Child Protection Training Package

1. Child ProtectionTraining Package

2. Part 1

3. Learning Outcomes Having undertaken the training, participants will: • Be aware of the laws and national guidance relating to protecting and safeguarding children and young people • Understand what children and young people want and need to feel safe • Be aware of different forms of abuse • Be aware of possible signs and indicators of abuse and neglect • Know when and how to refer a concern about child protection

4. Sensitivity Child Protection is a highly emotive and emotional subject. We each carry with us our own experience of being a child and some of us will also be parents, grandparents, voluntary workers etc with children. Please: • Respect each other and each other’s experiences • Keep any personal material shared today private, unless detrimental to the welfare of a child • Be sensitive, as talking about child abuse may raise personal as well as professional issues for ourselves and each other

5. Section 1 Introduction, background & legislation 20 minutes

6. Background The Children Act 1989 requires all Local Authorities to: • take action to safeguard and promote the welfare of any child who is suffering or likely to suffer “significant harm”(section 47) • safeguard and promote the welfare of any child who is “in need” (section 17)

7. Background • Victoria Climbié died in February 2000, aged 8 years • Kouao and Manning were found guilty of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment in January 2001 • Inquiry set up in April 2001, chaired by Lord Laming • Report published on 28 January 2003 • Report makes 108 recommendations

8. Key themes in the report • Child protection a ‘low priority’ • Lack of accountability right through the organisations to the most senior level • Under-funding and under-staffing • Repeated failures of basic professional practice • Too much, and outdated, local guidance • Staff inadequately trained in child protection • Problems in the way information was exchanged and understood

9. CM 5730 (2003) The Victoria Climbié Inquiry. Report of an inquiry by Lord Laming. The Stationery Office, London. Summary of findings • Victoria was known to three housing departments, four social services departments, two GPs, two hospitals, an NSPCC-run family centre and two police child protection teams • Victoria had contact with a childminder and faith based organisations • ‘The extent of the failure to protect Victoria was lamentable’ • There were failures at every level and in every organisation

10. CM 5730 (2003) The Victoria Climbié Inquiry. Report of an inquiry by Lord Laming. The Stationery Office, London. The Children Act 2004 • A Children’s Commissioner (in Brighton & Hove this is a responsibility for key staff in each cluster) • A duty to co-operate to improve the well-being of children as measured by five outcomes, moving towards Children’s Trusts by 2006 • Local Safeguarding Children Boards • Arrangements to safeguard and promote welfare • Information sharing systems • A Director of Children’s Services accountable for local authority education and children’s social services, and a lead council member for children, to ensure clear accountability politically • The Every Child Matters Agenda is implicit throughout. These outcomes have been achieved by Brighton & Hove who have taken steps to integrate services in the form of The Children & Young Peoples Trust (CYPT).

11. Department of Health, Department for Education and Employment and Home Office (2000) Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and their Families. The Stationery Office, London. Paragraph 1.5. Safeguarding • There are two parts to safeguarding: • a duty to protect children from maltreatment • a duty to prevent impairment Promoting welfare • creating opportunities to enable children to have optimum life chances in adulthood

12. Section 2 Attitudes 45 minutes

13. Section 3 Definitions & possible signs of child abuse 50 minutes (not including break)

14. Child Protection Types of Abuse Emotional Physical Neglect Sexual

15. Coffee Break

16. Child Protection Types of Abuse Emotional Physical Neglect Sexual

17. Physical Hitting Shaking Squeezing Physically hurt or injured Burning Biting Drowning or suffocation Fails to prevent physical harm Harms a child by giving alcohol, inappropriate drugs or poison

18. Possible signs of child abuse: physical Aggressive behaviour Runs away and shows fear of going home Reluctant to have parents contacted Depression Injuries not treated or treated inadequately Child that flinches when approached Scalds Injuries to parts of body where accidental injury is unlikely – cheeks / chest Bruising that reflects finger or hand marks Reluctance to get undressed when changing for sport Covering arms when hot Broken bones Cigarette burns / human bite marks

19. Neglect Being denied proper health care Inadequate diet Basic needs not being met Inadequately dressed Left unsupervised in situations where there are possible dangers Left alone at an age when it is inappropriate

20. Possible signs of child abuse: neglect Being constantly hungry – sometimes stealing food Being left alone or unsupervised on a regular basis Dressed inappropriately for the weather conditions Frequently missing school Behavioural problems – aggressive, withdrawn in school Having few friends Losing weight – constantly underweight Being smelly, unkempt or emaciated Untreated medical conditions / injuries Death following abuse

21. Sexual Making a child observe inappropriate sexual behaviour Enticing or forcing a child to engage in fondling, masturbation, oral or anal intercourse or full sexual intercourse Showing a child pornographic books, videos, photographs or websites Engaging children in inappropriate discussions about sexual matters

22. Possible signs of child abuse: sexual Abuse of drugs Pain, itching, bruising or bleeding in the genital or anal areas Any sexually transmitted disease Nightmares / bedwetting Self-harming / mutilation Sexual drawings / language Sudden or unexplained changes in behaviour Stomach pains when child is walking or sitting down Recurrent genital discharge Running away from home Child not being allowed to have friends An apparent fear of somebody

23. Emotional Regularly humiliating a child, threatening to send them away from home Telling children you wish they were dead or had not been born Withholding love and affection Constantly shouting at, threatening, or demeaning the child Persistently being over protective – child not allowed to mix with others Racial or other forms of harassment that undermines a child's self esteem

24. Possible signs of child abuse: emotional Sudden speech disorders Delayed development, either physical or emotional Failure to grow or thrive Compulsive nervous behaviour – hair twisting Excessive lack of confidence Self-harm / mutilation Excessive deference towards others – especially adults Unwillingness to play Inability to cope with praise

25. More vulnerable children • Children with disabilities/learning difficulties • Parents with a learning difficulty • Parents with mental health problems • Substance misuse • Domestic abuse • Previous abuse in the family • Children under 1

26. Section 4 School Procedures 20 minutes

27. Section 5 Guidelines for self protection 20 minutes

28. End of Part 1

29. Part 2

30. Section 6 Review of child protection categories 15 minutes

31. Section 7 Developing knowledge & understanding when dealing with child protection concerns 1 hour & 30 minutes

32. Section 7a Confidentiality (to child, within the school) & allegations against staff 10 minutes

33. The majority of the cases we deal with arise from our knowledge of the children and our observations • This enables us to build a picture over time that might constitute a child protection issue • Another part of our work is dealing with disclosures

34. Section 7b Allowing children to talk 15 minutes

35. How do you respond? • Helpful ideas • Take what the student says seriously • Listen to the child carefully – do not interrupt • Acknowledge what has been said • Remain calm • Reassure them • Let them know you will help • Tell them you will have to pass on what they have said • Report what you have been told to the designated teacher What to avoid • Do not investigate • Do not allow shock or distaste to show • Do not probe • Do not speculate • Do not make negative comments • Do not agree to keep information secret • Never delay help • Never express disbelief

36. What stops children telling • Direct threats • Fear of punishment • Guilt and shame • Lack of vocabulary • Not appreciating an abusive situation • No-one listening • Lack of trust • Implications of telling – care, family break-up etc. • Abuse considered to be a normal response • No understanding how children ‘tell’

37. Children are encouraged to talk about their concerns when: • The school feels a safe place to be • Their views & contributions are respected • Adults and children are respectful to each other • There is a culture of openness, honesty & trust • Staff allow children to be heard without interruption • There is space for privacy • Pupils self esteem is high

38. Case Studies

39. Section 7c Dealing with disclosures 35 minutes

40. Dealing with Disclosures • Receive – listen – accept • Reassure – stay calm – don’t promise confidentiality – empathise • React – no leading questions – no judgements – explain what you will do next – inform designated teacher – keep in contact • Record – brief notes – date/time/place etc. – be objective – use child’s words – use diagrams • Support– give child time & a safe place – yourself

41. Reporting child abuse – you must do something now Potential barriers to doing something • Fear of getting wrong • Lack of confidence • Not knowing the child • Bad experience when reporting concern in the past • Don’t know who to speak to • Think someone else will do something • Thinking ‘I’ve got to be somewhere else • Believing it doesn’t happen in ‘nice families’ Reasons for reporting • The safety and well being of children is a paramount importance and supersedes all other concerns • Children spend more time in school than in any other place • After parents/carers, the school staff are often the only adult to whom children most relate • Indicators of abuse are likely to be evident in a school setting • Many child abuse inquires have shown a failure to act • You have a duty of care and the law says you must act

42. Action to take • Record (in the child’s words) and report it straight away to your designated teacher • Follow school protocols • The designated teacher will contact Social Services – if the concerns are genuine it must be followed up with a written referral

43. The designated teacher will need to know: • What is the concern? • How the concerns have arisen – what have you seen or heard to make you believe the child may be at risk? • Do you know the child’s name, ethnicity and any disability or special needs? • Are you aware of any other agencies or professionals involved with the child? • Have you discussed the concerns with the parents / carers – if so how did they respond?* • If the child has confided in you what do they want as an outcome? *Concerns must not be shared with parents/carers if this will put the child at risk – especially if the abuse is of a physical or sexual nature

44. Section 7d What would you do if…. 15 minutes

45. Section 8 Case Studies 45 minutes

46. Assessment Framework Triangle Department of Health, Department for Education and Employment and Home Office (2000) Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and their Families. The Stationery Office, London.

47. Section 9 Moving On 15 minutes