Unit 025 Understand How to Safeguard the Wellbeing of Children and Young People. Outcome 1 Understand the Main Legislation, Guidelines, Policies and Procedures for Safeguarding Children and Young People.

Through this Act some key provisions introduced; Children’s Trusts were created, Local Safeguarding Children’s Boards (LSCB) were set up and all agencies had a duty to safeguard and promote child

Children Act 2006 – Is an Act that defines the new duties imposed on the Local Authorities in respect to improving the Every Child Matters outcomes for pre-school children. The Act also defines new rules in relation to childcare for working parents as well as parental information services. It is aimed at improving the well-being of young children. It emphasises the importance of safeguarding children and young people within an educational setting. If a child discloses neglect or abuse; an establishment should have instructions to help the child. This could be referral to an outside organisation or internally.

Section 17 – States that services should be put into place to ‘safeguard and promote the welfare of children within the (local authority) area who are in need’.

Following these proposals from Lord Laming, there have been developments in legislation and policy, which involve children’s welfare, one of which was the Green Paper of Every Child Matters (ECM) (DfES, 2003), a pre legislative document from the government of the day. This built upon existing plans to strengthen preventative services using the four key themes of: support, early intervention, problems addressed in the Victoria Climbie case and ensuring adults working with children are trained. The ECM Green Paper was the basis of a consultation between professionals, parents, cares and children about how the services for young people were working. Following from this, the government developed and parliament passed the Children Act

This is vital for early identification and intervention and a core element to safeguarding and protecting children who are vulnerable, at risk including those who have a disability or additional support needs in line with the Equality Act (2010)

Children Act 1989 – Protecting children’s welfare and to provide services according to the specific needs of children.

1.1 outline current legislation, guidelines, policies and procedures within own UK home nation affecting the safeguarding of children and young people.

Child Act 1989- “the Children Act 1989 aimed to ensure that the welfare of the child was paramount, working in partnership with parents to protect the child from harm” http://www.careandthelaw.org.uk/eng/b_section2 appendix 3

Children’s Act 1989: Identifies the responsibilities of parents and professionals who must work to ensure the safety and welfare of the child/young person. Two important sections included in the act are:

The children act 1989 has influenced some settings by bringing together several sets of guidance and provided the foundation for many of the standards practitioners sustain and maintain when working with children. The act requires that settings work together in the best interests of the child and form partnerships with parents or carers. It requires settings to have appropriate adult to child ratios and policies and procedures on child protection. This act has had an influence in all areas of practice from planning a curriculum and record keeping. The every child matters framework has

This Children and Young Persons Act (2008) increases quality of care for children and young people up to the age of 18years old, ensuring every child’s voice is heard.

Keeping in mind data protection, be aware of what is going on in a child’s life and any changes that may affect their behaviour

Section 17 of the Children Act 1989 places a duty on local authorities to safeguard and promote the welfare of children in need and to promote the upbringing of children by their families, so far as this is consistent with their welfare duty to the child, by providing an appropriate range and level of services. A child in need is one who is disabled, or unlikely either to achieve a reasonable standard of health or whose health or development will suffer unless services are provided.

This Act, which regulates the childcare in England, formalise the important strategic role of local authorities play through a set of duties. These duties require

The main current legislation guidelines policies and procedures within own UK home nation for safeguarding children and young people.