Legislation, Policies, Procedures, and Guidelines for Safeguarding youth in the UK - Assignment Example

How to Safeguard the Well-being of Children and Young People Question a) Legislation, policies, procedures and guidelines with the UK for safeguarding children and young people The current legislations and guidelines that apply within own UK Home Nation are: i. Children Act 1989 ii. Children Act 2004 iii. Protection of children Act 1999 iv. UNCRC 2003 Children Act 1989 This Act was meant to bring reforms and simplify the current laws that protect both the children and the young people in the UK at the time it was legislated. It provided them with equal rights, wishes, and feelings and that their welfare is supreme. It also clarified that local authorities have a responsibility of providing services for needy children, their families and others. Children Act 2004 The Act came as a result of an independent inquiry by Lord Laming into the death of Victoria Climbié. The Children Act of 2004 does not replace but rather amends the earlier Children Act of 1989. It creates Local Safeguarding Childrens Boards that is empowered to ensure that education services, social services, the NHS police, and other vital services is harmonized to protect vulnerable children. The Protection of Children Act 1999 This Act required all the childcare organizations (including those concerned with the supervision of children) never to offer employment opportunities that involve regular contact with children, either unpaid or paid, to anybody listed as not suitable to work with the Department of Health list with children and the Department of Education and the 99 list of Employment’s List. The Criminal Records Bureau acts as a main point of access for criminal records checks for anybody who applies to work with children and young people The United Nations Convention on the rights of the child (1989) UNCRC It is a human rights treaty that states that all children are to be equally treated. It is a list of rights that children are entitled to until they attain the minimum age of 17. This treaty comprises of 40 substantive rights including the right of economic, social and political, civil and cultural. This are covered through children having the right to health service and education and also have the right to grow up in a happy loving environment, regardless of their religion, sex, where they were born and social origin. Allowing them to develop and show their personalities and abilities to achieve their potential and the right to security. The UK government is totally committed to this legislation where the Department of Education is in the forefront of ensuring that UNCRC policies are enforced. b) Child protection within the wider concept of safeguarding children and young people Safeguarding is a way of promoting the welfare of the children and is putting in place the right measures in order to improve the safety and prevent abuse of children. Child Protection is the integral part of safeguarding, where it is essential to take action in circumstances where the life of a child could be at stake. The term child protection is mainly used where there has been an occasion of suspected abuse or harm, to either a child or young person. In England and Wales, Department for Children, Schools, and Families (DCSF) is responsible for child protection and offers both statutory and non-statutory guidance to LA‘s. The term safeguarding, provides a broader definition of safe working practices within our working environment, in ensuring that children are kept healthy and safe. Safeguarding is more of prevention of children and young people, who are at risk of potential harm, neglect or abuse. Safeguarding demands that all agencies who work with children, young people, and their families take all sound measures in ensuring that the risks of harm to the welfare of the children are minimized. Where there are concerns about children and young people, all agencies must put in place appropriate actions that address all concerns, working in conjunction with other local agencies, following all policies and procedures. Local Safeguarding Childrens Boards (LSCBs) in England and Wales must ensure that the major agencies involved in the protection of children work successfully together in promoting and safeguarding the welfare of children at the local levels. On the other hand, the Action Plan ensures that there is safety of children in three ways: (i) Universal Safeguarding which puts into consideration the safety of all children, (ii) Targeted Safeguarding which identifies strategies for safeguarding the groups of both the children and young people who may be in risky situations, (iii) Responsive Safeguarding which considers responses to those circumstances which may be harmful to the children. The Vetting and Barring Scheme was first introduced in October 2009 by Labour as a result of the inquiry of Bichard, following the murder of Soham. This inquiry recommended that anybody who works with vulnerable groups must be registered. It is also aided by the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act of 2006 and by Order 2007 in the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups (Northern Ireland) c. Timeline which indicating the serious case reviews, inquiries and the resulting changes in guidance and practice. The setting must have communicated to the Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB) who always conducts a Serious Case Review into the participation of the setting and other professionals/organizations with the child and his/her family. They will have to consider if there are other children who may be in danger and requires safeguarding. The LSCB (after been communicated by the setting) may also consider whether a Serious Case Review must be conducted in case: a child gets a possibly serious or life-threatening injury, and permanent loss of health and development through neglect or abuse; or a parent has been killed and a murder review is being instigated; or a child has been exposed to predominantly serious Sexual Abuse; or a child has been killed by a parent with a mental disorder, or the case leads to concerns about inter-agency working to offer protection to children from any harm (Department of Health., 2008). The purpose of carrying out Serious Case Reviews under this guidance is to: determine whether there are lessons to be learnt from the case pertaining the manner in which local organizations and professionals work together so as to safeguard and promote the children’s welfare; clearly identify what are those lessons, what is expected to change as a result and how they will be acted upon; and as a result, improve the working of inter-agency and better promote and safeguard the welfare of children (Department of Health., 2008). d. Processes used by own working environment or service complying with legislation At my current place of work, all collected and held information pertaining the pupils who are in attendance is safely kept and secured by using passwords on the computer that can only be accessed by those who are authorized. The institution only collects information used for a particular purpose, i.e. the address of the children and parent/guardian contact information. The school ensures that the required information is accurate and relevant. The school ensures the information is updated, by sending out letters to parent/guardian to remind them to update information from the previous academic year and also in newsletters they remind them that they must inform the school of any changes, i.e. change of telephone or number address, etc. The information is safely kept for as long as the child is in school and after which they will delete the files that has the personal data and shared paper documents. The information is availed to any pupil who may possibly wish to view it. Some of the children at my current place of work are registered on the child protection, and this information is only availed to the designated safeguarding officer. If the safeguarding officer has been informed about issues of child protection in relation to any child, then they should disclose it to the teacher in order to ensure the information shared is strictly confidential. The information held by the safeguarding officer must also be secured every time, and it is important that the stored information does not become accessible to the entire public. The collected data must be kept at all times on the premises so as to ensure that it is not accessible to the entire public. If at all the information has to be shared with external agencies, then it has be done properly and by using their discretion at all times. Question 2 a. The significance of safeguarding children and young people According to Children Act of 1989, there is no doubt that the future of children and young people is doom without proper protection and safeguard. Their health and development may be negatively affected and impaired because there is a possibility of them to develop withdrawal symptoms from their families, as well as their friends. Such withdrawals may also affect their emotional development and may result in poor performance in their education. Therefore, children and young people should be safeguarded from neglect any form of abuse and live in the secure environment. Proper protection will enhance togetherness in the family, neighborhood and school environment. These young people will grow up with affection to their parents, teachers and other adults. This is the most crucial need for all children growth because the care they receive from their tender age will contribute towards their success and attain their full potential during their adulthood. All children and young people have to feel safe, secure and confident that they are being mentored or taught by people they can trust. Therefore, it is the mandate of the adults to protect children for the sake of their health future. All the supportive agencies that are involved in safeguarding the children should take sound measures in ensuring that the risk of harm to young people is minimized. In school, for instance, child’s physical security and safety in and out of school should be hastened. In case there are concerns about the children or young people’s welfare, action should be taken appropriately and involve relevant agencies. Above all, children should be taught about their safety so that they can develop their awareness of unacceptable and acceptable behavior. b. Significance of a child or young person-centered approach Essential to encouraging and safeguarding the welfare of young people is to have child’s centered approach (Schonveld, 2008). This includes encouraging children to remain focused and steady in all the challenges they come across. Ascertaining and listening to the feelings and wishes of children is important for them especially if they have developed a strong bond of relationship with the adults and professionals they are open to. It is equally important for those people children have trusted and open up their feelings to, to be very understanding no matter what they experience and how difficult the situation may be. In so doing, a child or young person will realize that there are people out there who are concerned with them. It is also very important to use the center approach when safeguarding the children because it gives one first-hand information and opinions from them including their feelings, emotions and wishes about their problems. This enables the organization to get appropriate and accurate information so as to meet the child’s or young person’s specific needs. Therefore, there is need to establish a cordial relationship with them to facilitate easier discussion of their concerns. Where possible, young people and children should be allowed to take part in decision making as this will hasten their future interventions. Information Booklet for New staff Roles and responsibilities of different organs and statutory organizations involved in safeguarding children Table of contents Introduction……………………………………………………………………………….. Roles and responsibilities of school staff………………………………………………….. School nurses………………………………………………………………………… Other staff…………………………………………………………………………… Statuary organizations…………………………………………………………………….. Roles and responsibilities of the different organizations……………………………………. Police………………………………………………………………………………… Housing Authority……………………………………………………………………. Probation service……………………………………………………………………. Introduction This booklet aims to highlight various roles and responsibilities of school staff when safeguarding the well-being of children. It also gives the list of some statutory organizations which are involved in safeguarding children. The booklet also highlights the description of the roles and responsibilities of the different organizations that may be involved when child or young person has been abused or harmed. Roles and responsibilities of school staff School nurses They have steady contact with children who spend a substantial proportion of their time in school and are normally the lead professionals. They are educated in children health and development and have a major role in providing the Healthy Child Program. They have prospects for anticipatory, periodic health assessments of this group of children as part of the universal services. They take the lead in public health actions, implementation of health education programs as well as delivering enhanced services in accordance with the assessment of a group or individual needs. They also work with parents or caretakers, and liaise with specialists. Thus, they can be helpful in securing extra support or resources for various families to intensify their capacity for proper parenting. Other staff They notify the relevant authorities on the security status of children. With the assistance of other health professionals, they make arrangements for safety especially when children give report that they are at risk of being abused. They give a comprehensive suite of guidance and counseling for schools under “Safe to Learn” i.e. embedding the anti-bullying in schools Ensure that there is effective implementation of policies and procedures and all the children adhere. Allocate resources to needy children who have been abused or susceptible to risks Statutory organizations involved in safeguarding children Social Services Police Health Services National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children –NSPCC Children’s social care Roles and responsibilities of different organizations that may be involved when child or young person has been abused or harmed Police They hold crucial information in safeguarding children according to Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act. They identify in advance when a child is at risk and, therefore, provide protection against harm. The police unit also hold crucial information about children and young people who may be misery, or likely to suffer and possible culprits. In accordance with the emergency powers given to them, they enter homes and remove children for their immediate protection. Housing Authority Homelessness and Housing services in different local authorities and others in the front line like environmental health organizations are safeguarding the children. These organizations account of the effect health and safety hazards in housing on susceptible occupants, including young people and children. They also have a role to play in safeguarding susceptible children and young people who are left without proper care or may be pregnant. Probation service The Probation Trusts are mainly responsible for giving reports to courts about the offenders as well as coordinating with the community to ensure that offenders do not repeat the offense. They are, therefore, strategically placed to identify the offenders who are after harming the children and report them to the court. References Armstrong H. 1998 Safer Practice: A Child Protection Guide For GPs And The Primary Health Care Team. Leicester: Community Education Development Centre, Children Act 1989. London: HMSO, Department of Health 2008. The Children Act 1989 Guidance and Regulations. London: HMSO. Schonveld, A., 2008. Developing Your Child Protection Policy – Guidance For Schools.. Leicester:: Community Education Development Centre. Read More