Child Protection TrainingSteve Jones

Intro – What we’re going to cover

• Theology of Child Protection• History of Child Protection• Definitions of Abuse• Government Guidelines and

appropriate responses• Best practice• Disclosure• Case Studies • Referrals• Homework

A theology for Child Protection

Jesus’ perspective on children

• Mark 10 v 13-14

• Luke 9 v 48

• Mark 10 v15-16

• Matthew 21 v 15-16

• Matthew 18 v6-7

A theology for Child Protection

Jesus’ perspective on children• He’s accessible to them

Mark 10 v 13-14• He welcomes children – they can

know Him Luke 9 v 48• He commands us to follow his

example Mark 10 v15-16• He loves hearing their praise

Matthew 21 v 15-16• He commands us to protect them

Matthew 18 v6-7

History of Child Protection

• 1889 First Children’s Act – Violence and employment of Children

• Various acts for Protection of Children developed from national tragedies

• 1908 The Children's Act 1908 established juvenile courts and introduced the registration of foster parents. The Punishment of Incest Act made sexual abuse within families a matter for state jurisdiction rather than intervention by the clergy.

• Social services gradually formed and developed over the 20th century – became lead agency for government policy

• Especially 1989 and 1999 Children’s Acts. Government produced13 guidelines called “Safe from Harm”

• In January 2003, Lord Laming published his report into the death of child abuse victim Victoria Climbié, which found that health, police and social services missed 12 opportunities to save her

• Every Child Matters and Youth Matters Policy Documents – one theme is for more working in partnership to prevent such things as happened to Victoria. More about referring and partnering later.

Church’s Response• All major denominations

created a policy document and invested in advisors.

• Independent churches and others have Churches Child Protection Advisory Service. www.ccpas.co.uk

• Patchy• Champion the cause !!

Some misconceptions Abuse doesn't happen in churches and

certainly not in this one.

When you become a Christian your past is forgotten as well as forgiven.

Abuse only occurs in 'poor' families.

Christians don't do that sort of thing.

Reality bites

Abuse against young people is a serious matter and scars for life.

You need to know what to look out for and how to respond.

Child Protection is not a bureaucratic hindrance; it is a necessary and responsible response to the risks faced by today’s young people.

Definitions of abuse

• Organised, Multiple• Physical• Emotional• Neglect• Sexual• Spiritual

Organised or Multiple Abuse

• This is defined as abuse involving one or more abusers and a number of related or non-related children and young people.

• The abusers concerned may be acting in concert to abuse children, sometimes acting in isolation, or may be using an institutional framework or position of authority to recruit children for abuse.

Physical Abuse• “Deliberately inflicted physical injury

(non-accidental injury (NAI)) to a child, including poisoning”

Signs can include:• Circular burns from a cigarette or match-

heads• Bruising – especially multiple bruises at

various stages of healing• Frequent and/or unexplained injuries• Black eyes, especially both eyes at the

same time• Fingerprint bruises• Bite marks• Unconvincing or inconsistent

explanations of injuries

Physical Contact - Safeguarding

• Keep everything public• Touch should always relate to the

young person’s needs…• Touch should be age appropriate &

initiated by the young person• Avoid touch which is, or may be

thought to be, sexually stimulating• The child always has the right to

decide• Monitor each other

Emotional Abuse

• The persistent or severe emotional ill-treatment or rejection of a child by having no feeling of warmth, care or concern for the child. This will include ridiculing, scape-goating, bullying. All child abuse involves some emotional ill-treatment.

Emotional Abuse cont…

Signs may include• Regression in behaviour• Nervousness• Sudden under achievement• Attention seeking• Running away• Aggressive behaviour towards

others

Neglect

• The persistent or severe neglect of a child, sufficient to seriously endanger health or development, e.g. failure to provide adequate food, shelter, supervision, etc.

Neglect cont…

Signs may include:

• General poor state of health

• Being dirty

• Wandering streets

• Comments about being at home alone

• Comments about being hungry

Sexual Abuse

• ‘Sexual abuse is defined as the involvement of dependent, developmentally immature children and adolescents in sexual activities they do not comprehend, to which they are unable to give informed consent, or that violate the social taboos of the family roles.’

(Kempe & Kempe).

Sexual Abuse cont…

This may include….• Incest• Pornography in the

photographic, video or internet form

• Heterosexual or homosexual activity

• Satanic practices and all other forms of sexual exploitation

Sexual Abuse cont…

Safeguards – Publications and Websites• All named photographs of people must

have the signed consent of the person concerned. Photos of under 18s must have the signature of a parent or guardian.

• Photos of groups can be published without parental consent, as long as names are not given on the photo.

• No one under 16 can be interviewed or photographed without parental consent.

Sexual Abuse cont…

Signs may include:• Allegations made by the child• Pre-occupation with sexual

matters• Sexual activity through words,

play or drawings• Severe fears and phobias• Being sexually provocative with

adults

Spiritual AbuseSometimes called religious or pastoral abuse.

“Occurs when someone uses their power within a framework of spir itual belief or practise to satisfy their own needs at the expense of others.”

It has two main facets

1) A church/group leader who has unhealthy power over individuals or even whole congregations

2 ) Accepted doctrine of a church/group that directly or indirectly controls and oppresses its members through peer pressure etc.

Spiritual abuse … cont …

• Signs may include …– parrot fashion repetition of

doctrine– not confident to make own

decisions– nervous in company of

leaders ??– apathy through history of

disenfranchisement – stunted spiritual growth

• Adopt a policy statement on safeguarding the welfare of children

Guideline 1

• Plan the work of the organisation so as to minimise situations where the abuse of children may occur

For example arrange that as far as possible an adult is not left alone with a child or young person where there is little or no opportunity for the activity to be observed by others.

Guideline 2

Guideline 2• Ensure that all workers do not meet a child or young person off centre premises without a parent or other adult being present.• Always have two adults present with a group particularly when it is the only activity taking place on the premises• Never take a group off premises with fewer than two adults• Think about the premises. e.g. dark unsupervised path to enter the centre.• Where young people are transported arrange as far as possible to have more than one passenger in the vehicle.

Guideline 2

• When transporting young people by car or minibus the vehicle must comply with current legislation on transporting children

Guideline 2• Residentials – cautions by both the visiting group and host group. Sleeping arrangements should not require a young person and an adult to share the same bedroom.

•Over familiarity – a word of caution

•Taking children to the toilet

•Picking up children after an activity

•Be positive, put measures into place for you to build an appropriate relationships with parents.

• Introduce a system whereby children may talk with an independent person

Guideline 3

• Display the number of child line (0800 111) or similar organisations on a notice board that is regularly seen by the young people.

• Apply agreed procedures for protecting children to all paid staff and volunteers

Guideline 4

• Each church is required to apply their denominational procedures

• Give all paid staff and volunteers clear roles

Guideline 5

• Abuse of young people is most easily concealed where there is confusion among adults about roles and responsibilities

• A declaration must be signed by all

• Use supervision as a means of protecting children

Guideline 6

• Regular opportunities should be made for workers to meet together and plan the work, to share experiences, to receive training and talk about their relationships with the children.

• Leaders of groups should take the opportunity to observe in action other leaders for whom they are responsible.

• Treat all would-be paid staff and volunteers as job applicants for any position involving contact with children

Guideline 7

• Procedure for short term/casual work (paid or voluntary) require completion of application form.

• Gain at least one reference from a person who has experience of an applicant’s paid work or volunteering with children

Guideline 8

• Explore all applicants’ experience of working or contact with children in an interview before appointment

Guideline 9

•Find out whether an applicant has any conviction for criminal offences against children

Guideline 10

Of course this is not the most effective way of preventing abuse - only a small number of abusers are convicted.Convicted abusers have admitted that they constantly seek new opportunities to abuse.All situations which involve work with children are exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. This means that all convictions must also be declared.

CRB’s• The aim of Disclosure is to enhance public safety and to help employers and voluntary organisations to make safer recruitment decisions.

• To be seen as a TOOLTOOL to support the work and mission of the church

• Contains information about all convictions ‘spent’ & ‘unspent’, plus cautions, reprimands and police warnings using the NPC. Will also involve checking government lists and special intelligence.

• Make paid and voluntary appointments conditional on the successful completion of a probationary period

Guideline 11

• Issue guidelines on how to deal with the disclosure or discovery of abuse

Guideline 12

• All workers should make themselves aware of the procedures for dealing with alleged child abuse, abuse disclosed to them, or if they discover evidence that abuse has taken place.

Responding to a disclosure

A disclosure is an unprompted statement of actual or likely abuse.

Your child protection policy will outline the procedures for informing Social Services.

You should follow Social Service’s advice.

All disclosures must be acted upon (whether you believe them or not is irrelevant).

• Accept what the child or young person says, keeping calm and looking at them directly• Let them know that you need to tell someone else. Do not promise confidentiali ty• Even when a child or young person has broken a rule, they are not to blame

When abuse is disclosed to you…..

• Let the child or young person know what you are going to do next and that you wil l let them know what happens• Make notes as soon as possible, writ ing down exactly what was said and when he/she said it. • Record dates and times of these events and keep the handwritten record.

REPORTING ABUSEA. Record facts as told by the child

B. Do not ask leading questions

C. Do not guarantee confidentiality to the child

D. Explain what you are going to do

E. Do not inform the parents at this stage

F. Safety of the child is paramount

G. If the child is in immediate danger contact the Police

Procedure to be followed for the reporting of Child AbuseInformation to be shared

In the first instance with your church’s child protection officer – they wil l then deal with it and pass on to professionals – not your job to do any of this.

•Train paid staff and volunteers, their line managers or supervisors and policy-makers in the prevention of child abuse

Guideline 13

Referrals

brainstorm

Other Resources

• www.ccpas.co.uk “Guidance to Churches”

• www.amaze.org.uk “Best Practice Manual”

• www.ofsted.gov.uk

• www.ncvys.org.uk

homework• Download the pdf or powerpoint of

this presentation from www.jonestribe.co.uk

• Re-read it – together with Do’s Don’ts

• Read your church’s or denominations child protection policy

• Book a long appointment with your church’s child protection officer. Sit down, over a latte and discuss the whole issue of child protection in your work