Child Protection Training

1. Child Protection Training The Designated Child Protection Teacher

2. The BIG Picture • Reduction in child deaths nationally since national training began • 200 cases a year referred by schools in Ealing . Don’t know what we don’t know. NSPCC data ,1 in 9 ? • School staff, teaching and non-teaching, uniquely placed to spot possible abuse. • SEN,LAC, FSM, EAL, CiN, • Likely to come across cases in course of professional life

3. Legal Framework • School’s duty is to refer cases where investigation may be needed. Only social services and police can investigate . Education must co-operate. • Children Act 1989 and 2004 and Every Child Matters • “Working Together “ • DFES circular Safeguarding and safer recruitment 2007. Key Guidance. • Separate C P section in all school Ofsted reports …..and a limiting judgement

4. Key Tasks for Schools • A child Protection policy and procedure, reviewed annually.( model policy at teachernet ) • A designated child protection teacher • Safe recruitment procedures. National training for heads and governors. • Training for designated teacher( every 2 years),whole school (every 3 years)and Governing Body. • Curriculum, listening culture,recording systems.

5. Key Role of Designated Teacher • The back of the wardrobe • Where everybody knows your name • map reading • Knowing me ,knowing you, ah ha!

6. Thresholds • Section 47 of the Children Act • Is it a CiN or is it SAFE ? • Time for a CAF • Ealing’s Guidance document

7. What is child abuse • Most things are not, but how to distinguish normal marks,behaviour changes,and children in need from the early signs of abuse? • Children Act identifies significant harm in 4 areas .They may overlap. • Physical ,sexual, emotional, and neglect. • Role of ethnicity,culture,social class,personal experience

8. Issues. • Parents rights. • Social ambivalence. • Never did me any harm • Sexual pre-occupation • Drip feed ,testing out, listening,example of other children. • CHILD’S WELFARE PARAMOUNT IS THE FIRST PRINCIPLE OF THE CHILDREN ACT

9. Signs and Symptoms • Trust gut feelings, get the wider picture, always consult. • Sexual abuse:disclosures,age inappropriate sexual knowledge • Neglect: hungry, wrong clothing,smelly. • Emotional: scapegoating,”low warmth high criticism”. Frozen child. • Physical: frequency,vulnerable areas of the body,marks?, changing/different explanations,adults state of mind drunk or drug abusing. • Disclosures. Leading or Clarifying ?

10. Why Can Concerns be Missed • Child may be intimidated, loyal, not know any different. • Adults may worry about mistakes,parents rights.Identify with the stress . • Making it worse, • Breaking up families (less that 1% of children referred are removed from home ) • Reprisals. Legal security,physical safety, • Too understanding!

11. Causes and their Treatment • Causes. Stress ,family psychology, dangerous people. • Treatment. • Reduce stress with support and monitoring • Skilled psychological treatment of family dynamics • Lock up and treat dangerous offenders

12. Outcomes • Outcome. Very good. Almost all children get an effective support package and come off the child protection register. Less that 1 % removed from home.Adults who were ill treated report that help was effective.

13. Training • Requirements for training set out in DCSF guidance , and ofsted inspected • Resourcs ECSB multi agency brochure,Schools service training brochure,commercial offers

14. Policy • Dcsf and Ofsted requirement to have a policy . • Content of a policy at appendix 3 of ofsted inspection guidance ( Sept 09 ) • Model Policy on Teachernet

15. Parents • Second Principle of the children act is “work co-operatively with parents” • Tell the parent about the referral unless it puts the child at risk. • Decide with the social worker on who will say what and when to the parent. • School has to talk to parent at some stage as usually a relationship will continue. A task for senior management.

16. Disclosures • School is one of the few if only place where pupils can disclose harm • A listening culture and multiple avenues for disclosure are needed • Staff may be tested with minor issues • Information may be released in “installments “ • Confidentiality cannot be promised, even if the incident was in the past • Record and discuss with designated teacher asap

17. Confidentiality • No promise but a commitment to involve child in all that happens • Explain the need to protect the pupil • Age appropriate discussion • Over emphasise and child may not disclose. • Staff may feel uncomfortable • In high school other pupils will be influenced to disclose or not by experience of peers

18. Recording • A separate cp file and a separate legal status • Contains all papers …from a note of a teacher’s concern to conference minutes • Index at front of file, all papers in date order • Keep securely and a system to ensure other staff know of the file when needed. • LAC , SEN, files to be up to date

19. Recording continued • When a child leaves a school either at normal transition date or in year the designated teacher must ensure that a copy of any child protection file is passed onto the designated teacher at the child’s new schoo • Files may contain notes of any review of the pupils progress undertaken at school . l • Files should include a note on which staff are told about a pupil’s case and why and any role they are to take in the response to the concern.

20. From suspicion ,to concern ,to referral ,to plan . • Listening to staff. • Reaching out to staff. Where everyone knows your name.Role of Designated tea • Recording • Getting the wider picture. • Organising information • Child protection advisers

21. From suspicion ,to concern ,to referral ,to plan. • Who are you going to call. Call centre and social workers • Referral form • Case conference . Report form. • Core groups . A multi-agency plan • Reviews • Trouble Shooting

22. Sex and Drugs and Rock an Roll • Allegations against staff • Private fostering • Female Genital Mutilation • Domestic Violence • Drug misuse • Forced Marriage • Sexual exploitation • Teenage Pregnancy • Internet