Child_Protection

All schools should create and maintain a safe atmosphere for pupils and deal with circumstances where there are child wellbeing concerns. Though their child protection policies and procedures for safeguarding pupils, schools play an important role in the prevention of abuse and neglect. As a Teaching Assistant I have contact with individual pupils on a daily basis and so I have a vital role to play in detecting indicators of possible abuse. Most pupils view their school as neutral territory where they may feel more capable to talk with and adult they trust about what is happening to them. I must report any concerns to the relevant person and it will be the schools responsibility to refer any concerns to the appropriate agency. As a Teaching Assistant I need to be aware of the signs of possible abuse, to whom I should report any concerns and also school’s child protection policy and procedures.” Procedures on child protection should be in place as a matter of good practice.”(quote….) Signs and symptoms of Emotional abuse: • Child that doesn’t create much progress • When children indicate through words and body language that they think they are worthless, stupid or unattractive. • Blame themselves • Very distressed by their mistakes • Harm themselves • Difficult to make friends • Mistrusting adults Signs and symptoms of Physical abuse: • Fingertip bruising • Bruising on face or head • Linear burns • Inappropriate history explanation-to the injury-age of the child • Inappropriate parent-carer reaction • Variable history explanation Signs and symptoms of Neglect: • Low self-esteem • Dirty/smelly appearance • Constantly late or poor attendance • Poor diet • Gives appearance of being fairly independent • Untreated health problems Signs and symptoms of Sexual abuse: • Mood changes, tantrums, aggression • Insecurity • Withdrawn, secretive • Sexualised behaviour • Self harm • Anxiety, depression, despair How to deal with a disclosure: ➢ Keep calm ➢ State that I believe the child ➢ Give positive messages ➢ Ensure the child understands they are not to blame ➢ Do not question the child ➢ Reassure the child that you will protect and support them ➢ Never promise to keep secrets ➢ Follow the procedures set down in your workplace for reporting and investigating the abuse ➢ Make an immediate timed dated and signed record of the conversation ➢ Tell the designated person for child protection as soon as possible on the same day Steps to take after a disclosure: Step 1 – Initial concern and referral Child protection concerns can be communicated to the local social services department, police or the local NSPCC. Step 2- Initial inquiries and strategy Any concerns are checked carefully. A decision has to be made whether the inquiries will be made by the social services police or NSPCC social worker. Step 3- Investigation and assessment A full investigation has to be carried out after the strategy meeting and before the child protection conference. Step 4- The child protection conference A decision of whether or not to place child’s name on the child protection register. The child protection conference brings together any professionals with relevant information to share. The professionals can be: ✓ Social worker ✓ Residential social worker ✓ Foster carer ✓ Family centre worker ✓ Police ✓ Medical professional ✓ Teacher ✓ Probation department ✓ Local NSPCC social worker ✓ Local authority legal department Step 5- Meetings of the core group Developing the child protection plan implementing the child protection plan monitoring child’s interests. Step 6- Reviews Happens every 6 months to decide if the child’s name should remain on the register. Definitions of Abuse: Physical Abuse: Physical abuse may involve: hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning, scalding, drowning, suffocating or otherwise origin physical harm to a child. Physical harm may also be caused when a parent or carer simulates the symptoms of, or intentionally causes ill health to a child whom they are looking after. This situation is frequently described using the term factitious illness by proxy. Neglect: Neglect is the persistent disappointment to meet a child’s basic physical and psychological requirements, likely to end in the serious impairment of the child’s health or progress. It may involve a parent or carer failing to supply adequate food, shelter and clothing, failing to protect a child from physical harm or danger, or the failure to ensure access to appropriate medical care or treatment. It may also include neglect of, or indifference to, a child’s basic emotional needs. Emotional Abuse: Emotional abuse is the constant emotional ill treatment of a child such as to cause cruel and determined undesirable effects on the child’s emotional development. It may involve turning over to children that they are insignificant or unloved, inadequate or value only as far as they meet the needs of another person. It may aspect age or developmentally undesirable expectations being forced on children. It may involve causing children regularly to feel frightened or in danger, or the abuse or corruption of children. Some level of emotional abuse is involved in all types of ill treatment of a child, although it may happen alone. Sexual Abuse: Sexual abuse involves forcing or inviting a child or young person to take part in sexual activities, whether or not the child is conscious of what is happening. The activities may involve physical contact, including penetrative or non-penetrative acts. They may include non contact actions such as relating children in looking at, or in the protection of, pornographic material or watching sexual acts or encouraging children to behave in sexually unsuitable behaviour. As an early year’s practitioner responding to a call from the teacher, what would your thoughts be about the next step' In this case study we can evidently see that Harriet is emotionally abused by her mother. Ruth obviously has problems handle being a single mother and that shows in the way that Harriet says that she handle her at home. Her depression can also be a reaction of her personals problems. Ruth is unloading her anger in her children. When Harriet makes the disclosure to her teacher her main concern is that her mother doesn’t know that she complained about her to the teacher. The fact that Harriet feels terrified by her mother reactions is a clear sign that she is being suffering from abuse.