Safeguarding Essay

Q1 (1.1) Define the term safeguarding in relation to children and young people.
Safeguarding means keeping vulnerable children and adults safe from harm and abuse. It also means to ensure that people are supported to keep well and healthy and have access to health care should they require it.
Adults and children should always be supported to make the most of their lives to promote happiness and empowerment. They should also be given the support they need to get their full equal rights.
“Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility. Safeguarding is defined in Working together to safeguard children 2013 as:
• protecting children from maltreatment
• preventing impairment of children’s health and development
• ensuring that children grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care and
• taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes”
(www.gov.uk)
Those working with vulnerable children and adults have a duty to ensure reasonable steps are taken to prevent harm or abuse from coming to them whilst in the work place and also in their care.

It is our duty when supporting teenage mothers and their babies in our unit to keep them safe from harm, neglect or abuse.

Therefore, it important that all staff members are aware of any potential risks or dangers. If a young person must be supervised on visits or in the community, then we will facilitate this, as this contributes to keeping them safe and promotes safeguarding. Staff will then report any concerns to the relevant professionals involved with the family. Young mothers are also monitored and observed throughout the day and night to ensure the young baby is kept safe, fed, kept warm and healthy. Staff also ensure that the young mothers are aware of the local support in the area who can also offer help and advice regarding health care and support for mother and

baby.
Q2 (1.3) Outline the current legislations, national guidelines and national policies affecting the safeguarding and protection of children and young people.
The Children’s Act 1989 – This act provides legislation in England. Key points include the child’s welfare and expectations around duties of care to children.
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Serious case reviews are required when a child has died due to known or suspected abuse or neglect. Reviews can also be carried out where a child has been seriously harmed or suffered life threatening injuries.
The LSCB where the child resides will decide if a case meets the serious case review criteria and this decision needs to be made within a month of the notified incident. During serious case reviews, agencies come together to discuss the case and determine the lessons which are to be learned about the way in which professionals have worked and which can work together in the future. Appropriate action can then be taken to make improvements.
The process of a serious care review is usually completed within six months.
Victoria Climbie was murdered in Feb 2000. This tragedy highlighted the serious failings of a system that struggled to co-ordinate and share information amongst agencies. Agencies failed on many occasions to intervene which may have possibly saved Victoria’s life. Social workers had called at the home address of Victoria several times and assumed that they had moved away due to receiving no answer. There were 12 key occasions where professionals involved with Victoria failed to intervene I her life.
Victoria’s death led to a public inquiry by Lord Laming. As a result of this, the 2003 Green Paper, Every Child Matters was published alongside the Government's response to Lord Laming's Report. This proposes a range of measures to reform and improve children's care.
Q6. (2.4) Analyse how your working practices with children and young people reflect the national and local guidelines, policies and procedures for safeguarding Your working practices e.g.:
• Ensuring the voice of the child or young person is heard (e.g. providing advocacy services);
• Supporting children and young people and others who may be expressing concerns; and
• Risk assessment
Athena’s working practices include –
Key working sessions – this is where a young person will meet with their keyworker 2-3 times a week to discuss any issues or concerns and gives the young person an opportunity to discuss their views and opinions relating to certain issues. We currently have a young mother in our unit with mild learning difficulties therefore has been supported to access an advocacy service to support her with an upcoming court case to ensure that her voice is heard.
Key working sessions also gives the key worker the opportunity to discuss sensitive issues relating to the young person i.e. personal hygiene, independence skills, contact or education matters. In our mother and baby unit we ensure that all areas are discussed to ensure the mother does not become withdrawn and suffer from Post-natal depression, if the signs are identified early then the issue can be dealt with quickly ensuring the correct care and support is received to support mother and baby.
House meetings – House meetings are held weekly and facilitated by the senior support workers. All residents come together to talk about any issues or unrest within the home in a safe controlled environment and a solution agreed. This also gives the opportunity to discuss ideas or arrange day trips that the young people can take part in together promoting social skills and positive friendships.
Risk Assessments - once a referral is received by Athena, a risk assessment can be completed based on the information sent by the referrer. This gives Athena staff the opportunity to assess whether a
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(6.2) Describe ways of reducing risks to children and young people from these;
Accessing the internet for children and young people can be part of a daily routine for some, therefore it is important that parents and carers monitor a child’s activity as this will help to keep them safe and protect them from harm.
Using the internet opens up a world of information as young people will use the internet for school projects and homework therefore, it is advisable for parents to set parental controls so adult sites cannot be accessed and children are not exposed to unsuitable material which can be damaging to the child. By talking to your child about online safety and discussing the risks will help the child to be aware on how to use the internet safely. Showing an interest in what your child is doing on line will also help a parent to see their child’s activity. Also, reminding children regularly to never give out their personal detail to strangers i.e. their name, address or where they go to school also ensures online safety. Children should also be reminded to tell their parents if an adult makes any inappropriate comments or makes them feel uncomfortable.
Missing People
Q24. (7.2) Outline the actions to be taken in line with policies and procedures when a child or young person goes missing.
The curfew for Athena’s residents is 10pm. If the young people do not return by this time, then they are classed as missing and the following procedure is as follows -
• Searching the accommodation, outbuildings, vehicles and local area and known places where the child is known to go.
• Asking friends/or family where the child or young person could be.
• Ringing the child or young person’s mobile phone.
• Asking other staff in the other homes or other young people who live there.
• Carrying out actions already agreed in the CAF or risk assessment plan completed by the social worker.
• Making efforts to ensure the young person is found and returned safe.
• Contact EDT, the Police and management of the missing person.
(7.3) Explain the importance of prompt and persistent action when a child or young person goes missing.
Taking immediate action when a young person or child goes missing reduces the risk of harm coming to them and reduces the risk of them taking part in criminal activity. Young children that run away usually have problems or issues that they are facing and therefore are at high risk of getting involved in crime, violence or even being the victim of sexual exploitation. Those that run away are more likely to be involved with the police or may have been the victim of abuse i.e. sexual or physical abuse. A child or young person running away has done so for a reason, therefore trying to locate them and identifying the pull and push factors for this will help to reduce the risk of it happening again and the appropriate measures put in place to manage the risks.