Children Act 2004
The Act places a duty on local authorities to make arrangements through which key agencies co-operate to improve the well-being of children and young people and widen services’ powers to pool budgets in support of this. To ensure that, within this partnership working, safeguarding children continues to be given priority the Act places a responsibility for key agencies to have regard to the need to safeguard children and promote their welfare in exercising their normal functions. It also establishes statutory Local Safeguarding Children Boards to replace the existing non-statutory Area Child Protection Committees. In addition, it provides for regulations to require children’s services authorities to prepare and publish a Children and Young People’s Plan (CYPP) which will set out their strategy for services for children and relevant young people (sections 10, 11, 13-16, 17).
Policies which safeguard
Equality Act 2010
Before 2010, there were many different Acts (laws) and Regulations (rules) in Great Britain which protected against different kinds of discrimination. The Equality Act's goal was to put all of these laws and protections together into one law and make it easier to understand. The Equality Act protects against discrimination because of:
Disability
Race
Religion or belief
This Act safeguards children from bullying at school because it is unacceptable by law to be discriminated because of the facts highlighted above. Because of this act teachers are not for example allowed to discriminate based on a child's race which is therefore a factor towards helping the safeguarding of children.
Online Safety Policy
The purpose of online safety policy is to:
Safeguard and protect all members of the school's community online.
Identify approaches to educate and raise awareness of online safety throughout the community.
Enable all staff to work safely and responsibly, to role model positive behavior online and to manage professional standards and practice when using technology.
Identify clear procedures to use when responding to online safety concerns.
Online Safety Policies help and guide children on how to use the internet. This safeguards children from possible harassment online by educating them on what they should stay far away from online.
Every Child Matters
One of the most important policy initiative which has been introduced and development programmers in relation to children and children's services of the last decade and has been described as a "sea change" to the children and family's agenda is Every child matters. This was published alongside the formal response to the report into the death of Victoria Climbié. Every Child Matters covers children and young adults up to the age of 19, or 24 for those with disabilities. its main aims are for every child, whatever their background or circumstances, to have the support they need to:
stay safe
be healthy
enjoy and achieve
make a positive contribution
achieve economic well-being
The Children's Plan is a ten-year strategy to make England the best place in the world for children and young people to grow up. It places families at the heart of Government policy, the Children's Plan is based around a series of ambitions which cover all areas of children's lives.
The Plan aims to improve educational outcomes for children, improve children's health, reduce offending rates among young people and eradicate child poverty by 2020, thereby contributing to the achievement of the five Every Child Matters outcomes.
1984 Heidi Koseda age- 3 starved to death and found in a cupboard two months later in a locked room in Hillington, west London.
1984 Jasmine Beckford age- 4, was starved and battered to death by her stepfather.
1984 Tyra Henry age- 22 months, died after being battered and bitten by her father.
1986 Kimberley Carlile, age-4, was starved and beaten to death in Greenwich.
1945 Dennis O'Neil, age- 13, was beaten to death by his foster father.
1999 Chelsea Brown, age-2, was battered to death by her father.
1992 Leanne White, age-3, was beaten to death by her stepfather, who made her sleep on the floor.
1973 Maria Colwell age- 7, died in Brighton after being starved and beaten by her stepfather.
2000 Victoria Climbié age- 8, died from hypothermia in a tiny flat in Tottenham, north London, after suffering months of horrific abuse and neglect despite at least 12 chances for the agencies involved in her protection to have saved her.
These examples are just a tiny handful of child abuse cases that have proved fatal in the past years. There are many, many more that I have not mention here. If each agency has done their job properly, these children would still be alive today, they fail to pass on information they fail to keep these children safe, and that became the moment when the state took the side of children. Surely as a society, as a state, must have got the message. They needed to improve legislations. The government finally at 2003 produced legislation known as Every Child Matters.
1.2 Describe the roles of different agencies involved in safeguarding the welfare of children and young people.
Health services
Health visitors are nurses or midwives who are passionate about promoting healthy lifestyles and preventing illness. They work with families to give pre-school-age children the best possible start in life. They are very skilled at working with families to support them through stressful times giving advice and support to mothers on baby and childcare.
Health visitor has important role in working with other organizations to safeguard and protect children. They are trained in recognizing the risk factors, triggers of concern, and signs of abuse and neglect in children. They often are the first to recognize whether a child is at risk of harm, and know whether action needs to be taken, and what should be done to protect them.
Health visitors are also concerned with helping to ensure that people's domestic behaviour is sanitary, hygienic, and beneficial to the welfare of themselves and their families, particularly to their children. As their name suggests, they fulfill their role in the community, by visiting family homes, to give advice and support to all age groups. Health visitor helps parent to learn about being a parent and supports them in their job of raising a healthy and happy child. Furthermore, for child safety they advise parent to be careful not letting dangerous think around house when for the child will be easy to reach like: kettle, knifes, scissors, iron or dangerous chemicals.
Social service
Social services have a statutory obligation to safeguard and promote the welfare of vulnerable children and adults and can provide a wide range of services to children and their parents. Parents often are scared of the involvement of social services because they think that social workers will remove their children from them. These fears are natural but a child will only be removed if there is very clear evidence that they are at risk of significant harm, and there is a court order in place too. If they consider that a child is in immediate danger, the police can take a child into ‘police protection’, but they have to return the child in home within the next 48 hours unless the court makes an Emergency Protection Order (EPO).
Social service has a duty to identify people who needs help. They are responsible for helping individuals, families, and groups of people to resolve and cope with problems in their everyday lives. One group of social workers, clinical social workers, also diagnose and treat mental, behavioral, and emotional issues.
Social workers help people with a wide range of situations, such as adopting a child or being diagnosed with a terminal illness or people with addictions.
Social workers are trained to evaluate and work with clients and families experiencing the effects of Substance Use Disorder, providing clinical services, referral to appropriate programs and resources in order to support the recovery of the client and the family.
Whether a social worker is associated with a school, a hospital, community social services or a rehabilitation centers. Social workers understand what goes on in a drug addict or alcoholic’s mind and what the steps are to getting that person help in the most compassionate, effective way.
Education services
A teacher is a person whose abilities and skillset, knowledge and enthusiasm are crucial in determining the success or otherwise, of the children they teach. In deciding what makes an effective teacher, it is not only their cognitive abilities that are important. The attitudes they have are also important, such as caring, fairness, respect for students, peers, parents and the general community, enthusiasm, motivation, dedication to teaching.
A formal teaching of students is usually carried out by pair professional teachers who have the knowledge and skills required to fulfil their duties in teaching and knowledge to protect the health, safety and welfare of pupils. Teachers play vital roles in the lives of the students in their classrooms. Teachers are taught to look for signs of trouble in the students. When students’ behaviors change or physical signs of abuse are noticed, teachers are required to look into the problem. Teachers must follow faculty procedures when it comes to following up on all signs of trouble. They are trained and know how to respond to concerns and to keep-up-to-date with policy and practice.
Legal and Criminal Services
Police generally charged prevention and detection of crime, protection and assistance of the general public, and the maintenance of public order. Some officers are trained in special duties, such as counter-terrorism, surveillance, child protection.
All police forces have child abuse investigation units (CAIU’s), which normally take primary responsibility for investigating child abuse cases. The police will make the decision whether to proceed with a criminal investigation and, if appropriate, the abuse will be recorded as a criminal offence. There will be less serious cases where, after discussion, it is agreed that the best interests of the child are served by a children’s social care-led intervention rather than a full police investigation
An investigation by the local authority’s child protection team may lead to a child being placed on the child protection register and/or being removed from home if they are considered to still be at risk. Assessments will be carried out on the family in order to establish the level of risk to the child. The child protection team has a duty to discuss the case with police if they believe the abuse constitutes or may constitute a criminal offence.
Voluntary service
Voluntaries for NSPCC have a programme for protecting children against abuse that is called: Speak out stay safe programme.
Volunteers visit local schools giving assemblies to children aged 5-11 and classroom workshops to 9-11-year olds. Their role is very important help them to understand abuse and give them the confidence as well as courage to speak out and seek help if they ever need it. By delivering their programme to at least two schools a month, they making a massive difference.
Childline
Childline is a free 24-hour counselling service for children and young people up to their 19th birthday in the United Kingdom provided by the NSPCC. Childline deals with any issue which causes distress or concern, common issues dealt with include child abuse, bullying, mental illness, parental separation or divorce, pregnancy, substance misuse, neglect, and psychological abuse. Childline's intention is to always keep calls confidential. Childline counsellors take action, however the situation, big or small, if they can help. Counsellors do not record calls but write down case notes of calls and sometimes counselling supervisors may also listen in to calls to make sure that they can help the best they can.
Childline assists the wellbeing of children. This is evident by the fact that an article on The Guardian stated "More than 60 children a day call Childline with suicidal thoughts". This shows that children are being supported through what could be life-threatening decisions. Without Childline these children would have no one to call and therefore could result to extreme cases such as killing themselves.
Kidscape
Kidscape is a London-based charity established in 1985 by child psychologist Michele Elliott. Its focus is on children's safety, with an emphasis on the prevention of harm by equipping children with techniques and mindsets that help them stay safe.
After a 1984–1986 survey of 4000 children, their parents and teachers, it was apparent that the main threat to children came from people known to them – bullies, friends, or family members. Kidscape's Child Protection programmes are now taught UK-wide in thousands of schools and community groups.
Kidscape is also an agency which is involved in safeguarding the welfare of children and young people. This is because their Child Protection Programme is educating people on how to deal with bullying so that it can be prevented. Without this Programme teachers for example could be uneducated on signs that students are being bullied and therefore can't prevent it.
Girlguiding
Girlguiding is the operating name of The Guide Association, previously named The Girl Guides Association and is the national guiding organisation of the United Kingdom. It is the UK's largest girl-only youth organisation. Girlguiding is a charitable organisation. Girlguiding is supported by around 100,000 volunteers.
Girlguiding helps to safeguard the welfare of children and young people by organising a group whereby girls can have the opportunity to get involved in camps and international events, including girl-only festivals. Because of this they are able to create life-long connections which helps in terms of having someone there when they are feeling down. It is also good in terms of their health as all of these activities provoke a healthy lifestyle.
Sports Coaches
Sports coaching in the UK follows a highly structured pattern in principle but is delivered by a workforce which is largely volunteer-based. The safeguarding and protection of children in sport has been a major focus for sports coach UK and the NSPCC for many years. Short workshops on safeguarding are the most popular of all CPD sessions organised by sports coach UK and delivered across the CSP network.
Sports coaches help to safeguard the welfare of children and young people because their workshops help to educate on how to keep children safe whilst they are enjoying sports. This links back to the same principles that Girlguiding follows because whilst promoting a healthy lifestyle Sports Coaches also promotes safeguarding children so that they can play worry-free without having to think about someone possibly bullying them during sports sessions.
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2.2: Safeguarding the welfare of children and young people
1.1 Identify the current legislation, guidelines, policies and procedures for safeguarding the welfare of children and young people including e-safety.
Safeguarding – this term has replaced the term child protection. It includes promoting children’s safety and welfare as well as protecting children from harm. Safeguards should include a child protection policy and procedures for dealing with issues of concern or abuse.
In this unit I will explain how the government change the law during the years for the safety of children's. This includes all procedures designed to prevent harm to a child. Knowing about the legislation, guidelines, policies and procedures for safeguarding the welfare of children and young people including e-safety we can respond better to evidence or concerns that a child or young person has been abused, harmed or bullied.
We will understand our responsibilities to safeguard and protect children as well as identify concerns early and prevent concerns from escalating. The welfare of children is paramount and we have to take their views seriously.
Delivering our safeguarding duties, we will provide a caring, positive, safe and stimulating environment that promotes the social, physical and moral development of the individual child.
Aims of safeguarding are ensuring that children grow up in an environment which provides safe and effective care to give them the best chance of entering adulthood successfully as safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility.
1.Know about the legislation, guidelines, policies and procedures for safeguarding the welfare of children and young people including e-safety.
1.1 Identify the current legislation, guidelines, policies and procedures for safeguarding the welfare of children and young people including e-safety.
Children Act 1989
The Children Act 1989 allocates duties to local authorities, courts, parents, and other agencies in the United Kingdom, to ensure children are safeguarded and their welfare is promoted.
The intention of the legislation is that children's welfare and developmental needs are met, including the need to be protected from harm. Key principles of the Act do reflect certain aspects of the UNCRC; protection from harm, respect for a child's race, culture and ethnicity, parents’ responsibility for bringing up children and for the first time the duty to take account of a child’s wishes and feelings in decisions taken that affect them. the Children Act defines the court’s role in cases involving children the court will always put the best interests of the child first.
Health care professionals, including health visitors, midwives, doctors and other professionals, teachers and other school staff involved with children have a responsibility to pass on to the local authority for any suspicions of child abuse or any concerns about a child. Children are best protected when professionals are clear about what is required of them individually, and how they need to work together.
Local authorities have responsibility for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all children and young people in their area. They have a number of statutory functions under the 1989 Children Acts which make this clear, and this guidance sets these out in detail. This includes specific duties in relation to children in need and children suffering, or likely to suffer, significant harm, regardless of where they are found, under sections 17 and 47 of the Children Act 1989.
Section 47 places local authority under a duty to investigate if a child in their area is suspected of, or likely to be, into one or more of the following categories: is subject of an Emergency Protection Order, is in police protection, is suffering or is likely to suffer significant harm, to decide whether and what type of action is required to safeguard and promote the welfare of a child.
For children who are in need of immediate protection, action must be taken by the Social Worker or the police if removal is required, as soon as possible after the referral has been made to Local Authority, there may be immediate protection whilst the assessment is carried out.
Procedures and systems provide clear step-by-step guidance on what to do in different circumstances and they clarify roles and responsibilities. Systems for recording information and dealing with complaints are also needed to ensure implementation and compliance. Child protection procedures should be linked with the Local Safeguarding Children Board’s procedures. They have a legal duty to act prudently and this means that they must take all reasonable steps within their power to ensure that children are safe and looked after.
Section 17 makes it the general duty of every local authority to safeguard and promote the welfare of children within their area who are in need; and be so far as is consistent with that duty, to promote the upbringing of such children by their families, by providing a range and level of services appropriate to those children’s needs.
For the purposes of this a child shall be taken to be in need if he 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 for him of services by a local authority.
The Education Act 2002
The Education Act 2002 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that gave schools greater autonomy to implement experimental teaching methods.
The act significantly amended legislation relating to academies, publicly funded schools operating outside of local government control and with a significant degree of autonomy areas such as wages and digressing from the national curriculum. Academies were originally set up under the Learning and Skills Act 2000 under the name "city academies" and were renamed to "academies" by this act.
Schools which have innovative ideas to improve education but are prevented by an existing law from implementing them, will be able to apply for exemption from that law.
Schools which demonstrate a high standard of teaching will be given exemption national controls such as the national curriculum, agreements on teachers' pay and conditions and the way the scheduling of the school day and terms.
The act imposes various minimum standards for independent schools in areas such as health and safety and space requirements.
Under the Education Act 2002 schools must make arrangements to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and to provide a safe and welcoming environment where children are respected and valued.
All staff at school will therefore be alert to signs of abuse and neglect and will follow the Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB) procedures to ensure that children receive appropriate and effective support and protection.
Parents and guardians should know that the law requires all school staff to pass on information which gives rise to a concern about a child’s welfare and that records of welfare concerns may be kept about their child. School staff will seek, in general, to discuss any concerns with parents/guardians, including referrals to other agencies. However, in situations where the child is suspected to be at risk of harm, the law says that schools may take advice from other agencies without informing parents/guardians. Information will only be shared with other services where it is deemed necessary to ensure that children and young people are safe and receive the right service.