Working Together To Safeguard Children

The 2nd Joint Chief Inspectors Report defined safeguarding children and young people as the act of taking reasonable measures to ensure that the threats of harm to children & young people’s welfare are diminished by all those who work with children. The document expressed that all agencies involve with the provision of services to children and young people should take appropriate actions to raise and address issues of concerns whilst working to agreed local policies and procedures established by Local Safeguarding Children Board, and in partnership with other local agencies to safeguard a child or young person. (CQC

This helps practitioner’s work together for the welfare of children. It promotes the Every Child Matters outcomes to reinforcing how important it is for all child careers to work together.

For child protection to work effectively we must ensure we have good inter relationships with other agencies and good co-operation from professionals that are competent in responding to child protection situations. A procedure for recording concerns and incidents if a child discloses information that concerns his/her welfare; We must make a record of exactly what the child has said in their words and report it to a safeguarding officer, ensuring that these records are kept confidential and separated from pupil’s records. Guidance on confidentiality and sharing; the head teacher or safeguarding officer will only disclose personal information concerning a child to other members of staff on a need to know basis, however all staff must be aware that they have a responsibility to share information with other agencies.

1. The Children Act 1989 - 2004 is the most relevant legislation for safeguarding children and young people’s welfare. It was first made to give boundaries and support for local authorities for the welfare of children. The act then also made changes to the law that are regulated for children and their safety if they are in foster homes, adoption agencies, babysitting services and also handling childcare crimes and crimes against children. The children act’s main purpose is to ensure that the UK is a safer for children and young people and improve their wellbeing. It provides support and help to children of all ages, and backgrounds, and if they have a

Unit 69 – Understand safeguarding of children and young people for those working in the adult sector (Level 5)

As there are a number of different agencies which may be involved when working in the context of safeguarding, it is important that they communicate and work in partnership to ensure the safety and protection of children. Each area of expertise may need to have an input in any one case and each should be considered when discussing issues around safeguarding. A working party or ‘team around the child’ meeting may be called involving a number of agencies in order to discuss how to move forward in the best interests of the child. Different organisations involved in safeguarding are: social services, the NSPCC, health visitors, GPs, the probation service, the police, schools, the psychology service. When it comes to safeguarding, children are best protected when professionals know what is required of them and how they work together. This means that everyone who works with children has a responsibility for keeping them safe which involves identifying concerns, sharing information and taking prompt action. To carry this out effectively professionals need to work in partnership with each other.

Physical abuse is when a child is physically hurt . Hitting, beating, throwing, shaking are all physical abuse.

To identify multi agency success where there are concerns with regards to safeguarding issues. Within childcare practice we must be aware that we have a clear and defined role in relation to child protection. Professionals working with children/young people i.e. teaching assistants, volunteers, outside agencies are CRB checked (criminal records bureau). Adults working with children should also be fully trained in safeguarding children by a nominated safeguarding adviser and have the opportunity to receive training in order to develop their understanding of the signs and indicators of abuse or neglect, this training is offered every 3 years. In order for child protection to work effectively we must ensure we have good inter relationships with other agencies and good

Guidelines: Working Together to Safeguard Children 2010, What to do if you’re worried that a child is being abused 2006,

Decision made by an agency with Statutory Child Protection Powers (Police, LA or NSPCC) that emergency action may be necessary to safeguard child

Professionals within different agencies and organisations all have specific responsibilities regarding safeguarding of children and young people. The concept of integrated working involves everyone who works with children and young people, and is a central part of Working Together to Safeguard Children (2013).

Working Together to safeguard children 2015 is a statutory guidance and says ‘’specific duties in relation to children’s need and children suffering, or likely to suffer, significant harm.’’ (Gov.uk)

According to the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment and Adoption Reform Act, child abuse is “the physical or mental injury, sexual

In this paper, childhood psychological abuse will be referred to as acts of commission or omission towards a child by the primary caregiver which involves risk of causing potential harm or substantial harm to the child’s health, survival or development (Child Family Community Australia (CFCA), 2015 & WHO, 2017). More specifically physical abuse is an act of violence with the use of intentional physical force resulting in a non-accidental injury or physical trauma (Department of Communities, Child Safety & Disability, 2017 and NSPCC, 2017). Physical abuse occurs in a variety of forms including; hitting, shaking, throwing objects, burning, biting, slapping, kicking, punching and strangling (NPCC, 2017) causing severe injury and long-lasting implications (NSPCC,2017).

Another form of inflicting harm upon a child is physical abuse, ‘physical injury to a child or young person presenting with an unconvincing story for the injury,’ (Kay J, 1999). Hitting, throwing or shaking a child are types of physical abuse and common signs of this abuse