Understanding Child Protection Disclosure: Best Practices for Professionals

CHILD PROTECTION DISCLOSURE s. hulme

DISCLOSURE THIS PRESENTATION DEALS WITH THE FOLLOWING : • WHAT DISCLOSURE IS • HOW DISCLOSURE MIGHT HAPPEN • WHAT YOU SHOULD DO s. hulme

WHAT IS DISCLOSURE? • DIRECT DISCLOSURE = WHEN YOU ARE TOLD DIRECTLY THAT ABUSE IS HAPPENING • INDIRECT DISCLOSURE = WHEN SOMETHING MAKES YOU SUSPECT ABUSE IS HAPPENING s. hulme

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 s. hulme

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 s. hulme

OBSERVATIONS GOOD PRACTICE = KEEPING ACCURATE RECORDS • CHILD DEVELOPMENT RECORDS CAN REVEAL A PATTERN • RECORDS MAY REVEAL A CHANGE IN THE CHILD’S BEHAVIOUR • OBSERVING PARENTS WITH CHILDREN TELLS YOU A GREAT DEAL ABOUT THE CHILD s. hulme

OBSERVATIONS:WHAT 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 s. hulme

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 s. hulme

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 s. hulme

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 s. hulme

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 s. hulme

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 s. hulme

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 s. hulme

WHEN CHILDREN SAY SOMETHING SUPPORT AND REASSURE • SUPPORT THE CHILD BY LISTENING • FOLLOW THE CHILD’S LEAD • GIVE REASSURANCE IF NEEDED E.G. “NO, I’M NOT CROSS WITH YOU” • DON’T 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 s. hulme

WHEN CHILDREN SAY SOMETHING SUPPORT AND REASSURE • DON’T 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 s. hulme

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 s. hulme

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 s. hulme

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 s. hulme

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 s. hulme

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

Understanding Child Protection Disclosure: Best Practices for Professionals

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