Guidance for Safer Working Practice

1. GONW and NCVCCO Conference Guidance for Safer Working Practice Linda Richardson Safeguarding Advisor, Government Office North West

3. Provide information, education and training to all Empower children and staff to participate in decision-making Know your legal responsibilities Ensure there are effective procedures for taking protective action and responding to allegations Support and advise all staff and volunteers Building Safer Environments Continually monitor practice Adopt best practice in Recruitment and Selection of Staff Provide clear guidance about acceptable and non acceptable behaviours Develop a Safeguarding Policy Identify and manage risks and dangers in all areas of work Develop and maintain an open and aware culture Understand Safeguarding LR 2003

4. Building a Safer Workforce Referral to ISA Safe Recruitment Practices

5. Why do allegations arise? • Organisational Culture • Accident • Naivety, or poor practice on the part of the individual, who is unaware of the problem • Unintentional or misinformed action • Failure to follow procedures • Deliberate intention to abuse • Allegation arising from Grievance • Care and Control Incident • Malicious Intent

6. What we learnt about many adults working with children and young people • They are often unclear about what is acceptable and unacceptable behaviour and where personal and professional boundaries should lie • Many staff are nervous about becoming the subject of allegations and certain practices e.g. touching children, one to one, intimate care, physical intervention • Staff subject to allegations often express surprise and disbelief that their behaviour has given rise to suspicion or concern and could be considered abusive, harmful, criminal or misconduct • Some staff are not aware of the law and modus operandi of sex offenders

7. Guidance isn’t necessary… said some people.. • Staff are bound by professional codes anyway • It is not possible to legislate for every type of behaviour • An explicit code would be too long and boring to read • Role of management is to supervise professional behaviour • People use ‘common sense’ to govern actions

8. Guidance is necessary said the majority • Assists staff to work safely and professionally • Reduces the burden of assumption • Promotes transparency and minimises ‘grey’ areas • Makes clear implications of not working to code. • Makes clear to everyone what behaviour is expected and what is not acceptable • Clarifies responsibilities of both employer and employees

9. Duty of Care • Employers have duty of care towards staff, requiring provision of a safe working environment and guidance re safe working practice • Staff have a duty to take care of themselves and anyone who may be affected by their actions • Staff have a duty to keep children safe and protect them from harm -partly exercised through respectful, caring, professional relationships Health and Safety at Work Act 1974

10. What is the document? • It is a description of appropriate and non-appropriate behaviours for adults working with children and young people. • It is a tool to support risk management and disciplinary processes • It is also the means by which staff can monitor their own and colleagues’ professional practice.

11. Guidance for Safer Working Practice for Adults who Work with Children and Young People. Nov 2007

12. Contents Definitions Overview Underpinning Principles Introduction Status of Document Criteria of ‘Unsuitability’’ Duty of Care Exercise of Professional Judgement Power and Positions of Trust Confidentiality Propriety and Behaviour Dress and Appearance Personal Living Space Gifts, Rewards and Favouritism Infatuations Social Contact Sexual Contact Physical Contact Behaviour Management Care, Control and Physical Intervention Children/YP in Distress Other Activities that require Physical Contact Respect and Privacy Intimate Care First Aid/Administration of Medication One to One Situations Home Visits Transporting Children/YP Trips and Outings Communication with Children and Young People using Technology Photography and Video Access to Inappropriate Images and Internet Usage Whistleblowing Concerns and Recording Incidents

13. Additional sections may include for e.g. • Showers and changing • Additional Sections may include for e.g. • more detail about informal activities • Additional Sections which could be added • Physical examinations • Additional sections may include for e.g.: • Stop and Search Based on the same format, would a separate document be more useful? • Additional sections may include for e.g. • Residential Care

14. ‘from time to time all adults should reappraise their ways of working with children and young people to ensure they give no grounds for any doubts in the minds of colleagues, parents and the general public…. for the vast majority of adults an agreed code of conduct will serve only to confirm what has always been their practice…

15. ‘Always and absolutely without fail - challenge poor practice or performance. If we ignore or collude with poor practice it makes it harder to sound the alarm when things go wrong’ Sounding the Alarm - Barnardos