Metropolitan Police Child Abuse Investigation Command SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN

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Metropolitan Police Child Abuse Investigation
CommandSAFEGUARDING CHILDREN INNAPPROPRIATE
CHASTISEMENTDS Vicky Washington DC Tina
PearcePartnership Teamvicky.washington_at_met.polic
e.uktina.pearce_at_met.pnn.police.uk020 7161
3851/3813
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WE AIM TO ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS

• When is chastisement inappropriate?
• What is child abuse?
• What is child protection?
• How does this affect me as a parent?
• How does this affect me as a faith leader /
  teacher?

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Parents want the best for their children and to
protect them from harm.

• As children grow and develop, there are times
  when it is appropriate to discipline them.
• Consider
• How do I discipline my child(ren)?
• How do others discipline my child(ren)?
• How does it make my child feel?

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Lawful Chastisement - Section 58 Childrens Act
2004

• IT IS ILLEGAL TO HIT A CHILD - a defence of
  reasonable punishment exists when charged with
  common assault
• There is no defence of reasonable punishment for
  acts of GBH, ABH and CRUELTY

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Assault

• Any intentional or reckless act which causes a
  person to apprehend immediate unlawful force or
  personal violence
• Common Assault
• Actual Bodily Harm (ABH)
• Grevious Bodily Harm (GBH)
• Smacking or otherwise physically chastising a
  child is an assault

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Criminal offences may be committed when there are
injuries such as

• Grazes
• Scratches
• Abrasions
• Minor bruising
• Swelling / reddening of the skin
• Superficial cuts
• The use of implements (belts, slippers, canes,
  tree branches), strikes to the head / face,
  multiple strikes are NOT considered reasonable

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Child Cruelty

• If a person of 16 years who has responsibility
  for a child or young person under 16 WILFULLY
• Assaults, ill-treats, neglects, abandons, exposes
  him/her, or causes or procures him/her to be
  assaulted, ill-treated, neglected, abandoned, or
  exposed
• In a manner likely to cause him unnecessary
  suffering or injury to health, that person is
  guilty of a misdemeanour

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What is child abuse and neglect?

• All ill treatment of children
• Causing harm
• Failing to prevent harm
• Harm ill treatment or the impairment of health
  and development
• Health physical or mental health
• Development physical, intellectual, emotional,
  social or behavioural development

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There are four categories of abuse, which often
overlap

• Emotional
• Physical
• Sexual
• Neglect

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Emotional

• Telling a child they are worthless, unloved,
  inadequate, undervalued
• Making them feel excluded, ashamed, humiliated
• Telling them you expect more of them than they
  able to do (given their age and ability)
• Causing a child to feel frightened or in danger
  (threats of violence towards them, or exposing
  them to violence between others - e.g. domestic
  violence)
• Exploitation / corruption

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Physical

• Hitting - (Strike, thump, slap, knock, beat,
  punch, smack)
• Shaking
• Throwing
• Biting
• Burning / scalding
• Drowning
• Suffocating
• Poisoning

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Sexual

• Forcing or enticing a child or young person to
  take part in sexual activities
• Involving a child in looking at sexual acts
  (penetrative and non penetrative)
• Encouraging a child to behave in sexually
  inappropriate ways

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Neglect

• Persistent failure to meet a childs basic and /
  or psychological needs, likely to result in the
  serious impairment of the childs health and
  development
• Failure to provide adequate food, shelter or
  clothing
• Failure to protect from physical harm or danger
• Failure to access medical care or treatment
• Failure to meet childs basic emotional needs

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WHAT IS CHILD PROTECTION?

• Thresholds of Assessment
• CAF Common Assessment Framework
• S17 Child in Need (CIN)
• S47 Local Authority Duty to Investigate
  (Significant Harm)
• Children act 1989

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S17 Child In Need

• General duty for Local Authority (LA) to
  provide services appropriate to those children's
  needs
• The child is unlikely to achieve or maintain, or
  to have the opportunity of achieving or
  maintaining a reasonable standard of health or
  development without the provision of services by
  a LA
• The childs health and development is likely to
  be significantly impaired or further impaired,
  without provisions of children's social care
• The child is disabled

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S47 Children Act 1989

• Is basically where significant harm or likelihood
  of significant harm is suspected and requires
  investigation either jointly or by single agency

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What is Significant Harm

• Severity of ill treatment
• Duration and frequency of abuse and neglect
• Presence or degree of threat, coercion, sadism,
  bizarre or unusual elements.
• Sometimes a single traumatic event may constitute
  significant harm
• Compilation of events, both acute and long
  standing, significantly impacting on their
  physical and psychological development.

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Children have a right to be protected from harm

• Parents have a right to expect that organisations
  to which they entrust their children are diligent
• Awareness of health and safety issues
• Some professionals might lack knowledge training
  and experience
• Statutory authorities should engage community and
  faith organisations to ensure that all children
  are protected from harm

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What to do if you suspect your child is being
mistreated outside of the home

• REPORT CONCERNS TO POLICE OR SOCIAL SERVICES

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Faith communities should ensure that all staff
and volunteers who have regular contact with
children-

• Have been checked for suitability in working with
  children and understand the extent and limits of
  the volunteer role
• Should have a named safeguarding officer who will
  have the knowledge and skills to support other
  staff and work closely with statutory agencies.

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Para 2.24.24

• Have access to training opportunities to promote
  their knowledge
• Know how to report any concerns about possible
  abuse or neglect procedures in place.
• Are aware of the possibility of child abuse and
  neglect
• Are vigilant about their own actions so they
  cannot be misinterpreted.

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Organisational Responsibility

• The London Safeguarding Children Board has
  produced a document entitled
• "Competence Still Matters Safeguarding training
  for all employees and volunteers"
• This is a guide to the responsibilities of all
  organisations and identifies the training
  requirements for each group
• www.londonscb.gov.uk/training subgroup

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Access Training in Tower Hamlets

• For free advice and training for voluntary and
  community organisation in Tower Hamlets contact
• Cobita
• Telephone [phone]

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What to do if you suspect that a child is at risk

• Clarify what exactly the child is saying
• Do not give undertakings of confidentiality
• Be aware that recordings of incident might be
  used in court proceedings
• You must contact children's social care or the
  police directly if you think the child is at risk
  of immediate harm

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Para 2.24.25

• Faith organisations can seek advice on child
  protection issues from the Churches Child
  Protection Advisory Service (CCPAS).