Sexual Abuse: Sexual abuse involves forcing or enticing a child or young person to take part in sexual activities, not necessarily involving a high level of violence, whether or not the child is aware of what is happening. It may involve: • physical contact, including assault by penetration (rape or oral sex), or • non-penetrative acts such as masturbation, kissing, rubbing and touching outside of clothing • non-contact activities such as involving children looking at or in the production of sexual images • watching sexual activities or • encouraging children to behave in sexually inappropriate ways or • grooming a child in preparation for abuse (including via the internet) Sexual abuse is not solely perpetrated by adult males. Women can also commit acts of sexual abuse, as can other children. Cyber-bullying involves the use of information and communication technologies to support deliberate, repeated, and hostile behaviour by an individual or group that is intended to harm others. New technologies have become central to modern life. They make it possible for people across the to have instant communication with one another. They allow for the rapid retrieval and collation of information from a wide range of sources and provide a powerful stimulus for creativity. People may discuss sensitive topics which, face to face, they might find difficult. However, these technologies are also potentially damaging. They can enable children and young people to access harmful and inappropriate materials. Those they engage with may not be directly known to them and because of the anonymity offered by the internet children and young people may be harmed or exploited. It is important to familiarise yourself with local E-safety processes: • Policies, procedures and practices • Education, training and information Peer Abuse: Peer Abuse can be defined as one who brings mistreatment, insult or deception in excessive amounts to another individual of the same peer group. This is done physically, mentally, emotionally or sexually.
Vulnerable Parents: Many families can suffer challenges in bringing up their children in warm, loving and supportive environments. Parenting capacity can be compromised through parental mental illness, learning disability, substance misuse and domestic violence. Sometimes practitioners may have limited or no contact with children. In these circumstances practitioners need to maintain a Child-Focused Approach and keep a strong focus on the outcomes intended for children and young people, which is central to delivering a child focused approach. Whistle Blowing: If in doubt contact your nominated safeguarding children lead or your Named/Designated Nurse for Safeguarding Managing Allegations: Despite all efforts to recruit safely there will be occasions when allegations of abuse against children are raised. The allegations may relate to the person’s behaviour at work, at home or in another setting. All allegations of abuse of children by those who work with children must be taken seriously. Allegations against people who work with children, whether in a paid or unpaid capacity, cover a wide range of circumstances. If you are aware of a person who works with children and has: • Behaved in a way that has harmed a child or may have harmed a child • Possibly committed a criminal offence against or related to a or • Behaved towards a child in a way that indicates he/she is unsuitable to work with children All such allegations made against adults working with children must be referred to the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) who provides advice and guidance to employers and voluntary organisations, liaises with the police and agencies and monitors the progress of cases to ensure that they are with as quickly as possible consistent with a thorough and fair process. Local Safeguarding Children Boards (LSCBs) will have arrangements in place for monitoring and evaluating their effectiveness of the above.
AAssseessssmmeent off Neeeedd/MMaanagemeennttooffRRisiksk Assessment Framework Triangle health • education • emotional • & behavioural development • identity • • basic care • ensuring safety • emotional warmth • stimulation • guidance & boundaries family & social • afeg rdi g • stability relationships • social • presentation & p o f ti g selfcare skills • fa ily & environmental factors
Looked After Children Children looked after are by definition children that are cared for by the local authority. The term ‘looked after children and young people’ refers to children and young people who may be accommodated under a voluntary agreement with their parents or their own, under section 20 (2) (I) of the Children Act (1989) or an Emergency Protection Order under Section 44 of the Children Act (1989). If new information is received a child who is looked after where there are concerns or he/she is likely to be suffering from significant harm, a decision should be made in consultation with children’s social care about whether a strategy discussion is held. Children with Disabilities The available UK evidence suggests that disabled children are at increased risk of and that the presence of multiple disabilities appears to increase the risk of both abuse and neglect. Disabled children may be especially vulnerable to abuse for a number of reasons: • Increased risk of being socially isolated with fewer outside contacts than non- disabled children • Their dependency on parents and carers for practical assistance in daily living, including intimate personal care, increases their risk of exposure to abusive behaviour • They have an impaired capacity to resist or avoid abuse Safeguards for disabled children are essentially the same as for non-disabled children. Children who go missing from Home/Care The terms ‘young runaway’ and ‘missing’ in this context refer to children and young people up to the age of 18 years who have run away from their home or care placement, have been forced to leave or whose whereabouts are unknown. Children who decide to run away are unhappy, vulnerable and in danger. As well as risks to their immediate safety, there are longer term implications as well with children and young people who run away being less likely to fulfil their potential and live happy, healthy and economically productive lives as adults. Children at risk of Sexual Exploitation Children and young people who are sexually exploited are the victims of child sexual abuse and their needs require careful assessment. This group may include children who have been sexually abused through the misuse of technology, coerced into sexual activity by criminal gangs or the victim of trafficking.
It is important that people remain confident that their personal information is kept safe and secure and that practitioners maintain the privacy rights of the individual, whilst sharing information to deliver better services. You must use your professional judgement to decide whether to share information or not and what information is appropriate to share. are seven golden rules for information sharing: 1. Remember that the Data Protection Act 1998 is not a barrier to sharing information 2. Be open and honest with the person (and/or their family where appropriate) at the outset about why, what, how and with whom information will or could be shared and seek their agreement unless it is unsafe or inappropriate to do so. 3. Seek advice if you are in any doubt without disclosing the identity of the person where possible 4. with consent where appropriate and, where possible, respect the wishes of those who do not consent to share confidential information. You may still share information without consent if, in your judgement, that lack of consent can be overridden in public interest. You will need to base your judgement on the facts of the case 5. Consider safety and well of the person and others who may be affected by their actions 6. Necessary, proportionate, relevant, accurate, timely and secure 7. Keep a record of your decision and the reasons for it. Record what you have shared, with whom and for what purpose Gillick Competency/Fraser Guidelines When working with young people practitioners should use Gillick Competencies/Fraser Guidelines. These are in place to help assess whether a child has the maturity to make their own decisions and to understand the implications of decisions. The child must be capable of making a reasonable assessment of the advantages and disadvantages of the treatment proposed, so the consent, if given, can be properly and fairly described as true consent.