How to keep children, young people and vulnerable adults safe Guidance for Staff Specialists in Construction Education & Training
Internet Safety | Safe From Bullying | Safe From Abuse | Feeling Happy | Learning To Stay Safe
Happy
Contents
Introduction.......................................................... 4
Reporting and dealing with allegations of abuse against members of staff .................... 8-9
Internet Safety & the ‘Click Clever – Click Safe’ campaign............... 4-5
Dealing with disclosure ..................................... 9
Safe from bullying, harassment and victimisation - what to do when someone is being bullied .................................. 5
Feeling happy .....................................................10
Safe from abuse .............................................. 6-7
Learning to stay safe .......................................... 11
Forced marriages how you can help? ............................................. 8
Contact Information for key staff ...................... 12
What to do if you are worried a child is being abused? ..................... 8
Child Protection Team ....................................... 13
Specialists in Construction Education & Training
How to keep children, young people and vulnerable adults safe
Introduction Promoting the safety and welfare of children and young people is a high priority for the College. Children and young people often have complex relationships with their families, friends, peers and other significant adults in their lives. Therefore safeguarding children and young people requires a holistic approach to ensure that they can feel happy and safe to pursue their full potential and their personal goals in life. This leaflet will introduce you to some of the key principles involved in promoting the safety and the emotional welfare of children and young people. The definition of ‘child’ or a ‘young person’ under the 1989 and 2004 Childrens Act, refers to anyone under the age of 18 years. In some cases where a student may have a disability or learning difficulty, the age limit may be extended to qualify the individual under the general definition. Please refer to the College’s Safeguarding / Child Protection Policy for more information. A person over the age of 18 may be considered to be vulnerable. This may be owing to a disability, learning difficulty or if they are at risk of experiencing significant harm.
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Internet safety – how can young people stay safe online? The internet is already a vital part of modern British life and our dependence on it will only increase as children and young people become adults. Taking advantage of the opportunities which new technology provides is becoming increasingly necessary for anyone who wants to play a full part in society. Therefore children and young people who are going to play their full part as digital citizens need to be able to deal with the risks. You can help students to become more responsible for their safety by helping students to understand the following rules:
Guidance for staff
Please be aware of the ‘Click Clever – Click Safe’ campaign
Zip It Encourage students to keep personal information about them private. Ask them to think about what they say and do online.
Block It Tell students to block people who send them nasty messages. Inform them that they must not open any unknown links.
Flag It Let young people know that they must flag up something that may upset them or if someone asks to meet them online.
Safe from bullying, harassment and victimisation – what to do when someone is being bullied. Young people say bullying is among their top concerns. This can make the lives of victims a misery; it can undermine their confidence and self-esteem and can destroy their sense of security. Young people can be bullied because of their ethnicity, gender, age, disability, learning difficulty, sexual orientation, religion, gender identity or any other personal characteristics that they may have. Bullying can be unwanted physical contact or offensive verbal abuse. Cyber bullying through text messages, email and social networking sites such as ‘Facebook’ is becoming one of the most common ways bullies inflict unwanted harassment on their victims.
Bullying 5
The best thing you can do to support students is to talk to the people who bully. Sometimes they don’t even understand that what they are doing affects people. You can contact the College’s Equality and Diversity Officer / Child Protection Co-ordinator for advice. They will be able to give you information about the various ways you can manage bullies and their behaviour. They will also be able to talk to you about how you can support the victims of bullying. In some circumstances, you may need to take disciplinary proceedings against a student.
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How to keep children, young people and vulnerable adults safe
Safe from abuse The key principles involved with safeguarding children and young people from abuse, are working to help the prevention of abuse, protecting children and young people from the risk of further abuse and to provide support to individuals and families to help children and young people recover from abuse that they may have experienced. The College’s work in this area is designed to limit the risks of abuse occurring again. This work involves working together with other agencies to share important information. In circumstances where there is a risk of significant harm to the child or young person; the College will make a referral to Social Services. Where referrals are made, the College may need to contribute to a multi agency child protection plan, child in need plan or a care plan.
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The nature and type of abuse that a child may experience is classified in to five areas; Physical Abuse, Sexual Abuse, Neglect, Emotional Abuse or Financial Abuse. Other matters which could present a risk of significant harm to a student or others in the College community include, self-harming behaviour, suicidal intent and serious mental ill health.
Physical abuse Financial abuse according to Safeguarding Adults - Multi Agency Procedures 2011 (section 1.5.2) - financial / material abuse is the use of a person’s property, assets, income, funds or any resources without their informed consent or authorisation.
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may involve hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning or scalding, drowning, suffocating, or otherwise causing physical harm to a child. Physical harm may also be caused when a parent or carer feigns symptoms of, or deliberately causes ill health to a child whom they are looking after.
Guidance for staff
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Emotional abuse
Neglect is the persistent
Sexual abuse involves forcing or enticing a child or young person to take part in sexual activities, including prostitution, whether or not the child is aware of what is happening. The activities may involve physical contact, including penetrative (e.g. rape, buggery or oral sex) or nonpenetrative acts. They may include non-contact activities such as involving children in looking at, or in the production of, online sexual images or watching sexual activities or encouraging children to behave in sexually inappropriate ways.
failure to meet a child’s basic physical and / or psychological needs, likely to result in the serious impairment of the child’s health or development. Neglect may occur during pregnancy as a result of substance abuse or misuse. Once a child is born, neglect may involve a parent or carer failing to provide adequate food and clothing, shelter including exclusion from home or abandonment, failing to protect a child from physical harm or danger, failure to ensure adequate supervision including the use of inadequate care-takers or the failure to ensure access to appropriate medical care or treatment. It may also include neglect or unresponsiveness to a child’s basic emotional needs.
is the persistent emotional ill-treatment of a child such as to cause severe and persistent adverse effects on the child’s emotional development. It may involve conveying to children that they are worthless or unloved, inadequate, or valued only in so far as they meet the needs of another person. It may feature age or developmentally inappropriate expectations being imposed on children. These may include interactions that are beyond the child’s development capability, as well as over-protection and limitation of exploration and learning, or preventing the child participating in normal social interaction. It may involve serious bullying, causing children frequently to feel frightened or in danger, or the exploitation or corruption of children. Some level of emotional abuse is involved in all types of ill-treatment of a child though it may occur alone.
Note: Additional information on ‘SOME POSSIBLE SIGNS AND INDICATORS OF ABUSE’ can be found on the College intranet under the Safeguarding tab.
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How to keep children, young people and vulnerable adults safe
Forced marriages – how you can help? Every year, at least 250 UK residents, both male and female are forced into a marriage against their will, often by violence, coercion or emotional blackmail, and those are just the ones that we know about. Unlike arranged marriages, where the bride and groom both freely consent to the marriage even though the partner may have been chosen by their parents, forced marriages do not give the bride or groom – or
in some cases, either – any choice. Forced marriage is a violation of human rights. With your help, action can be taken to stop it. If you suspect a young person is being forced into marriage against their will, whether here or abroad, advise the student that they can contact the Forced Marriage Unit, in confidence on 020 7008 0151 between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday.
What to do if you are worried a child is being abused? Everyone should: • Discuss this with the Child Protection Co-ordinator or in their absence, one of the College’s Child Protection Officers.
• Fill in a ‘cause for concern’ form which can be found on the College intranet under the Safeguarding button and submit it by email to the Child Protection Co-ordinator.
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Reporting and dealing with allegations of abuse against members of staff
08 • A member of the Child Protection Team will investigate the concerns that you have raised and keep you informed about the progress of the enquiries.
Guidance for staff In rare instances, staff at education institutions have been found responsible for child abuse. Due to their frequent contact with children and young people, staff may have allegations of child abuse made against them. The College recognises that an allegation of child abuse made against a member of staff may be made for a variety of reasons
and that the facts of the allegation may or may not be true. In instances where a young person makes an allegation against a member of staff, the allegation should be reported immediately to the HR Unit or the Child Protection Co-ordinator. They will inform the Executive Director – Support Services. The designated Child
Protection Co-ordinator and / or the Executive Director – Support Services will take the allegation to the Principal (or designated Governor if the allegation is against the Principal or the Deputy Principal if Principal is off site). The Principal may contact the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) as appropriate.
Dealing with disclosure • Stay calm. Do not transmit shock, anger or embarrassment. • Never enter into a pact of secrecy with the young person. Assure them you will try to help but that this may involve telling others. If appropriate, tell the young person who this will be and why. • Reassure and praise the young person. Tell them you are pleased they are telling you, that you believe them, and it is not their fault. Children and young
people rarely lie about abuse but they may have tried to tell others and not been heard or believed. • Encourage the young person to talk, without asking leading questions. Check that you have understood correctly what the young person is trying to tell you. • Do not tell the young person that what has happened to them is wrong or bad. Do not comment on the offender – it may be someone they love.
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• Be aware the young person may retract what they have told you, but it is still essential to report what you have heard. • As soon as possible afterwards, make a detailed record of the conversation, including questions you asked. Do not add your opinion. Pass it on immediately – disclosures must always be referred to the Child Protection Co-ordinator or in their absence, one of the College’s Child Protection Officers.
How to keep children, young people and vulnerable adults safe
Feeling happy Children and young people experience a range of emotions relating to significant events in their lives. These often include feeling;
Happy
Fine
Amused
Worried
Embarrassed
Angry
Scared
Tired
Surprised
Bored
Loved up
Confused
Depressed
Excited
It is important that young people feel safe to talk about their emotions and feelings. This can often help them to reflect safely on the things that may be worrying them. It is vitally important that you are able to make them feel that they have been listened to in a non-judgemental way. Young people are often able to talk about the things that make them sad, angry or upset. Encourage them to talk about the things that make them happy. This will help them to balance their emotions and feelings against any negative emotions that they may be experiencing. By doing this, they will be better equipped to deal with emotional stress in their adult lives.
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Guidance for staff
Learning to stay safe There are many opportunities where everyone who works with young people can promote safeguarding. These are some of the ways that you may be able to promote some of the key information contained in this leaflet with the young people you may be working with;
• Student inductions • The College tutorial programmes • Healthy College promotions • Individual student reviews • Personal Advisor/Work Based Learning support
• Issuing ‘safety cards’ to students who you may be concerned about • Issue students with telephone numbers of helplines that they can call (Childline) • The Child Protection Officer or the Deputy Child Protection Officer
• Encrichment • Diversity days • Displaying child protection and safeguarding posters around the College
Stay safe
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How to keep children, young people and vulnerable adults safe
Contact Information for key staff with responsibility for safeguarding process: Designated Role
Designated Staff
Job Title
Designated Governor with role for Child Protection
Clare Harrigan
Chair of the Board of Governors
Senior member of staff with lead responsibility for Child Protection
Rosaline Scanlan
Executive Director – Support Services
Child Protection Co-ordinator
Jubar Miah
Tel: 0113 222 6027 Email: rscanlan@lcb.ac.uk
T: 0113 222 6000 Ext: 6107 M: 07508 208529 E: jmiah@lcb.ac.uk
Looked After Child Co-ordinator
Julie Theakston T: 0113 222 6069 E: jtheakst@lcb.ac.uk
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Equality and Diversity Officer Child Protection Co-ordinator
Student Services Manager
Guidance for staff
Child Protection Team Rosaline Scanlan Designated Senior Member of staff with lead responsibility for Child Protection
Jubar Miah Child Protection Co-ordinator
Faculty of Construction Crafts
Wayne Chappelow Child Protection Officer Paul Chandler Child Protection Officer
Faculty of HECM
Faculty of M&E Services
Support Services
Robert Dixon Child Protection Officer
Jan Tetley Child Protection Officer
Julie Theakston Child Protection Officer & Looked After Children Co-ordinator
Mark Forbes Child Protection Officer
Jackie Wignall Child Protection Officer Robert Smith Child Protection Officer Marc Townsend Child Protection Officer
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Peter Zunda Child Protection Officer
How to keep children, young people and vulnerable adults safe
Glossary of terms (LSCBs) Local Safeguarding Children’s Boards
A statutory agency created by the Children Act 2004 and operational from 01.04.06. The LSCB is the key statutory mechanism for agreeing how the relevant organisations in each local area will co-operate to safeguard and promote the welfare of children in that locality.
Leeds CSWS
Leeds Children’s Social Work Services.
Leeds ASC
Leeds Adult Social Care.
Child Protection Conference
Meeting of family members, the child (where appropriate) and those professionals most involved with the child and family, following Investigations into concerns about a child’s welfare.
CIN Plan
Child In Need Plan.
Child Protection Plan
When a child protection case conference decides a child or young person is at risk of abuse they are known as a child subject of a child protection plan.
(CAF) Common Assessment Framework
The CAF is a standardised approach to assessing a child’s need for services. It has been designed for practitioners in all agencies to help them to communicate and work together more effectively with the aim of identifying and addressing problems before they become serious.
Duty of care
General duty on all those working with children to share some degree of responsibility for promoting their welfare and acting to protect them.
Duty to cooperate
Section 11 of the Children Act 2004 sets out the duty of named agencies to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people.
(LAC) Looked after children
Children who are cared for by the Local Authority, either through a legal order or voluntary agreement with the parents.
Police Protection
The Police have powers under the Children Act 1989 to remove a child, in an emergency into Police protection.
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Guidance for staff
(DBS) Disclosure and Barring Service
The Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) and the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) have merged to become the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). CRB checks are now called DBS checks.
Sexually harmful behaviour
This refers to a child or young person displaying behaviour that is sexually harmful towards another child or young person.
Vulnerable children
Children who are particularly vulnerable to abuse, including:
(CAFCASS)
The Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service, is an independent national organisation. It exists to safeguard and promote the welfare of the child in court proceedings, to give advice to the court and to provide information, advice and support for children and their families.
• Children living away from home in various settings and including missing children and migrant children • Children with a disability • Children of drug misusing parents • Children who are bullied or subject to racism • Children involved in pornography and the internet.
Key Policy Documents relating to safeguarding: Safeguarding (Child Protection) Policy and Procedure 2013 Equality, Diversity and Human Rights Policy 2013-2015 Safeguarding - Guidance for Staff Safer Recruitment Policy Staff Code of Conduct Policy Equality, Diversity and Human Rights Policy 20132015
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