Child Protection Briefing for the Irish Primary Principals’ Network

1. Child Protection Briefing for the Irish Primary Principals’ Network September 2009

2. Outline of session • Legislative context • ‘Children First’ Guidelines, 1999 • Child Protection guidelines for primary schools. • Definitions, Signs & Indicators of Child Abuse • Reporting Procedure

3. Duty to Protect • Under the Child Care Act 1991, HSE and Gardai have a statutory duty to protect children • Under ‘Children First’, all agencies that work with children, including schools, have a duty to pass on child protection concerns

4. Children First • Launched September 1999 • Provided a national framework for the delivery of child protection services • Applied to all agencies that provide services to children • Sought to standardise procedures and make practice tighter and safer

6. Definitions & Categories of Child Abuse

7. Child Abuse Categories • Neglect • Emotional Abuse • Physical Abuse • Sexual Abuse A child may be subjected to more than one form of abuse at any given time Children first

8. Category 1 - Neglect Neglect can be defined as an omission, where the child suffers harm or impairment as a result of being deliberately or unintentionally deprived of food, clothing, warmth, stimulation, supervision or medical care. Children First, 1999

9. Signs and Symptoms • Dirty body, nails and clothes', matted or thin hair, body odour, dental caries and chronic infestation (head lice), availability of little or no food • Immature motor skills and unimaginative play, clumsiness, delayed language and social skills. • Child left unattended or to attend to other children. • Abandonment, inadequate supervision, chronic truancy. • More aggression with peers among older children. Child Abuse Review Vol. 16 93-107

10. Category 2 – Emotional Abuse Emotional Abuse is normally found in the relationship between care-giver and child rather than in a specific event. It includes persistent or severe emotional ill- treatment and rejection or exposure to ongoing domestic violence. Children First, 1999

11. Emotional Abuse – Signs & Indicators • Often no visible signs • Dysfunctional relationship pattern between carer and child characterised by ‘high criticism and low warmth’ • Reflected by ongoing rejection, punishment, threats, isolation or corruption

12. Category 3 – Physical Abuse Physical Abuse is any form of non-accidental injury or injury that results from a wilful or neglectful failure to protect a child. This includes shaking, using excessive force, poisoning, suffocation and induced or fabricated illness. Children First, 1999

13. Physical Abuse – Signs & Indicators Suspicious bruises, burns, bites, lacerations and fractures • On protected skin sites • That are multiple or repetitive • That leave unusual patterns or clusters

14. Category 4 – Sexual Abuse Sexual Abuse occurs when a child is used by another person for his or her gratification and sexual arousal or for that of others. It can take many forms and includes contact and non-contact sexual abuse and sexual exploitation. Children First, 1999

15. Especially Vulnerable Children Children who live in households where parents/carers are violent, have mental health problems and who abuse alcohol and drugs. Also children with communication difficulties, disabilities, out of home or dependent on persons other than their parents for care and protection.

16. The Reporting Procedure

17. Roles of HSE Staff Within the HSE, child protection is seen as a corporate responsibility. However, it is usually Social Workers who carry out enquiries into reported concerns in order to establish whether grounds for concern exist, identify the nature and severity of any risks and co-ordinate appropriate action.

18. Grounds for Reporting • Disclosure from the child • Witness account • Direct evidence • Indirect evidence • Consistent signs of neglect over time Children first 1999

19. Reporting a Concern to the HSE • Reports can be made to a duty Social Worker by telephone, in writing, in person or on a standard reporting form • Professionals will be asked to submit the information they have in writing on a standard reporting form • Parents or carers should be informed that a report is being submitted, unless doing so is considered likely to endanger the child • After office hours or in cases of emergency contact should be made with An Garda Siochana. No child should be left in a dangerous situation.

20. Consulting with the HSE It is also considered appropriate to consult with HSE Social Workers. This can be done in order to: • Discuss a concern or seek information or advice. This does not mean that a formal report is being made and no identifying details are needed at this stage • If the Social Worker advises that the concern warrants a formal report being made, then this advice should be followed and a standard report form submitted.

21. Legal Protection for Reporters • Protections for Persons Reporting Child Abuse Act, 1998 provides immunity from civil liability to persons who report a concern ‘reasonably and in good faith’ • Qualified Privilege exists as a legal protection within schools where teachers and other staff have a duty, right or interest to act in a child’s best interests and pass on their concerns to the DLP or BoM.

22. What Happens Next ? The case will be assigned to a Social Worker who carries out a preliminary enquiry: • Consults with source of referral • Checks with HSE records and professionals • Contacts parents and child • Organises medical examination, if necessary • Reviews information with Social Work Manager and plans appropriate response

23. Confidentiality • Confidentiality in child protection is understood as meaning that information is only shared on a ‘need to know' basis • Information that is shared or requested for the purpose of protecting a child is not considered to be a breach of confidentiality • Children should be informed that disclosures can not be kept secret

24. Sharing Information with Parents • Open and inclusive partnership with parents is the cornerstone of good professional practice • Parents have a right to know what is said about them and their children • However, the child’s welfare is of paramount consideration and it is not always safe or desirable to share information with parents at every stage

25. Feedback to Reporters • Wherever appropriate and within the normal limits of confidentiality, HSE staff have a responsibility to inform reporters and other involved professionals about the outcome of the investigation into the reported concern. Children First, 1999 • Communication is a two-way-process and the reporter can also make contact with the HSE for updates.

26. Ongoing Role for Schools • To support and monitor a child about whom concerns have been raised • To record details of how the child is doing at school • To liaise with HSE and other personnel • Attend Child Protection Conferences and present a progress report if requested