CHILD PROTECTION

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CHILD PROTECTION
DISCLOSURE
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DISCLOSURE
THIS PRESENTATION DEALS WITH THE FOLLOWING

• WHAT DISCLOSURE IS
• HOW DISCLOSURE MIGHT HAPPEN
• WHAT YOU SHOULD DO

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WHAT IS DISCLOSURE?

• DIRECT DISCLOSURE WHEN YOU ARE TOLD DIRECTLY
  THAT ABUSE IS HAPPENING
• INDIRECT DISCLOSURE WHEN SOMETHING MAKES YOU
  SUSPECT ABUSE IS HAPPENING

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WHAT IS DISCLOSURE?

• DISCLOSURE CAN BE FULL THE CHILD TELLS YOU
  EVERYTHING INCLUDING NAMES
• DISCLOSURE CAN BE PARTIAL THE CHILD TELLS YOU
  PART OF WHAT IS HAPENING

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EXAMPLES OF DISCLOSURE

• A PATTERN SEEN THROUGH OBSERVATIONS
• THE CHILD SAYS OR DOES SOMETHING THAT CATCHES
  YOUR ATTENTION
• THE CHILD TELLS YOU
• A PARENT OR CARER CONFIDES IN YOU
• CONCERN OF OTHERS

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OBSERVATIONS

• GOOD PRACTICE KEEPING ACCURATE RECORDS
• CHILD DEVELOPMENT RECORDS CAN REVEAL A PATTERN
• RECORDS MAY REVEAL A CHANGE IN THE CHILDS
  BEHAVIOUR
• OBSERVING PARENTS WITH CHILDREN TELLS YOU A GREAT
  DEAL ABOUT THE CHILD

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OBSERVATIONSWHAT TO DO NEXT

• FOLLOW THE SETTINGS POLICY AND PROCEDURES FOR
  CHILD PROTECTION BY
• REPORTING YOUR CONCERNS TO THE DESIGNATED CHILD
  PROTECTION PERSON
• RECORDING YOUR CONCERNS

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WHEN ADULTS SAY SOMETHING

• PARENTS MAY TELL YOU THEY HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT
  THEIR OWN CHILD
• PARENTS CONCERNS MAY BE ABOUT THEMSELVES, A
  FAMILY MEMBER, A FRIEND OR STAFF IN THE SETTING
• PARENTS MAY SAY SOMETHING IN PASSING THAT ALERTS
  YOU

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WHEN ADULTS SAY SOMETHING

• PARENTS MAY HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT ANOTHER CHILD OR
  THEIR FAMILY, OR ABOUT A MEMBER OF STAFF
• OTHER ADULTS SUCH AS A SPEECH THERAPIST OR A
  CHILD PSYCHOLOGIST MAY DISCUSS CONCERNS WITH YOU
• CONCERNED ADULTS SUCH AS A NEIGHBOUR MAY PHONE A
  SCHOOL ABOUT THEIR WORRIES

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WHEN ADULTS SAY SOMETHING

• FOLLOW THE SETTINGS POLICY AND PROCEDURES FOR
  CHILD PROTECTION BY
• REPORTING WHAT HAS BEEN SAID TO THE DESIGNATED
  CHILD PROTECTION PERSON
• RECORDING YOUR CONVERSATIONS
• ADVISING THE ADULT THAT THEIR CONCERNS WILL BE
  DEALT WITH

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WHEN CHILDREN SAY SOMETHING

• A CHILD MAY TELL YOU THEY ARE WORRIED ABOUT
  SOMETHING AT HOME
• A CHILD MAY TELL YOU THEY ARE WORRIED ABOUT A
  PARTICULAR PERSON

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WHEN CHILDREN SAY SOMETHING
LISTEN

• IT MAY SEEM LIKE A SMALL EVENT A CHILD MAY
  SAY SOMETHING AND STOP TO JUDGE YOUR REACTION
• GIVE THE CHILD YOUR FULL ATTENTION
• LISTEN TO THE WORDS AND THE WAY THEY ARE USING
  THEM
• OBSERVE THEIR BODY LANGUAGE

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WHEN CHILDREN SAY SOMETHING
QUESTIONING

• DO NOT CROSS-QUESTION CHILDREN ARE SUGGESTIBLE,
  THEY MAY TELL YOU WHAT THEY THINK YOU WANT TO
  HEAR
• ASKING LOTS OF QUESTIONS PUTS PRESSURE ON THE
  CHILD
• USE OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS
• USE A QUESTON THAT REPEATS PART OF WHAT THE CHILD
  HAS SAID

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WHEN CHILDREN SAY SOMETHING
SUPPORT AND REASSURE

• SUPPORT THE CHILD BY LISTENING
• FOLLOW THE CHILDS LEAD
• GIVE REASSURANCE IF NEEDED E.G. NO, IM NOT
  CROSS WITH YOU
• DONT CRITICISE THE ABUSER THE CHILD MAY HAVE
  STRONG FEELINGS FOR THEM
• TELL THE CHILD YOU WANT TO HELP THEM, THEY WERE
  RIGHT TO TELL YOU

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WHEN CHILDREN SAY SOMETHING
SUPPORT AND REASSURE

• DONT ASK WHY QUESTIONS, THEY PUT THE CHILD ON
  THE SPOT
• NEVER PROMISE TO KEEP IT A SECRET YOU HAVE TO
  TELL SOMEONE THE CHILD HAS TRUSTED YOU SO FAR,
  LYING TO THEM WILL MAKE THEM DISTRUSTFUL OF YOU

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WHEN CHILDREN SAY SOMETHING

• FOLLOW THE SETTINGS POLICY AND PROCEDURES FOR
  CHILD PROTECTION BY
• REPORTING WHAT HAS BEEN SAID TO THE DESIGNATED
  CHILD PROTECTION PERSON
• RECORDING YOUR CONVERSATION

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WHEN CHILDREN SAY SOMETHING
MAKE A RECORD

• MAKE A RECORD THE SAME DAY, INCLUDE
• WHEN WHERE YOU SPOKE / WERE YOU ALONE?
• DID ANYONE ELSE CONTRIBUTE?
• WHAT THE CHILD SAID BE AS ACCURATE AS POSSIBLE
• YOU MAY RECORD YOUR IMPRESSIONS AND OPINIONS BUT
  YOU MUST BACK THEM UP WITH REASONS
• KEEP TO THE FACTS DO NOT GUESS OR SPECULATE
  ABOUT FEELINGS, POSSIBLE ABUSERS OR MAKE
  JUDGEMENTS

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IS IT TRUE?

• CHILDREN ARE UNLIKELY TO LIE ABOUT ABUSE,
  ESPECIALLY IF THEY ARE ACUSING SOMEONE CLOSE TO
  THEM, BUT THERE HAVE BEEN SOME CASES
• YOU MUST TAKE SERIOUSLY ANYTHING THAT IS SAID TO
  YOU BY THE CHILD
• YOU MUST NOT BE DISMISSIVE
• REMEMBER, CHILDREN MAY NOT BE GIVING AN ACCURATE
  DESCRIPTION OF WHAT HAS HAPPENED THEY TELL IT
  HOW THEY SEE IT

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WHY CHILDREN MIGHT SAY NOTHING

• THEY MAY NOT HAVE THE LANGUAGE TO EXPRESS
  THEMSELVES
• ADULTS MAY NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT THE CHILD IS
  TELLING THEM DUE TO AGE OR DISABILITY
• CHILDREN MAY HAVE BEEN THREATENED, PHYSICALLY OR
  EMOTIONALLY
• CHILDREN MAY ASSUME WHAT IS HAPPENING IS NORMAL
• THEY MAY FEEL THEY DESERVE IT
• YOU MAY NOT BE LISTENING WHEN THE CHILD SAYS
  SOMETHING A THROW AWAY COMMENT IF YOU DISMISS
  IT, THE CHILD MIGHT NOT BOTHER SAYING ANYTHING
  ELSE

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DISCLOSURE
REMEMBER YOU MUST DEAL WITH YOUR OWN FEELINGS
AND EMOTIONS TOO. TALK WITH A TRUSTED COLLEAGUE
OR PROFESSIONALS SUCH AS THE NSPCC