Aims of the session

1
Aims of the session

• To build a basic understanding of child
  protection matters likely to be encountered by
  TAs
• To inform TAs what to do if they have concerns
  about children that relate to child protection

OHT RC 4.1
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Section 175 Education Act 2002

• Local Education Authorities and governing bodies
  must make arrangements to ensure that their
  functions
• are exercised with a view to safeguarding and
  promoting the welfare of children.
• Local Education Authorities and governing bodies
  must
• ? have regard to any guidance given from time to
  time by the Secretary of State.

OHT RC 4.2
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Safeguarding

• All agencies working with children, young people
  and their families take all reasonable measures
  to ensure that the risks of harm to childrens
  welfare are minimised.
• Where there are concerns about children and young
  peoples welfare, all agencies take all
  appropriate actions to address those concerns
  working to agreed local policies and procedures.

OHT RC 4.3
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What do we mean by child abuse?

• Abuse is when a child is hurt or harmed by
  another person in a way that causes significant
  harm to that child and which may well have an
  effect on the child's development or well being.

OHT RC 4.4
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Duty to refer

• Through their day-to-day contact with pupils, and
  direct work with families, education staff have a
  crucial role to play in noticing indicators of
  possible abuse or neglect, and in referring
  concerns to the designated senior teacher in
  their school.
• Working Together to Safeguard Children,
  DoH/DfEE/Home Office (1999)

OHT RC 4.5
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Senior designated teacher

• The senior designated teacher
• is responsible for co-ordinating action on child
  protection
• liaises with other agencies about child
  protection concerns and referrals
• offers support and advice to staff who may have
  concerns about children in school.

OHT RC 4.6
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Barriers to diagnosis

• The biggest barrier to diagnosis is the
  existence of emotional blocks in the minds of
  professionals. These can be so powerful that they
  prevent diagnosis even being considered in quite
  obvious cases. All those working with children
  should be warned that their overwhelming impulse
  on confronting their first case is to cover it
  up.
• British Medical Journal (1989)

OHT RC 4.7
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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 feigns the
  symptoms of, or deliberately causes ill health
  to, a child whom they are looking after.

OHT RC 4.8
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Emotional abuse

• Actual or likely adverse effect on the emotional
  and behavioural development of a child under the
  age of 18 years, caused by persistent or severe
  emotional ill-treatment or rejection.

OHT RC 4.9
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Neglect

• Persistent or severe neglect of children under
  the age of 18 years, or the failure to protect a
  child from exposure to any kind of danger.

OHT RC 4.10
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Sexual abuse

• Sexual abuse is the actual or likely sexual
  exploitation of a child or adolescent under the
  age of 18 years by any person. This would
  include any form of sexual activity to which the
  child cannot give true consent either by law or
  because of ignorance, dependence, developmental
  immaturity or fear.

OHT RC 4.11
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Golden rules

• Listen carefully to what the child has to say,
  but do not question them in a way that puts
  words in their mouth.
• It is important to make accurate notes about what
  has been heard, seen or told.
• Concerns should always be made known quickly to
  an appropriate authority, such as the senior
  designated teacher.
• Concerns should not be discussed with parents
  unless part of an agreed strategy.
• A child must not be promised confidentiality
  about any information on abuse they may choose to
  disclose.

OHT RC 4.12
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Useful websites

• www.publications.doh.gov.uk/safeguardingchildren
• www.teachernet.gov.uk/childprotection

OHT RC 4.13