HSCB Initial Multi-agency Safeguarding Course. 2 Welcome!

HSCB Initial Multi-agency Safeguarding Course

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Welcome!

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Learning Agreement

Confidentiality Personal responsibility Right to challenge statements Acknowledge diversity and respect each others

contributions Be aware of language or behaviour that may be

offensive to others Right to pass Look after yourselfFinish on Time

HerefordshireSafeguarding Children

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Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course, the participants will be able to:

State the legal and procedural framework.

Understand their own role within their agency with regard to safeguarding.

Recognise roles and responsibilities of other agencies.

Understand the Herefordshire Pathway of Intervention

Identify the factors that impact on the vulnerability of children

Recognise the multi-disciplinary nature of the child protection process.


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To value and listen to contributions

To question differences constructively,in a manner that is enabling to the process of the group and the objectives of the course

To address and challenge oppressive behaviour or language

To support a principle of confidentiality about personal issues and feelings

Learning Principles


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Introduction


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www.barnardos.org.uk/btc Barnardo’s Registered Charity Nos. 216250 and sc037605 77

Definition of Child Abuse• Abuse is commonly recognised as any behaviour towards a child that

causes harm to that child in some way• A child is defined as some one up to the age of 18 under The Children Act

1989• Someone may abuse or neglect a child by inflicting harm or by knowingly

not preventing harm (NSPCC 2000)• Children may be abused in the family, community, institutional setting, or

more rarely by a stranger• Most children know the person abusing them• There are four categories of abuse; physical, emotional, sexual & neglect

(Working Together to Safeguard Children 2013)• Significant harm is how The Children Act views & determines whether

there is any harm to a child


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Abuse and Neglect

Are forms of maltreatment of a child. Somebody may abuse or neglect a child by inflicting harm or by failing to act to prevent harm.

Children may be abused in a family or in an institutional or community setting by those known to them or, more rarely, by others (e.g. via the internet).

They may be abused by an adult or adults or another child or children.


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Safeguarding & promoting the welfare of children (Working Together 2013)


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Can you name these children? Which government policies emerged following their deaths?


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Victoria Climbe

Peter Connolly

Kyra Ishaq

Holly Wells and Jessica Tate

Influences for ChangeInfluences for Change


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Legislation Quiz

• I have a duty to investigate child protection concerns. True/False• If I report a concern the child will be taken into care. Always/Sometimes/Never• Which of the following Acts are part of the framework for child protection work

– Children Act 1989– Children Act 2004– Education Act 2002– Homelessness Act 2002

• For a bonus: Can you name any other significant pieces of legislation?• If a child is called a ‘Child in Need’ what are they in need of?• What is ‘Significant Harm’?• Who should attend a Child Protection Conference?• Name any policy or set of guidances that you need to follow to safeguard children.• I should only share information about a child with another professional if the parent

consents. True/False• What does ‘whistleblowing’ mean?


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Legal Framework


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Child in Need/Child Protection

Children’s Social Care will:


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Framework of Legislation and Guidance

UN Convention on the Rights of the Child 1989Ratified by the UK in 1991

Children Act 1989 Education Act 2002 Children Act 2004

The Laming Report 2003 Working Together to Safeguard Children – 2013Every Child Matters – Change

for Children - 2004 The Bichard Report 2005

What to do if you’re worried a child is

being abused - 2006

Safeguarding Children and Safer Recruitment in Education - 2006

The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act - 2006

The Protection of Children in England: A Progress Report - 2009


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Working Together 2013 – Key Changes

Child Centred

Alert Professionals

Information Sharing

Professionals contribute and review regularly

LSCB’s to co-ordinate and challenge

Publish SCR’s

Local Innovation


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Working Together to Safeguard Children 2013

Children have said that they need: Vigilance: to have adults notice when things are troubling them Understanding and action: to understand what is happening; to be heard and understood; and to have that understanding acted upon Stability: to be able to develop an on-going stable relationship of trust with those helping them Respect: to be treated with the expectation that they are competent rather than not Information and engagement: to be informed about and involved in procedures, decisions, concerns and plans Explanation: to be informed of the outcome of assessments and decisions and reasons when their views have not met with a positive response Support: to be provided with support in their own right as well as a member of their family Advocacy: to be provided with advocacy to assist them in putting forward


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Is it or is it not true?

• Hitting children is always wrong and is a form of child abuse• Disabled children are more at risk of being abused than other children• Staff and volunteers working with children are unlikely to abuse them• Children often make up stories about being abused• Boys are less likely to be sexually abused than girls• A faith leader is unlikely to abuse a child• Only men abuse children• Children are more likely to be abused by people they know well than by

strangers• Cultural practices must be respected, even when they appear harmful to

children• It is better to maintain your relationship with a parent than to damage it

by reporting concerns


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Safeguarding and Promoting

Children Welfare

Effective recruitment, selection and

contractual procedures including safeguarding

checks Procedures for dealing with

allegations against staff /volunteers

Whistleblowing and culture of sharing

concerns

Culture of listening to and consulting

with children

Arrangements of working with other organisations and

information sharing

Arrangements for staff/volunteer

training , supervision and

support

Safeguarding policies inc. CP

policy and complaint

procedures in line with LSCB

Priorities in strategic policy documents & commission strategies

Clear lines of accountability for

safeguarding arrangements


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Local InfluencesLocal Safeguarding Children Board

Joint Inter Agency Procedures and Protocols -

www.herefordshiresafeguardingchildrenboard.org.uk

Ofsted Inspections Both Local Authority and Education

Herefordshire Serious Case Reviews & Significant Incident Learning Process


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Learning from Serious Case Reviews


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The toxic trio

• Domestic Abuse

• Substance Misuse

• Parental Mental Health


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Biennial Serious Case Review Report: 2003- 2005Brandon, M et al, DCSF (Jan 2008)

• 161 serious case review included in the study. Of which: 12% were on the child protection register 55% were known to social services 16% related to head injuries to babies 21% featured neglect (strict definition of neglect used for the study) 30% were living in poor living conditions• In relation to age breakdown for the 161: 47% were under 1 20% were age 1- 5 7% were age 6- 10 (significantly under represented, given this is one of the highest groups

presented to hospital A&E departments !5% were age 11- 15 9% were 16 plus (mainly suicides)• Out of the 161, 47 were looked at in more detail. In these cases: Domestic violence was present in 66% Mental health was present in 55% Substance misuse was present in 57% In addition the report found that in 1 in 3 cases of the 47 detailed cases, all three of these factors

were present.


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Biennial Serious Case Review Report: 2005- 2007Brandon, M et al,( DCSF, July 2009)

The ChildrenHow old were the children? Over two thirds of the children were aged under five and almost half were less than a year old. Only a small minority were 6-10 years old. Almost a quarter were young people aged over 11 and 11% were much older adolescents of 16 and17. It appeared that the youngest child in the family had a heightened level of vulnerability and risk of harm.What happened to the children? Two thirds of the 189 children died, and a third were seriously injured or harmed. The highest risk of maltreatment related deaths and serious injury are in the first five years of life. Physical assault was the major cause of death for this age group. Most of the older adolescents died through suicide. A third of the children experienced serious harm, often through neglect (including accidents and house fires).Issues of neglect were often present in those children who died. Sexual abuse was the prime concern in 1 in 12 cases.


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Key messages from SCR’s

• What SCR’s have told us:• First impressions• Rule of optimism• Start again syndrome• Cultural relativism• Natural love• Failure to understand potential behaviour in context• Focussing on single event• Failure to revise assessments• Tunnel vision• Lack of challenge in supervision• Mirroring chaotic families• Fixed thinking• Comprised compliance


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Themes from serious case reviews

Need to ensure clarity regarding making referrals

WHEN – recognising and understanding safeguarding issues

HOW – understanding the process and roles and responsibilities

BARRIERS - perceptions of thresholds

Need to ensure an awareness in adult services of the needs of children and the impact of parents behaviour on their health and development

Need for greater understanding of the role of information sharing within and between agencies


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Need to be aware of and follow the Inter Agency Procedures for Safeguarding children and to make use of available tools

Need for holistic assessment and analysis of information to ensure a focus on the needs of the child

Need to ensure effective communication with children takes place



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Need to assess all family members and in particular fathers and partners with a focus on their history and possible risks to children

Need for all services to be realistic about the impact on children of adult needs and behaviours such as substance misuse

Need to be aware of risk factors e.g. domestic violence and the cumulative nature of risk for both adults and children

Need to promote evidenced based practice and challenge parents when appropriate


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Working with Resistant, Violent and Aggressive Families (see LSCB guidance)

No significant change at reviews despite significant input

Parents/carers agreeing with professionals regarding changes but put little effort into making changes work

Change does occur but as a result of external agencies/resources not parent/carer efforts

Change in one area of functioning is not matched by change in other areas

Parents/Carers will engage with certain aspects of the plan only

Parents/carers align themselves with certain professionals

Child’s report of matters conflicts with parent’s/carer's report


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Possible Impact

Inability to obtain accurate information to inform assessments

Violent/intimidating behaviour may result in ‘keeping professional at bay’

Usual sources of information/alternative perceptions may be affected

Need to work out specifically which areas of assessment are difficult to achieve and why


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Review of Vetting and Barring Scheme

Independent Safeguarding Authority ( ISA) has been merged with CRB – Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)

Existing duty on a ‘regulated activity provider’ to ascertain whether a person is barred before engaging in regulated activity remains.

Definition of ‘regulated activity’ has been amended so the range of posts falling within it has been reduced


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Review of Vetting and Barring Scheme (DBS)

Requirement to register has been repealed

Duty to refer to ISA remains.

Offences remain the same

Copies of CRBs (DBS’s) will be issued to the applicant only and not copied to the body countersigning the application at the same time

Certificates will be updated on a continuous basis removing they need to make repeat applications


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DBS additional slides


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The Safeguarding Pathway


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Safeguarding is much more than Child Protection

Stay safe from maltreatment,

neglect, violence and sexual exploitation

Safe from accidental injury

and death

Safe from bullying and discrimination

Develop appropriately

including health and education

Have security, stability, and are

cared for

Wellbeing of the Child


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Safeguarding and Child Protection‘Safeguarding’ is:

Protecting children from maltreatment

Preventing impairment of health or development

Ensuring children grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care

Enabling children to have optimum life chances in adulthood

‘Child Protection’ is:

A part of safeguarding and promoting welfare

Refers to the activity that is undertaken to protect specific children who are suffering, or are likely to suffer, significant harm


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Local Statistics


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Local Statistics


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Local Statistics


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Local Statistics


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Local Statistics


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Local Statistics


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Herefordshire Levels of Need


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Assessment Framework Triangle


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Herefordshire Levels of Need and Service Response Guidance

Document aims to summarise the different levels of need that a child or family may experience and shows how typical interventions from a range of services can meet theses needs

Consistent application of assessments processes


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Key Points

Model based on 4 levels of need

Centre of the windscreen is CAF – a holistic assessment and review which stays with the child or young person as they move across the levels of need.

Other more specialist assessments will feed into the CAF

Introduction of the Eligibility and Priority Framework


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Pathway of Needs

CAF (referral to children’s social care where there is not child protection concerns)

Multi-agency Groups

Child in Need – Section 17

Section 47 Significant Harm


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Local Policies and Procedures

CAF Manual of Guidance

Herefordshire Levels of Need and Service Response Guidance

Multi-Agency Groups Guidance

Standards and Guidance for Multi-Agency Referrals to Children’s Social Care

HSCB – Inter agency Procedures and Protocols


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Multi-Agency GroupsMeetings of key practitioners from different local agencies and settings

Identify vulnerable children and young people in a locality and try to ensure they receive the support they need through Common Assessment process

Provide support to practitioners who are completing CAFs

Share any additional information that is relevant which may have not been identified in the CAF

Identify any resources and interventions from within the group which may meet the needs identified in the CAF

Agree a plan of action which will address the needs identified and who will carry out different aspects of the plan


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Unsure?

• MASH: 01432 260800

• CAF Support: Information & Assessment Co-ordinators: Locality Team: 01432 260261


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Case Exercise:What needs do the children have? And how could these be identified via a CAF and MAG?


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Levels of Need

Level 2

Level 3

Level 4


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Are you concerned or not concerned?

• What would be your response in relation to:• Herefordshire Levels of Need and Service

Response Guidance


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Child In NeedChildren Act 1989 Sec 17A child shall be taken to be in need if:

They are unlikely to achieve or maintain, or have the opportunity of achieving or maintaining, a reasonable standard of health or development without the provision for them of services by a local authority under this part

Their health or development is likely to be significantly impaired, without the provision of such services

The child/young person is disabled


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Significant HarmThe Children Act 1989 Section 47

Concept of Significant harm – to justify compulsory intervention in family life in the best interests of children

Local Authority – duty to makes enquiries where it has reasonable cause to suspect a child is suffering significant harm

Defined by the Children Act 1989 Ill treatment (including sexual abuse and physical abuse) Impairment of health (physical or mental) or development

(physical, intellectual, emotional, social or behavioural) as compared to a similar child


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Revised definition of Significant Harm

• Harm now means the “ill-treatment or

the impairment of health or development, including, for example, impairment suffered from seeing or hearing the ill-treatment of another.”


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Case Exercises

In your groups consider the scenarios and identify signs and indicators of concern

Rank them from ‘least to most’ abusive (or concerning)

What would be your response in relation to Herefordshire LSCB Levels of Need model


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Referral to Children's Services

A referral is “a request to Children Services for assessment or for services to safeguard and promote the welfare of a child in need.”

Referral to Multi- Agency Safeguarding Hub – MASH

01432 260800 / www.herefordshire.gov.uk/MASH

Decisions about referral made within 24 hrs

Decisions can include to: Provide advice and guidance Signpost to appropriate agency Undertake a short piece of work e.g. write a letter, send a

leaflet (within 24 hours) Initiate section 47 enquiries


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Key terms

Referral to children’s social care (using Multi-Agency Referral Form)

Initial assessment

Strategy discussion

Child protection enquiry

Child protection conference

Core assessment

Child protection plan

Core group


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The safeguarding system

CAF/MAGEarly intervention

Child subject to a Child Protection

Plan

Initial Child Protection Conference


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Final key messages

Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility

All children have an equal right to protection

Some children need additional consideration to keep them safe

We are an important partner in inter-agency co-operation

We support our staff to keep our pupils safe


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Contacts

The M.A.S.H: 01432 260800(Professionals’ number to seek advice or report a concern)

Out of Hours Emergency Duty Team: 01905 768020

CAF: Locality Team 01432 260261

NSPCC: 0808 800 5000 www.nspcc.org.ukThis is a free 24 hour service which provides counselling, information and advice to anyone concerned about a child at risk of abuse.


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OTHER KINDS OF ABUSE

• Bullying• Internet• Professional abuse• Forced marriage • Fictitious Illness• Female Genital Mutilation• Child Sexual Exploitation• Child Trafficking


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Child Sexual Exploitation and Trafficking: Priority for HSCB (see CSE Action Plan for HSCB)


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What is it?

Exploitative situations, contexts and relationships where young people receive something as a result of performing, and/or others performing on them sexual activities

Power over them by virtue of their age, gender, intellect, physical strength and/or economic or other resources


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Child Trafficking

Involves the transport of young people across international or national boundaries for the purpose of exploitation which can be of a sexual nature but also includes financial exploitation and forced labour.

It can also involve the trafficking and prostitution of local children and young people by organised gangs.


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Introduction

Child Sexual exploitation and trafficking are forms of child abuse

Characterised by child’s perceived position of the limited availability of choice ,experience and understanding compounding their vulnerability

Use of fear deception coercion and violence

Link between children missing from home/care and being sexually exploited is very strong


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Key Facts about CSE

Age – often starts at 12-13

Gender – affects girls and boys

Ethnicity – happens in all communities

Vulnerability – Any young person can be targeted

Especially vulnerable groups –Looked after children, Children leaving care, Children missing from home, Children with learning difficulties

Victims may be trafficked (locally, regionally, nationally)


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Key Facts about CSE

Girls are targeted from age 10-11

Boys are targeted from age 8

25-30% of referrals are boys

Victims from LAC and non-statemented learning difficulties are over represented in referrals.

(Safe and Sound’s Experience)


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Key Facts about CSE

Over 70% of adults involved in prostitution were sexual exploited as children or teenagers (YWCA 2002, JAGO AND PEARCE 2008)

This highlights the importance of prevention , detection and early intervention


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Grooming Models

Party models

Older Boyfriend model

Gang culture

Young people as conduits

Internet/sexting

Social groups in regular locations

Mobile phones

Domestic Trafficking


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What are the signs?

Going missing for periods of time of regularly returning home late

Regularly missing school or not taking part in education

Appearing with unexplained gifts or new possessions

Associating with other people involved in exploitation

Having older boyfriends or girlfriends

Suffering from sexually transmitted infections

Mood swings or changes in emotional well being

Drug and alcohol misuse

Displaying inappropriate sexualised behaviour


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Environment and Vulnerability

Parenting capacity/history

Drug and alcohol abuse

Learning difficulties

Mental health issues

Family breakdown

Bereavement especially pre-adolescence

Poverty

Tolerance of children going missing

Previous abuse particularly emotional/sexual

‘Created vulnerability by over-protective parents


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Local Context

HSCB annual report – highlights the potential risk factors

Large number of residential providers in the county – significant numbers placed from other authorities – increased number of children missing from care

Potential hidden numbers from migrant workers.


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Actions

HSCB Sexual Exploitation and Trafficking Plan 2012-2015

Multi-agency task and finish group

Dataset being developed

Risk assessment matrix adopted

Awareness training incorporated into HSCB Safeguarding courses


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Barnardo’s Hidden DVD


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Key messages from enquiries

• Seven steps to better protectionCommunity Care: 11 January 2007:

• INTERAGENCY WORKING • UNDERSTANDING OF OTHER AGENCIES’ ROLES • COMMUNICATION• RECORDING• SUPERVISION• RISK MANAGEMENT DECISION-MAKING


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Six key points on information sharing

• Explain at the outset, openly and honestly, what and how information will be shared

• Always consider the safety and welfare of a child or young person when making decisions on whether to share information about them

• Seek consent to share confidential information. You may still share information if, in your judgement, there is sufficient need to override the lack of consent

• Seek advice where you are in doubt

• Ensure the information is accurate and up to date, necessary, shared only with those people who need to see it, and shared securely

• Always record the reasons for your decision – whether it is to share information or not

HM Government (2006) What To Do If You’re Worried A Child Is Being Abused. Department for Education and Skills, London. Appendix 3.


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Importance of recording


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How we should keep records

• Issues to consider:• Jargon vs simple accessible language• Factual information• Opinion based on fact• Unfounded opinion based on speculation• Unfounded opinion based on hearsay• Judgemental language vs need for inclusive

recording

• www.writeenough.org.uk


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Recording should evidence:

1. Detail/nature of the contact2. Observation/overview of the contact3. Assessment by the worker of contact4. Analysis of the contact5. Plan: what next & actions taken6. Review: evidence of cross referencing to other

recording processes

• It should be a consistent process that is open, accountable & transparent. (and shared with all those involved in the child’s care- including the child)


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Recording exercise

• What the DVD

• If you observed this- what would you include in your recording


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What do I need to keep children safe from harm?


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What can increase the risk?

Domestic Abuse Substance Misuse Adult Mental Health Adult Learning Difficulties Age & gender Disability Ethnicity


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SOME KEY MESSAGES


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EXERCISE

• Can you think of one thing • you can do to help • keep children safe?

Documents

HSCB Initial Multi-agency Safeguarding Course. 2 Welcome!