may not be for another, children will react to adversity in different ways and express their feelings of anxiety, fear, confusion, insecurity, anger in very different ways. The questions to ask then are: What do I know about this child Why do I feel like I do about what I have seen, heard or been told? (Professionals often talk about ‘gut feelings’ – they are valid!!!! If you, as someone with experience and knowledge and a relationship with a particular child or young person feel uncomfortable then go and have a conversation with the DTCP. The chances are that it will transpire that this is nothing to do with abuse or neglect but the right thing to do is never nothing)

Lauren Wright Died in 2000 age 6
Lost four stone and weighed just over two stone at time of death Often appeared with bruises which were explained away Killed by step-mother who was a member of school staff DTCP had left and governor offered to take on this responsibility No referral made to Social Services Lauren Wright attended a very small (3- teacher) primary school. What, if anything, leaps out at people when they read the slide? Weight loss – what would you do if a child’s physical presentation changed to that extent in our school? Do children ever sustain bruises and injuries? Is that not just part of real life and growing up? We will look later at explanations and how we differentiate between injuries that might cause us particular concern How easy would it be to challenge or report a concern about a colleague? What would make that difficult / easier? (Do you have a whistle-blowing policy? Where can people access it?) The DTCP is the Designated Teacher for Child Protection – we will come onto their role and responsibilities in a little while – this is the person in every school who is responsible for co-ordinating action on child protection; there wasn’t one at Lauren Wright’s school Would it be appropriate for a Governor to take on that role? NO because: - They are not around day to day and that is one key part of the DTCPs role – to offer steer, advice and support to staff Governors have the ultimate responsibility to taking an overview of arrangements in school but they do not ‘need to know’ about individual children in most circumstances At Lauren’s school there was no DTCP, no CP policy and no one had received any CP training – it is maybe not surprising then that the school failed to protect her NEXT SLIDE – have a look at what her class teacher and the Head teacher had to say …

“…lots of times 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 on her back.” (Lauren’s class teacher) “… her physical deterioration had been apparent for at least five months before she died.” (Head teacher) Lauren was murdered by her step-mother who was well liked and respected by her colleagues; she had no history of child abuse What do you see here? - regular presentation with worrying injuries Concerns over a sustained period of time What would we do differently? We have a policy We have a DTCP (who is … and their back-up person is …) We are clear about the need to report any concerns (which may just be ‘gut feelings’ that something isn’t quite right) immediately to the DTCP We will build pictures around children by keeping good, clear, contemporaneous records and these will be maintained centrally by the DTCP who will take an overview and make key staff aware of arrangements for monitoring and supporting children and families NEXT SLIDE – Lauren Wright’s murder resulted in a change in the law where child protection arrangements in schools are concerned. Sadly, it took that to happen before things changed and it is the case that such tragedies are often the ‘drivers’ for changes in the law, policies and procedures. Look now at another such tragedy; the death of Victoria Climbié was the driver for the Every Child Matters Agenda which is now beginning to take practical shape in schools and services across the country …

Victoria Climbié Died February 2000
“… the food would be cold and given to her on a piece of plastic while she was tied up in the bath. She would eat it like a dog … … Except, of course, that s dog is not usually tied up in a plastic bag full of excrement. To say that Kouao and Manning treated Victoria like a dog would be wholly unfair; she was treated far worse than a dog.” Authorities had 12 separate opportunities to intervene Victoria came to England because her great aunt (Kouao) persuaded her mother that she would receive a good education here She never actually made it to school but she did come to the attention of a wide range of agencies and professionals who, ultimately, failed to protect her We have had approximately 70 public enquiries into child deaths since the mid 40s in England and Wales (some of you will remember names such as Maria Colwell, Jasmine Beckford, Kimberley Carlile etc). They keep telling us very similar things and it begs the question, why does ‘it’ keep going ‘wrong’? In Victoria’s case we had people making assumptions, people being unclear about their role and who was doing what, people making assumptions about culture (on this point – all children, regardless of age, ethnicity, culture, religion, disability etc are entitled to absolutely the same level of protection. Fear of being accused of insensitivity or, worse, racism, should never prevent us from taking the necessary action to protect children and young people) NEXT SLIDE - what research tells us about potential barriers to good, safe practice

Barriers to taking appropriate action
DISCUSSION in groups, pairs, large group: What do you think might get in the way of people taking appropriate action to safeguard children? - Think about what you have heard already i.e. Lauren Wright, Victoria Climbié) Think about how things work in our school / setting, can you identify any potential gaps? Focus here on feelings, knowledge, training, policies and procedures (you might want to assign a particular ‘area’ to different groups if you have time and then ask them to feedback to the larger group in due course) NEXT SLIDE – let’s look at how all of this fits together, how might this impact then?

Taking action Protection of Child C I could make things worse
What if I’m wrong I could make things worse Fear Not my job I don’t know what to do CHILD Ask the group to imagine that they are the DTCP in school and a member of staff comes to them with a concern about a child. Do any of the headings on the diagram above ring true for them? Start at ‘what if I’m wrong’ and work round the diagram: What if I’m wrong / I could make things worse - The worst thing that can happen isn’t that a hard won relationship with parents is ‘damaged’, parents take their child out of school etc because you take what you believe is the appropriate action. The worst thing that can happen is that a child dies or is abused because you did not do what you should have done. Additionally, this is not one person or one agency’s responsibility. Not my job – it ISNT your job to prove, disprove or investigate but it is absolutely every professional’s (indeed adult’s) ‘job’ to share information and concerns immediately and with the appropriate person Disbelief – contrary to what some people think, abuse happens to all kinds of children from all kinds of backgrounds. It is rarely obvious, it is sometimes hidden by means of a ‘grooming’ process and it is sometimes perpetrated by ‘respectable’ parents and professionals. However unlikely it may seem and however unpalatable the prospect you MUST be prepared to consider it and act wherever you have suspicions or concerns I don’t know much about child abuse – We will look at this in a little while. However, remember your role! It is NOT to investigate, diagnose, prove or disprove. Simply pass on your concerns to the appropriate person immediately if you are worried. I didn’t know what to do – there is absolutely no excuse and this is no defence. Dealing with these issues is demanding, emotionally, and sometimes frightening. It is imperative, therefore, that we use the support and expertise available to us in order to ensure that the factors we have just discussed do not impact to an extent which means we lose sight of what is most important here: NOT YOU OR ME or the REPUTATION OF THE SCHOOL / SETTING; it is the CHILD’S WELFARE. DOING NOTHING IS NOT AN OPTION NEXT SLIDE – what does the research tell us about why things sometimes go wrong? Disbelief What do I know about child abuse? Protection of Child

Potential Pitfalls Losing sight of the child e.g. Unwillingness to challenge where we have concerns Mindsets e.g. It doesn’t happen here Failure to share information Unclear about roles / responsibilities Failure to seek appropriate advice / support Failure to record Assumptions e.g. someone else will act, about the family, explanations etc Not acting promptly where we have concerns e.g. same day I referred earlier to the 70 Public Inquiries we have had since the mid 1940s. They keep telling us very similar things, many of which are very basic. The slide offers a broad and quite simple summary and the message it relays is DO THE BASICS WELL i.e. BE CLEAR THAT IT IS THE CHILD’S WELFARE THAT MUST ALWAYS BE THE PARAMOUNT CONSIDERATION BE AWARE THAT YOU WILL PROBABLY NOT HAVE ALL OF THE INFORMATION AVAILABLE BE CLEAR ABOUT WHO DOES WHAT AND WHEN DON’T ASSUME ANYTHING – CHECK KNOW HOW AND WHERE YOU ACCESS YOUR SUPPORT IF YOU’RE NOT SURE ASK DON’T DELAY, ACT IMMEDIATELY WHERE YOU HAVE CONCERNS BE CLEAR ABOUT HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT ABUSE AND INDIVIDUAL CHILDREN AND FAMILIES AND HOW THIS MIGHT IMPACT ON YOUR PRACTICE BE PREPARED TO CONSIDER THE POSSIBILITY OF ABUSE, HOWEVER REMOTE, AND ACT IF YOU ARE IN ANY WAY UNSURE ENSURE THAT YOUR RECORDS AND CONVERSATIONS ARE CLEAR AND BASED ON THE FACTS AS YOU UNDERSTAND THEM Any questions? NEXT SLIDE - return to Lauren Wright in the sense that we will now look at roles and responsibilities in and for schools

Legislation, Roles & Responsibilities
NEXT SLIDE – Let’s have a look at what we are required to have in place and be clear about who does what in our school / setting …

Main Legislation & Guidance
Working Together to Safeguard Children March 2010 DfES ‘Safeguarding Children and Safer Recruitment in Education’ (January 2007) Guidance for Safer Working Practices 2007 B&NES Safeguarding Children Procedures School’s CP Policy / Procedures Framework for Schools Inspections Children Act 1989 Education Act 2002 Children Act 2004 Bichard 2005 ISA? Legislation Children Act 1989 – still provides the main legal and procedural framework around which child protection procedures are oriented. Defines ‘significant harm’, includes sections 17 (children in need) and 47 (duty of local authorities to conduct enquiries), s20 (accommodation) and Children Looked After Education Act 2002 – sections 175 and 157 (independents) imposed statutory duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of pupils Children Act 2004 – very strategic legislation which imposed statutory duty to safeguard and promote welfare upon all organisations working with children and young people. This is the legislation which really drives the Every Child Matters agenda in law – for example, duty to establish Local Safeguarding Children Boards (to replace Area Child Protection Committees - LSCBS have a broader ‘safeguarding’ remit and also have statutory powers; Children’s Trust Arrangements, CAF, ISA etc Bichard 2005 – Report into the deaths of Jessica Chapman and Holly Wells by the caretaker Ian Huntley (Soham Murders). Recommendations cover Safer Recruitment, Vetting and Barring, Independent Safeguarding Authority. Also dealt with how professionals should respond in cases where they become aware that C&YP are engaged in sexual relationships (not necessarily only abusive). Guidance Working Together to Safeguard Children 2010 – national guidance which tells all agencies what their role and responsibilities are. The guidance around which LSCB Procedures are developed. Supersedes Provides clarity regarding the need to keep the child in focus and understand what a ‘day in their life is like’ and the implications for their health and development. Follows on from Lord Laming’s report March 2009-The Protection of Children inn England: A progress report. DFES - Guidance LSCB Procedures School’s CP Policy / Procedures – every school must have a policy which all staff (inc. Volunteers) have had sight of and understand. The document needs to be reviewed annually by the DTCP and signed-off by Governors. Given the broader safeguarding agenda, the document should cross-refer to other relevant policies and procedures in school. - Shared CP procedures for LAs in South West – a very good source of further advice and guidance on a wide range of CP issues. Framework for Schools Inspections-Evaluation of the schools effectiveness re safeguarding

Legal Responsibilities under Section 175 (S157 – Independent Schools)
‘Safeguarding & Promoting Welfare’- covers more than the contribution made to child protection in relation to individual children e.g. bullying, medical needs, school security etc LAs, Governing Bodies and establishments must have in place relevant policies and procedures Must have DTCP for child protection (and back-up person recommended) DTCP to update their cp training every two years All staff to receive training every three years and on induction Safe recruitment procedures Not about increased individual liability. Legislation refers to making and having in place ‘arrangements … … ‘ The Education Act 2002 brought with it a statutory responsibility for all schools and education settings to safeguard and promote the welfare of pupils This applies to independent schools and colleges of FEE too ‘Safeguarding’ is a key concept which we all need to get our heads around Child protection i.e. how we respond to concerns that children are being abused or neglected is obviously a crucial component However, we are also required to think about what we do to PROMOTE welfare which, by definition, is about preventative work and being proactive It therefore requires us (and Ofsted et al) to look at the WHOLE ENVIRONMENT we provide for pupils, how does it keep them safe and promote their wellbeing? (The next slide will make more sense of this and help us to understand what ‘safeguarding’ actually means for schools in practice) Make clear that there are legal requirements in terms of a CP policy (again, tell people where they can get a copy if they haven’t seen it) Make clear who the DTCP and back-up persons are Overall, the landscape has shifted then and things are tightening (e.g. training, recruitment) because they needed to i.e. the ‘driver’ for the focus on safer recruitment was Soham – another tragedy which brought about change Final bullet – REITERATE THAT THIS IS NOT ABOUT INDIVIDUALS BEING MORE LIABLE and/or HELD RESPONSIBLE!. We are all accountable as professionals and all have responsibilities but, IN VERY SIMPLE TERMS, YOUR RESPONSIBILITY IN RESPECT OF CHILD PROTECTION IS TO REPORT ANY CONCERNS YOU HAVE TO THE APPROPRIATE PERSON, CLEARLY AND IMMEDIATELY, AND TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE CLEAR ABOUT ANY ONGOING ROLE YOU HAVE The Governing Body act as a ‘critical friend’ in order to check and ensure that we are doing what we must NEXT SLIDE – what does SAFEGUARDING look like in school

DTCP Role and Responsibilities
Responsible for maintaining child welfare and child protection records centrally, securely and, where appropriate (i.e. CP records), confidentially Responsible for sharing records appropriately when children leave or move schools Responsible for co-ordinating action in child protection situations e.g. monitoring and support plans in school, referring to other agencies, attending Child Protection Conferences and other meetings Ensures that a CP policy is in place and that staff are aware Reviews policy annually and ensures sign-off by Governing Body Attends refresher training every 2 yrs (inc. multi-agency training) Ensures all staff receive induction and an update every 3 yrs Offers support and advice to staff , day to day, who may have concerns about children in school. If you take nothing else away from this session you do need to be very clear about who the DTCP is and who you go to in their absence Make clear where they ‘live’ in school and how they can be contacted Make clear what the process is in school for reporting and recording concerns i.e. is there a form that staff fill in? What happens if someone isn’t particularly adept at writing things down (e.g. non-teaching staff0? Be mindful of what can get lost in translation if we aren’t very clear about what we write down (a good rule of thumb is to imagine that the child’s parent is reading what you write as you write it – tends to focus the mind). Make clear that individual ‘notebooks’ are not consistent with good practice and, if matters end-up in court, these can be submitted in evidence. Similarly, there are confidentiality issues, potentially, in terms of them containing information about numerous children and also in terms of how and where they are kept. What can / should staff do if they feel that the DTCP hasn’t heard them properly or doesn’t seem to have taken them seriously? NEXT SLIDE – ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS POINT? MOVE ON NOW TO LOOK AT SOME OF THE DECISIONS THAT DTCPs have to make and the criteria used by them and other agencies – the issue often referred to as ‘thresholds’

Different Levels of need
and 'Significant Harm' Introduce the slides by saying that this isn’t necessarily something that staff need to concern themselves with as it is DTCPs who make decisions about what happens next. However, it may be helpful for them to understand how people have to decide what ‘counts’, when and why and about why people often disagree … First, how do we decide what is and isn’t ‘child protection’? Ask the group how many of them have ever been into a really dirty house? Ask them what is ‘normal’ and how we decide what is and isn’t normal? Can we all agree? Some behaviours are clearly abusive and harmful and some constitute criminal offences (we will look at definitions of abuse in a little while). However, these things trend to be extreme and much of what we are asked to assess and work with in respect of child welfare / protection isn’t or we are presented with only pieces of information or very subtle changes which make us feel uncomfortable for reasons which we can’t always work out What we think is ‘normal’ will depend on our own lived experiences and what society thinks is ‘normal’ shifts and changes over time e.g. in Dickensian times animals were valued more highly than were children How do we find some middle ground then? Surely, there must be criteria and benchmarks that everyone agrees about? How do Children’s Social Care decide? How do courts make decisions? How can we be clear about what fits where in schools? NEXT SLIDE – introduce the key concept of ‘significant harm’

Duty to Make Enquiries (s.47)
The Local Authority (Social Services) has a duty to make enquiries wherever there is reasonable cause to suspect that a child is suffering or is likely to suffer significant harm. The concept of ‘significant harm’ was introduced by the Children Act 1989 which continues to provide the benchmark and criteria around which agencies have a statutory responsibility for conducting child protection enquiries and a mandate to intervene into family life You will note that likelihood of significant harm is part of the criteria; this means that the law enables agencies to be proactive However, the concept is a legal one and it requires, fundamentally, that professionals make judgements. NEXT SLIDE – what does significant harm look like in practice? How do we decide what ‘counts’ and what doesn’t? What must we focus on when making our assessments and judgements about child welfare and protection and how must we evidence our concerns?

Significant Harm (s.31(10))
The threshold which justifies statutory intervention into family life Significance is measured against a child’s health and development and what might reasonably be expected of a similar child Physical, social, intellectual, emotional and behavioural development Harm means ill-treatment or the impairment of health or development Physical and mental health Therefore, we are highly likely to disagree about what is ‘normal’, we may disagree about what is abusive and we may have very different views about what is and isn’t ‘significant’ That is the reality and, in fact, discussion and debate is integral to good practice in child protection The criteria (on the slide) demand that we make a judgement and evidence it at all stages i.e. when we look at or work with a child, when we make referrals to other agencies, when we make applications to court. It is IMPERATIVE that we are all clear about certain things: We will often have only a piece of the ‘jigsaw’ This is not about making ‘moral’ judgements but about being very clear about the need to focus upon the child DISCUSSION : Ask the group to imagine that they are the DTCP in school. A member of staff or parent comes to you and says they are worried about another parent using heroin; what would you ask them and what would you consider in making a professional judgement about what happens next? What evidence is there to support this observation How / does the behaviour impact upon the child and is this significant How do you know? What do you see / hear i.e. the child’s behaviour, presentation, health and/or development How do you reflect this in school i.e. your observations, records, the information you share with the DTCP and how then does the DTCP quantify and qualify this, reflect this in conversations with parents, referrals to other agencies etc NEXT SLIDE – WHAT PROCESSES EXIST which will ASSIST IN BUILDING GOOD PICTURES, DOING EFFECTIVE MULTI-AGENCY PREVENTATIVE AND PROTECTION WORK at multi-agency level? COMMON ASSESSMENT FRAMEWORK (CAF) etc

Common Assessment Framework
CAF and Lead Professional This section deals with information sharing and the use of common, coherent language and tools by all professionals working with children and families. It is part of the Every Child Matters agenda You will over time all become familiar with terms such as Common Assessment Framework (CAF- the assessment tool and referral process which will be used by all agencies and professionals), Lead Professionals, Children’s Services Directory etc NEXT SLIDE – LET’S BEGIN TO LOOK IN MORE DETAIL AT SOME OF THESE THINGS. First Information Sharing And Assessment

Information Sharing and Assessment
Benefits Tools and processes Cross Government Information Sharing Guidance Earlier, holistic identification of needs Common Assessment Framework Earlier, more effective intervention Lead Professional Improved information sharing across agencies Children’s Services Directory Better service experience for children and families ISA covers various tools and processes which will support integrated working Tools and guidance have been developed as part of the ECM programme that will assist practitioners in integrated working. This slide is not intended to be comprehensive. The tools and processes listed are the ones we will be focusing on in this presentation The benefits of integrated working have been identified through extensive research and trials, as well as anecdotal evidence from practitioners and service users (children, young people and families). NEXT SLIDE – what about the reality of information sharing? Guidance is fine but what are the basic ‘rules’?

Cross Government Information Sharing Guidance
Aim: Improve practice by giving practitioner’s across children and young people’s services clearer guidance on when and how they can share information. You can find the Information Sharing guidance on Information sharing where we have child welfare / protection concerns is actually relatively straightforward and there are some very simple rules of thumb which we must all be mindful of. People get anxious and confused by all of the legislation and guidance which exists; we should remember the following: Each case must be judged individually, on its merits Sensitive information must be treated sensitively If you have information or a concern which might indicate that a child is at risk then you have a responsibility to share it but this must be done in accordance with the appropriate procedures and guidance i.e. - who needs to know Why do they need to know How much do they need to know If I was challenged then how would I justify my decision to share what I have with who I have In other words, rather than having informal chats with various folk, staff should be very clear about who they should seek out and when. This should be the DTCP, in the first instance, who will then advise and, where necessary, seek advice (e.g. legal services, child protection officer, data protection team) NEXT SLIDE – what about a central ‘hub’ of information; this would assist us in building pictures and ensuring that up to date information is available to anyone coming into contact with a child wouldn’t it?

Children’s Services Directory
Online searchable directory of all children’s services Contact details for local providers Eligibility criteria Geographical location Access procedures One of information sharing requirements placed on local authorities is to have a service directory of all children’s and YP’s services, providing comprehensive information on local providers, eligibility criteria, geographic location and referral procedures. These service directories are intended to include all types of children’s and YP’s services (e.g. not just health, social care and education) and should be widely available, i.e. widely disseminated to practitioners from all agencies; available in other languages or formats; publicised to and accessible by children, young people and families. NEXT SLIDE – we are going to look at the ECM model which helps us to understand that children’s needs operate along a continuum. This is the model around which services will operate and around which professional judgements around thresholds for and types of intervention will need to be made

Definition CAF is a tool to enable early and effective assessment of children and young people who need additional services or support from more than one agency The CAF is a common approach to needs assessment that can be used by the whole children’s workforce for any child in need of support. It aims to provide an evidence based holistic consent-based needs assessment framework which records, in a single place and in a structured and consistent way, every aspect of a child’s life, family and environment. It draws on good practice, enabling the practitioner to make a decision about how far they themselves can meet the needs and who else needs to be involved If another practitioner needs to be involved, the first practitioner can feel confident that they can share information; this will be with consent unless there are exceptional circumstances such as child protection issues. All agencies providing services to children to adjust their own assessments to accommodate the introduction of the CAF, where it makes sense to do so, and take CAF development into account when they are developing new assessments A national eCAF is being developed, a secure IT system for storing and accessing information captured through the CAF process. Practitioners will only be able to access information for the child/YP with whom they are working and then only with the specific consent of the child or young person (or parent/carer as appropriate.

It is a process for: recognising the signs that a child may have unmet needs developing a child/young person’s centred and holistic approach to assessment of needs recording information using the CAF form and, with consent, sharing information developing appropriate and timely support plans may lead to specialist assessment Through the CAF, a common approach to needs assessment is implemented that can be used by the whole children’s workforce, whether they are in universal or specialist services, for any child in need of support, and involving the child and their family in the process. The CAF aims to provide a mechanism whereby any practitioner working with a child or young person can conduct a good quality, but relatively non-specialised, assessment of unmet needs and, where appropriate, share it with other agencies. CAF is child or young person centred and completed with them (and their family). It is holistic, covering the range of educational, health, social care, behavioural and family issues and looking at areas of strengths as well as need It aims to provide an evidence based non-bureaucratic ‘whole child’ assessment, drawing on good practice, enabling the practitioner to make a decision about how far they themselves can meet the needs and who else needs to be involved. Where a referral to a more specialised service is required, use of the CAF should help ensure that the referral is really necessary, that it is to the right service and that it is supported by accurate, up to date information. The information gathered follows the child and builds up a picture over time rather than a snapshot of a single incident

Where more than one practitioner is involved, one will take the lead
CAF benefits Benefits: Multi-agency working and child-centered services Shared language across agencies Earlier identification and earlier intervention Easier, less bureaucratic access to a range of services and less repetition for children and families Where more than one practitioner is involved, one will take the lead The benefits of CAF include: - Supporting multi-agency working and child-centered services. As a result of identification of needs a team around the child should be in place to meet those needs. - Helping to embed a shared language of assessment across agencies and a more consistent view as to the appropriate response - Earlier identification of all the child’s or YP’s individual, family and community needs, across all services - and earlier intervention - Easier, less bureaucratic access to a range of services and less repetition for children and families – any additional specialist assessments required will build on the information held in the CAF. Better quality and more appropriate referrals which are more evidence based Make the distinction that CAF should not be used when there are concerns about possible ‘significant harm’ and that CAF is not a pre-requisite to referrals.

Lead Professional Two main responsibilities:
act as an single point of contact for the child / young person and family coordinate support where more than one practitioner is involved to ensure that support is streamlined, effectively delivered and regularly reviewed Case for Lead Professionals: children and families who require support from a number of professionals often receive fragmented and sometimes contradictory services fragmentation causes confusion, causes delay in children receiving the support they need. Leads to poorer outcomes for children and young people using services. LP will ensure more effective communication between practitioners and with CYP and their families and a coordination of the support plans to ensure the delivery of a appropriate package of support People need to be very clear that ‘Lead Professional’ isn’t something new; there is no job-description and LPs will not be asked or expected to lead on things such as statutory assessment / interventions are required e.g. child protection plans, SEN assessments What LP is, in real terms, is a formal acknowledgement of what best practice looks like. In other words, there will be lots of people from lots of agencies who have actually undertaken this role over many years. What the acknowledgement does though is to make explicit the need for cases to be co-ordinated and led by someone who is best placed to do so NEXT SLIDE -

Who can be a Lead Professional?
Many practitioners in the children’s workforce could take on the lead professional role We define the role by the functions and skills needed, rather than by particular professional or practitioner groupings As the needs of the child, young person or family change, so will the skills, knowledge and competence to carry out the role – not only over time, but also as the complexity or intensity of their support needs change. Lead professional role can be carried out by any member of the children’s workforce who has the necessary skills and knowledge. For most children and young people, we would anticipate that lead professionals will be the practitioners who are currently delivering effective early intervention support. For those children with more complex needs a Lead professional is usually required by statue. Core Tasks-can include • build a trusting relationship with the child or young person and their family (or other carers) to secure their engagement in the process • be the single point of contact for the child or young person and family, and a sounding board for them to ask questions and discuss concerns. (In most cases, other practitioners will also need to make direct contact with the child, young person or family, and it will be important for them to keep the lead professional informed of this) • be the single point of contact for all children and young people’s workforce practitioners who are delivering services to the child or young person to ensure that the child or young person continues to access this support • convene the Team Around the Child meetings to enable integrated multi-agency support in the delivery of services and appoint a suitable LP • co-ordinate the effective delivery of a package of solution-focused2 actions; and ensure progress is reviewed regularly • identify as part of the TAC where additional services may need to be involved and put processes in place for brokering their involvement. (In some instances, this may need to be carried out by the line manager or other designated person rather than by the lead professional themselves). • continue to support the child, young person or family, as appropriate, if specialist assessments need to be carried out. support the child or young person through key transition points (eg. Between universal, targeted and specialist services; or between children and adult services) • ensure a safe, careful and planned ‘handover’ takes place if it is more appropriate for someone else to be the lead professional. More information for the Lead Professional, Team around the Child and the Common Assessment Framework can be found on the national Every Child Matters Website Or on

Categories, Signs and Symptoms of Abuse
This next section looks at different types of abuse and how we might identify them. Working Together to Safeguard Children (2010) is the national guidance document which makes clear what the responsibilities of all agencies are in relation to child protection. It also contains the definitions of different types of abuse to which all agencies must work There is a handout which summarises the information on categories of abuse and possible signs and symptoms Much more detail can be found within the Bath & North East Somerset Children in Need Handbook which is available on line at Also the South West Safeguarding and Child Protection Group website – NEXT SLIDE – what is ‘child abuse’

C Child Abuse? When a child is hurt or harmed by another person in a way that causes significant harm to that child and which may have an effect upon the child’s health, development or well-being, via acts of omission or commission. We have already learned about significant harm and the fact that we have to focus on children’s health and development, ill-treatment and/or impairment in making our judgements It is important to be clear that abuse sometimes occurs because of what people don’t do for children, as well as what they do to them e.g. nationally most children (60%+) for whom there exists a multi-agency child protection plan have such a plan because they are being neglected which, by definition, is about omission What about the child protection register? Some people will have heard of this and it is no longer referred to because it was felt that people needed to understand that the protection process is ongoing and needs ongoing input at multi-agency level. We now talk about children for whom there is a multi-agency CP plan instead. DISCUSSION – why do people think that children get abused or neglected? How many parents are in the room? Ask how many are perfect parents? Ask how difficult being a parent is then ask them to imagine living in poor housing, a violent relationship, being mentally ill etc, how much more difficult might parenting be? Research refers to stressors such as poverty, poor housing, relationship difficulties Own experience of abuse Lack of knowledge Alcohol / drug misuse, mental ill health and domestic abuse often ‘feature’ in families where children are abuse or neglected - which is not to say that we can make sweeping, quasi-moral judgements about parents who have those issues! REMEMBER: significance, impact, health, development, impairment Most abuse occurs within the family but the family is also the environment within which children are most likely to be nurtured and to flourish NEXT SLIDE – arousal-relaxation cycle

Arousal – Relaxation Cycle Fahlberg 1994
NEED TRUST SECURITY ATTACHMENT This is something called an ‘arousal-relaxation cycle’ and is a model developed by psychologists in an attempt to help us understand how children develop and how important adults are in that process All children have needs which must be met in order for them to survive, be healthy and achieve their optimal development Children express their needs in various ways and babies / v young children tend to do this by crying i.e. ‘displeasure’. Older children may do so via various behaviours The key for adults/ parents / professionals is how we interpret the messages that children send to us via their behaviour. If we are child-centred, listen to children and use the knowledge and expertise available to us we will meet their needs What will follow then, although sometimes it doesn’t last very long, is a period of calm and stability When the cycle works well children learn that they are loved and, as a result, they come to feel secure in certain key relationships with caregivers. NEXT SLIDE – 1st category of abuse that we will look at is PHYSICAL ABUSE QUIESENCE DISPLEASURE SATISFY NEED

Child Abuse & Children with more Complex Needs

Discussion Are the ‘rules’ different insofar as safeguarding
Children with disabilities and complex needs are concerned? What are the issues for the young people themselves parents professionals First, all young people are entitled to the same level of protection regardless of age, race, ethnicity, culture, disability etc! Issues for young people, parents and staff are not mutually exclusive and some of the issues the group might raise include: Communication difficulties may make it difficult to communicate when there are problems Some disabled children grow up to accept damaging, demeaning or over restricting treatment from others because they have never known anything more positive. There is also the possibility that disabled children may be schooled into accepting others having access to their bodies Lack of participation and choice Isolation from other children and adults-having few contacts outside the home and having inadequate and poorly coordinated services There is a danger that we might attribute possible signs and symptoms of abuse to conditions or disabilities A rule of optimism can exist whereby we refuse to consider that anyone would ‘stoop so low’ We can become preoccupied with supporting parents and, in doing so, fail to consider possible risk issues and / or be sufficiently child-centred There is no ‘one best way’ ’and we are often required to think outside our comfort zones when confronted with these issues Parents may be anxious about complaining because they do not want to risk losing a precious service Some young people may need assistance with intimate personal care tasks which may make them vulnerable. The greater the number of adults involved and the nature of the care needs both increase the risk of exposure to abusive behaviour and make it more difficult to set and maintain physical boundaries Overall, research indicates that children with disabilities are about three and a half times more likely to suffer every form of abuse. However, this is not reflected by statistics showing children who have a multi-agency CP Plan which suggests that agencies are not getting it right at present. You should refer participant's to Safeguarding Disabled Children-Practice Guidance (2009)

1: Disabled children are in most senses
just like other children; they have the same basic needs and general principles of good practice in child protection work apply equally to all children. 2: Disabled children have the same right to protection as all children.

Myths, Stereotypes & Barriers
Not vulnerable – wouldn’t be targeted Not as harmful as abuse to non-disabled children Impossible to prevent More likely to make false allegations If abuse has occurred, best to leave well alone once child is safe Parents and carers are saints/reluctance to challenge carers

“Society still seems to be in denial about the fact that disabled children are more likely to be abused than non-disabled children. This may be because generally speaking less attention is paid to their human rights and to providing advocacy services for them. They are still commonly seen in terms of their impairment and the characteristics that make each child unique – age, gender, ethnicity, religion and culture are subsumed in the one label. This has to change so that the systems set up to safeguard all children cover disabled children on equal terms.” Source: Stuart and Baines (2004) p 2122

…. child abuse and neglect are inextricably interwoven with disability
….child abuse and neglect are inextricably interwoven with disability. The literature is replete with evidence that children who are abused or neglected are at greater risk of becoming emotionally disturbed, language impaired, mentally retarded (sic) and/or physically disabled, while children with disabilities may be at greater risk of abuse and neglect. Cohen and Warren 1990 p254

Increased Vulnerability?
Neglect times more likely Sexual Abuse 3.1 times more likely Physical Abuse 3.8. times as likely Emotional Abuse 3.9 times as likely Source : Sullivan & Knutson, 1997 UK evidence suggests that disabled children are at increased risk of abuse, and that the presence of multiple disabilities appears to increase the risk of both abuse and neglect. In July 2009, the government published Safeguarding Disabled Children-Practice Guidance, which provides a framework within which Local safeguarding Children Board’s, agencies and professionals at a local level-individually and jointly-draw up and agree detailed ways of working together to safeguard disabled children.

Group Discussion: What factors do you think may increase and / or perpetuate vulnerability?

Increased Vulnerability
Individual characteristics Assumed that disability ‘protects’ Medical models, labels etc - disempower Segregation & isolation Lack of training and resources Communication issues Intimate personal care / variety of carers Reluctance to complain Primary focus upon needs of parents Imbalance regarding need and risk issues Professional beliefs, feelings … NEXT SLIDE- we will now briefly look at private fostering in recognition that this is a key area of child protection

Private Fostering Arrangement made privately without the involvement of the local authority Applies to children under 16 years or 18 if disabled where they have been cared for by someone other than a parent of close relative for 28 days or more Privately fostered children are a diverse and potentially vulnerable group particularly when private fostering arrangements may not have been notified to the local authority. Privately fostered children may include; children where arrangements are made because of parental illness, children who have been in conflict and fallen out with their parents, children staying with families while attending a school away from their home area, children from overseas whose parents live outside the UK, asylum seekers and refugees, trafficked children, children attending language schools, children at independent boarding schools who do not return home for holidays and children living with parents ex-partners where parents are not married or in a civil partnership. Under the Children Act 1989 private foster carers and those with parental responsibility are required to notify the local authority of their intention to privately foster, or to have a child privately fostered, or where a child is privately fostered in an emergency. School staff will need to notify the DTCP where they become aware of arrangements and are not satisfied that the local authority has been or will be informed. In recognition that private fostering is a key area of child protection The Children Act 2004 and regulations strengthens and enhances the private fostering notification scheme and provides additional safeguards for privately fostered children. The local authority has a duty to satisfy itself that the welfare of children who are privately fostered is safeguarded and promoted and to ensure appropriate advice is given to carers. This includes visiting the child at regular intervals in line with the Children (Private Arrangements for Fostering) Regulations 2005 and assessing the suitability of the carer, their household and accommodation. Remind all staff that if they have knowledge of a private fostering arrangement they should discuss this further with their DTCP. Possible Small Group Exercise- look at Case Studies and decide: 1. Is it a case of private fostering 2. Discuss the cases and decide on the most appropriate plan of action which the Local Authority might take. Assume that all children have been there for over 28 days.

C 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. There are various ways then in which a child might be physically abused. Can the group identify any e.g. falling (most common explanation for injuries on a child), fighting, playing, due to lack of supervision, because they are being abused When a parent or carer feigns the symptoms of … … is what was formerly known as Munchausen’s Syndrome although this is now referred to as Fabricated or Induced Illness. The LSCB procedures contain detailed information about such cases and the procedures are very clear In simple terms, if you had reason to suspect that a parent or carer was deliberately creating symptoms, causing a child to be ill then you should report this immediately to the DTCP and should NOT discuss any such concerns with parents. NEXT SLIDE - what research tells us about physical injuries on children – body maps

For For Accidental Non-Accidental Injuries Injuries Eyes Forehead Ears
Crown Cheeks Mouth Body spinal protuberances Neck Shoulder Chest Elbow Upper Arms Liana crest (hip) Inner Arms Black arrows tell us that there are certain places on a child’s body where it is more common to find marks or injuries which have been sustained accidentally. Broadly, speaking, these tend to be places where bone is close to the surface of skin i.e. shins, knees etc The red arrows highlight areas where a. it is more unusual to find accidental injuries and places where we sometimes find NAI (non accidental injuries) The most common place to find NAIs on a child is the head There are sometimes very bizarre explanations for injuries which turn out to be true and very bizarre injuries which have indeed been caused accidentally How can we differentiate then? NEXT SLIDE – basic rules re dealing with suspected physical abuse Stomach Genitals Knees Front Thighs Buttocks Shins Back Thighs

Physical Abuse Not all bruising or marks are causes for concern
No failsafe checklist exists No need to investigate / diagnose What and where e.g. linear, outline, several / recurrent, parallel, soft tissue Are explanations consistent e.g. child, parent? Patterns? Circumstances? Life events / changes / behaviour? Act promptly – same day discussion with DTCP No photos! Clear records! The basic rules are as follows: Children do sustain injuries accidentally We should be particularly of burns, bites, bruises and fractures It is important to clarify what children say happened where we see an injury which causes us concern i.e. that looks sore, how did that happen? Under most circumstances, DSPs would also have a conversation with parents to seek an explanation from them Children who present with injuries which they say have been caused by an adult should be the subjects of immediate child protection referrals Medically qualified people examine injuries and make diagnoses Police and Social Care investigate suspected abuse and test any hypotheses We must be mindful of and wary about injuries which are recurrent on the same child, which occur on various planes, which describe the outline of an object or implement, which occur in parallel (e.g. opposite sides of ear, both cheeks, buttocks) and of any soft tissue injury for which there is no feasible explanation We should also seek immediate advice where conflicting explanations are offered DTCPs will need to consider the information presented to them in context and ‘on the balance of probabilities’ Records are very important but are not an end in themselves! What action will you take once you have made a record! NEXT SLIDE – emotional abuse

C Emotional Abuse The persistent emotional maltreatment of a child such as to cause severe and persistent adverse effects on a child’s emotional development. It may involve conveying to a child that they are worthless or unloved, inadequate, or valued only insofar as they meet the needs of another person. It may include not giving a child opportunities to express their views, deliberately silencing them or making fun of what they say or how they communicate. It may feature age or developmentally inappropriate expectations being imposed on children. These may include interactions that are beyond the child’s developmental capability, as well as 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.
C It may involve seeing or hearing the ill-treatment of another. It may involve serious bullying (including cyberbullying). causing children frequently to feel frightened or in danger. the exploitation of corruption of children Some level of emotional abuse is involved in all the types of maltreatment of a child thought it may occur alone. Research shows us that in households where children are being emotionally abused, then there are links with subsequent violent / physically abusive episodes which can emerge apparently ’out of the blue’ in terms of no previous physical abuse. Emotional abuse is not the same as not being a perfect parent! Children learn and understand that parents are not always right, fair, even tempered etc. That is not the same as being emotionally abuse: look at the words – persistent, severe etc It is notoriously difficult to evidence in its own right because children present in lots of different ways for lots of different reasons i.e. see next slide on possible signs and symptoms, if you show this to staff in an EBD school, for example, they will respond that most of their pupils present with some or all of those behaviours As ever, the judgment must be made on balance and in context and, most importantly, if you do not have clear lines of communication, good record-keeping systems and systems for monitoring and supporting children and yp then you will only ever be in a position to react NEXT SLIDE – OPTIONAL GROUP DISCUSSION

Group Discussion What are some of the potential problems associated with identifying emotional abuse? What might you observe in a child who was being emotionally abused? This is not about being the ‘perfect’ parent. Look at the words in the definition (previous slides) – it is about a whole relationship being characterised by coldness, criticism, insensitivity. This is a particularly difficult area of work because : potentially, it calls into question different styles of parenting Signs and symptoms commonly cited are likely to be apparent for a number of reasons, not just because a child or young person has been abused It is notoriously difficult to evidence that a particular form of parenting has caused emotional harm to a child It can be very difficult to unpick because we are talking about a relationship as opposed to a one-off event such as an assault Emotional abuse can occur independently of other forms but it tends to accompany or be a consequence of other forms. NEXT SLIDE – possible signs and symptoms of emotional abuse

For example, for a child this can mean:
Persistent ridicule,rejection, humiliation Living in atmosphere of fear and intimidation Being allowed no contact with other children Inappropriate expectations being imposed Low warmth, high criticism Being bullied, scapegoated Parents who emotionally abuse children tend to view the parenting task on their terms i.e. thinking back to the arousal – relaxation cycle, they will often prioritise and/or satisfy their need (for power, control) instead of the child’s. In other words, parenting is oriented around what they demand from their children as opposed how they need to respond to them Domestic abuse often ‘features’ in child protection cases and it is now enshrined in law that a child can suffer significant harm as a result of witnessing the abuse of someone else Domestic abuse rarely occurs as a one-off and it will increase in frequency and severity over time in over 60% of cases Factors which increase risk in violent households include: People being locked in Possessions (such as children’s toys) being destroyed Where disinhibitors such as alcohol and drugs are also in evidence Where weapons are used Where children are used as ‘shields’ We can do preventative work with children via PSHE and circle time We can signpost them to useful resources such as the ‘hideout’ website We must make clear to them that they are not responsible for protecting adults We can check to see whether they know how to use a telephone, where they would go if etc NEXT SLIDE - Neglect

C 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 and clothing, shelter including exclusion from a home or abandonment.

Failure to Protect a child from physical and emotional harm or danger
Ensure adequate supervision (including the use of inadequate care-givers) or Ensure access to appropriate medical care or treatment It may also include neglect of, or unresponsiveness to, a child’s basic emotional needs. Neglect received little attention pre 1980s. Currently, it is the largest category of abuse under which children and young people are the subjects of multi-agency child protection plans (formerly CP Registration) As ever, practitioners are required to make judgements about what counts as ‘persistent’ and / or ‘serious’ ASK THE GROUP – what do we do, in a practical sense, to support and protect pupils who we feel may be being neglected? NEXT SLIDE – Possible signs and symptoms of neglect

For example, for a child this can mean:
Lack of adequate nourishment/shelter Not receiving medical attention when necessary Lack of interest in the welfare of the child Inappropriate clothing No boundaries, limits in terms of actions and behaviour Child’s needs not recognised / prioritised by parents While there is a correlation, poverty is not the same thing as neglect; lots of children from families who don’t have much live and develop very well in warm, caring, stable homes where poverty is an issue Neglect operates along a continuum but its impact depends hugely upon the age and vulnerability of the child involved i.e. a one-off event could be life threatening for a baby We know that one-off interventions do not address neglect In order to address neglect we are first required to understand why it is occurring, to make a judgement around parental capacity to change and then to plan and measure the impact of any interventions As with emotional abuse, it is imperative that we have clear lines of communication and good systems for monitoring and building pictures around children who we think may be being neglected NEXT SLIDE – sexual abuse

Sexual Abuse C Sexual Abuse involves forcing or enticing a child or young person to take part in sexual activities, not necessarily involving a high level of violence, whether or not the child is aware of what is happening The activities may involve physical contact, including assault by penetration (for example rape or oral sex) or non-penetrative acts such as masturbation, kissing, rubbing and touching outside of clothing NEXT SLIDE-

They may also include non-contact activities such as
Involving children in looking at, or in the production of, sexual images, watching sexual activities, encouraging children to behave in sexually inappropriate ways or Grooming a child for abuse (including via the internet) Sexual abuse is not solely perpetrated by adult males. Women can also commit acts of sexual abuse, as can other children Agencies have learned a good deal about responding to possible sexual abuse since the 1980s, Cleveland etc It is not always or necessarily about ‘contact’ or penetrative activity Quite often, because of the way in which victims are often ‘groomed’ by perpetrators, it will be some time before they are able to identify and/or talk about the abuse to an adult who can help Most child sexual abuse is perpetrated by males who are already known to the child and/or family Around a third is perpetrated by adolescent males DISCUSSION – what might indicate that a pupil had suffered sexual abuse? There may be physical signs or injuries (e.g. infections, pregnancy, bleeding, bruising etc) There may be subtle changes to a child’s emotional or social presentation age-inappropriate or sexualised behaviour A refusal or inability to respond to boundaries around such behaviour A preoccupation with intimacy / which isn’t balanced by ‘natural’ curiosity about everything else in the child’s world Behaviour which causes other children to complain Children associating developmental play, intimacy etc with the use of aggression, force, coercion Children may abuse positions of power that they hold within the peer group e.g. prefect, best fighter, excellent sportsman

Barriers to disclosure i.e. ‘grooming’
Not necessarily about touch / penetrative acts e.g. access to inappropriate materials, language, what children see Barriers to disclosure i.e. ‘grooming’ May be physical, emotional, social / behavioural signs although may be subtle and attributable, potentially, to a range of things Again, reiterate that there is no investigative role for anyone in school DTCPs should be consulted about discussions with parents where concerns arise around sexually problematic behaviour displayed by children in or around school Where it is difficult to differentiate between age-appropriate, problematic or abusive behaviours advice can and should always be sought from the DTCP who may then liaise with Social Care Remember that the age of criminal responsibility is 10 years and where a complaint is made about the behaviour of a child aged 10 or more then this is potentially a Police matter. As such, careful thought needs to be given to issues such as preserving evidence (if an alleged assault occurred in school) and ensuring that enquiries are not impeded by inappropriate questioning or the like NEXT SLIDE – are there any questions? We will now look at the issues around talking and listening to children where concerns about welfare arise. Staff sometimes get anxious about this and receive mixed messages about what is and isn’t ok when a child wants to talk to us about something that is concerning them or making them anxious or about something which is occurring that they don’t understand

Talking & Listening to Children
This is about TALKING AND LISTENING TO CHILDREN. It is NOT about investigating suspected abuse, interviewing children or making judgements about alleged or suspected ‘perpetrators’. As such, it is what everyone who works in a school or setting does for a living and whoever you are and whatever your role you should be clear about how you would respond if a child approached or said something to you which caused concern NEXT SLIDE – the ground rules are very simple

Disability & Disclosure Issues
The ‘usual’ barriers apply in respect of children recognising and/or telling us that they are being abused. In addition, workers should Modify communication patterns to suit individual needs Use simple sentences & verbs. No clauses, linked sentences, multiple questions Provide clear feedback / summaries / clarification at various points / as required Be prepared to ‘start again’ if a conversation becomes difficult for the young person. Refer people to the Safeguarding Disabled Children-practice guidance (2009)

Talking and Listening to Children
Do Keep an open mind Reassure the child that they are right to tell Listen carefully Work at the child’s pace Ask only open questions – if you must ask them, clarify the facts, don’t interrogate Explain what you need to do next Record accurately and quickly using child’s words Pass on to DTCP same day Don’t Make false promises about confidentiality Interrupt Interrogate / investigate Assume e.g. this child tells lies Make suggestions about what is being said Speculate or accuse anyone Show anger, shock etc Tell the child to go and speak to someone else Forget to record accurately and/or pass on to DTCP Be clear, you are there to listen, reassure, support and pass on the relevant information, NOT to interview or investigate Children who have been abused invariably suffer stigma and feelings of powerlessness and betrayal. Be mindful of that and ensure that your actions / responses do not compound those feelings or perceptions It is ok to ask questions if you need to clarify something. However, these should never be closed or ‘leading’ and it is much better to use ‘minimal prompts’ instead e.g. go on, tell me what you remember about that … you’re doing really well … tell me more about that The 4 Ws, H & Little TED can be a useful way of remembering to ask open questions – Who? What? Where? When?, How? With the little TED standing for Tell me…, Explain…, Describe… (The ‘little’ is nothing to do with Playschool but does act as an aide memoir!) It is ok to ask children to write things down but be mindful that things do get lost in translation and some children may really struggle with this It is NEVER acceptable for any adult that a child has chosen to share their concerns with to tell them to go and speak to someone else instead The first thing you should do is make clear to a child that you cannot keep ‘secrets’ and that you will pass information on if you think that they or another child is at risk – this is something you have to do Once you have listened, make sure that they are ok and make clear what you will do next i.e. make a record and speak to / pass this to the DTCP NEXT SLIDE – what about recording

C Recordings need to … Be written as soon as possible (& certainly within 24 hrs) Be written in ink, signed and dated Differentiate clearly between fact, opinion (if one is offered) & interpretation Use the child’s language wherever possible (if you use quotation marks be very clear & precise!) Be given to the appropriate person (DTCP) as a matter of urgency It can be very difficult to listen (actively i.e. using good, appropriate body language which shows that we are really listening, empathetic and taking what is being said seriously) and write at the same time Be clear about the facts as you understand them and stick to them. If you feel the need to offer an opinion or to interpret (e.g. this will be crucial and unavoidable with some children i.e. with complex needs) then this needs to be made clear in the written record and, if the matter goes to court, it can and will be challenged ‘Hearsay’ is admissible in civil proceedings (i.e. child protection / care proceedings); if it wasn’t, how would we ever protect babies or children who cannot speak or communicate? However, the reliability of any such evidence will, quite rightly, be tested very rigorously. NOTE re CP RECORDS IN SCHOOL kept separately and securely by the DTCP and retained for Date of Birth + 25 years Avoid the use of ‘personal’ or generic notebooks where CP is concerned; the information may be needed as evidence in court, may be the subject of a data access request etc DO NOT simply forward all documents at the point at which a child moves to another school. The DTCP will need to decide what the receiving school ‘needs to know’ and this can be relayed in a number of ways i.e. summary report, telephone conversation, meeting etc prior to any relevant records being copied and provided If you do not know where the child has moved to and where you have current or ongoing cp concerns contact Social Care or Children Missing Education NEXT SLIDE – we have looked thus far at what we must do to protect children. Now spend some time looking at how we can ensure that our practice is safe for us too

Safer Schools & Safer Staff
It is an unfortunate fact of life that we live in a litigious world whereby it sometimes feels as though everyone knows what they are entitled to but is less clear about what they are responsible for. As a result, people are made to feel vulnerable and there is a danger that we can become risk averse which is bound to affect our practice: behold the turtle – if he isn’t prepared to stick his neck out, he never gets anywhere However, that is not to say that we should blunder on with a blatant disregard for our own safety, far from it! Instead, what we can and must do is do everything in our power to ensure that our practice is as consistent and safe as it can be. Just as our employers have a duty of care to us as employees and we have one to children in our care, so too do we have a professional responsibility to ensure that we do everything we can to look after ourselves. NEXT SLIDE – we sometimes feel as though we are drowning in procedures and pieces of paper but, by the same token, it feels safer sometimes if we have things written down centrally and formally which negate the need for us to make judgements and decisions. Of course, policies and procedures are crucial in that they provide us with frameworks for safe and consistent practice. However, it is obvious that there can never be a prescription for every eventuality. Moreover, to remove the scope for judgements and decisions is also to remove the scope for flexibility and creativity.

Making Professional Judgements
There may well be occasions and circumstances in which staff have to make decisions or take action, in the best interests of a child, where little or no guidance currently exists. Under these circumstances, staff will be required to exercise their own professional judgement. Phrases such as ‘you can’t work on your own with children … you should never touch children’ reflect an increasingly litigious society and culture within which professionals feel increasingly vulnerable. Neither of the above ‘statements’ are true per se and, in fact, they are unreasonable and unfeasible in most establishments. What can we do then to ensure that our practice is safe for us and our colleagues … … NEXT SLIDE NEXT SLIDE - Most adults who work with children and young people are exceptionally professional and committed. However, it is a sad reality that others abuse their positions of trust in various ways. The figures come from DCSF …

Statistics An estimated 3,000 allegations of abuse made against staff in maintained schools each year – 66% physical abuse, 15% sexual abuse, 15% inappropriate behaviour. On average, 1 in 8 schools will deal with an allegation of abuse each year In ,416 people were reported to DfES to consider including them on List 99 or the PoCA List and 525 people were added to one or other of the lists. Self explanatory although this may shock those who assume that teachers and professionals would never stoop so low. It does happen! In 2003 police reported to DfES: 52 cases of school staff convicted or cautioned for sexual offences against children under 16; 63 cases of staff convicted or cautioned for offences involving child pornography; 16 cases of staff convicted or cautioned for offences of physical assault on children. NEXT SLIDE - What might we learn from these figures and the available research tell us about safe practice? Can you identify any scenarios within which you may be particularly vulnerable?

When might you be vulnerable & why?
C When might you be vulnerable & why? Alone with a child Administering first aid Restraining a child When a child seeks affection Providing intimate personal care Social networking sites Lack of training or support When you are unclear about guidance and/ or procedures When you fail to report or seek advice / poor lines of communication When you fail to record Ethos and culture Research tells us that allegations are more likely to be made against inexperienced or very experienced staff (i.e. with less than 2 or more than 15 years experience). Why might that be? Because people have not had appropriate induction or are unclear or unaware of relevant policies or procedures because practice becomes rigid and ingrained Because people operate outside the parameters of reasonable, professional behaviour Because children misinterpret our actions Because we fail to follow procedures and are, therefore, inconsistent Very rarely, because there may be another agenda via which people make malicious allegations against us (these can and will be dealt with via the appropriate agencies i.e. Police) EXERCISE Give out the safe practice ‘quiz’ and ask people to look at the list of ‘scenarios’ and identify any which they think are least clear or particularly contentious. Give them 10 minutes to do this and to discuss Now give out the Guidance on Safe Working Practice and make clear that the numbers in brackets on the quiz sheet are references to paragraphs in the guidance document. They can now turn to the relevant paragraph pertaining to the issues that they felt were least clear / most contentious NEXT SLIDE- These are the areas considered within the guidance document produced by the DfCSF January 2009 (as the law changes these things obviously have to be updated but the current document still applies)

Guidance on Safe Working Practice
Introduction Status of document Duty of care Exercising professional judgement Power and Positions of Trust Confidentiality Propriety and Behaviour Dress, Appearance and Social Contact Gifts Physical contact Discipline and punishment Physical Intervention Sexual contact with yp One to one situations Infatuations and crushes Pupils in distress First aid and intimate care Children with special needs Overnight supervision and examinations PE and other activities requiring physical contact (see BALPE) Showers and changing Out of school trips and clubs Curriculum Photography, video and creative arts Internet use Whistle-blowing Self-reporting Reporting and recording incidents Staff and pupil welfare Take any general feedback and signpost staff to any existent policies and procedures in school which cover areas raised during the exercise i.e. care and control / behaviour management, code of conduct etc Safer Working Practices for Adults who Work with Children and Young People - NEXT SLIDE – rounding off the whole session with some prompts around what people need to do next. Reminder – if anyone needs to discuss anything with me which has emerged during the session then they can speak to me … …

Allegations Management process
New guidance was introduced in 2006 following the Inquiry undertaken by Sir Michael Bichard into the murders of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman by Ian Huntley in Soham in 2002. The guidance is designed to ; make it harder for unsuitable people to have access to children through their employment or volunteering activities deal efficiently and effectively with any allegations made against those people employed or working with children and young people via the allegations management process

Definition of an allegation For the purpose of this process an allegation is where an adult working with or on behalf of children has: Behaved in a way that has harmed, or may have harmed a child, or Possibly committed a criminal offence against or related to a child, or Behaved towards a child or children in a way that indicates unsuitability to work with children.

Where staff become concerned about the behaviour of an adult/colleague that may meet any of the above criteria particularly where there are concerns about behaviour that may indicate unsuitability then they should discuss these with the Designated person for Child protection. The Designated person for Child Protection will then need to consider whether discussion with/ referral to the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) who has overall responsibility for allegations management within the LA area is appropriate. The Designate person should record any concern raised and decision made to refer/discuss with the LADO or not. If concerns held are about the Designated person then they should refer discuss these with the HT/Chair of Governors.

Concern arises NFA/Record decision Discuss with Designated person Consult with LADO Record decision NFA/strategy discussion/internal investigation

C What Next? Am I clear enough about my role in school and that of other key people? Am I clear about the relevant policies and procedures in school? Am I clear about what I should do if I am concerned about a child’s welfare? Am I clear about the appropriate sources of advice and support available to me? Is there anything I need to speak to the DTCP about? Thanks! WELL DONE!

Child Protection – for Schools

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