I am going to talk about the appropriate responses where child abuse is suspected or confirmed, making reference to current legislation and policies.

Polices of a setting:

All people working with children and young people in a care setting and educational setting should be aware of the policies of the setting and they must have read the policies of the setting organisation. The policies of the setting should be easy accessible and available, some setting organisation ask individual to sign to prove that they have read the polices and procedure of the setting. This protects the organisation and the staff and makes sure that a regular practice is used in all cases.

Safe practice:

In a setting, there will unavoidably number of policies and procedures and the staff should be alerted. They will consist of equal opportunities, health and safety, behaviour and child protection. Other then this there will be other written policies to protect the children and young people, staff and visitors from harm and to ensure safe practice throughout the setting. In a situation, it is vital that everyone is altered and aware of the content of the policies and procedures.

Whistle blowing:

Most settings have taken on a whistle blowing policy. This is to report any inappropriate behaviour, which is observed among the staff, which will then trigger an investigation. The individual reporting the problem will be protected and supported but they must be aware that the police may interview them if it required.

Lines of reporting:

The policy of the setting will identify the lines of reporting in cases where abuse is suspected or confirmed. It is vital that these procedures are strictly in place or the case could be severely compromised. In a educational and care setting the procedures are to be reported to the line manager or the person in charge will then contact the people in authority. All the information has to be recorded accurately as it may be used as evidence later.

Accurate reporting:

All information recorded or reported should be accurate and factual and without any assumptions at all. All written report should be checked through carefully to make sure that there is no vagueness and that all information is fully recorded, is correct and without any judgemental phrases or statements.

Security of records:

All files and information has to be safely and securely stored and the people who have the right to know should only have access to that information. Confidentiality is vital in these instances and breaking it in this situation could lead to police involvement and even prosecution, as evidence may need to be used in court appearances and for prosecution. The security of records and accurate recording abides by the Data Protection Act 1998 as the legislation states that all information should be kept safe and secure and should be accurate.

Sequence of events ...

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Security of records:

Sequence of events leading to registration on the child protection register:

It should be reported to the line manager when abuse is first suspected. Many organisations have a line manager or a child protection officer were abuse is suspected then the case will be referred to the manager. The child protection officer or the line manager will get into contact with the area child protection team. The child protection team will carry out an investigation and in severe cases police and social care worker may get involved for the safety and protection of the victim. Within the police team, they have a fully trained child protection officer who will help with the investigation. The abused individual should never be left in harmful and dangerous circumstances. Having all the evidence in place a child protection conference will take place and a decision will be made whether the child need to be named under the child protection register. In a critical situation there may be criminal charges brought against the perpetrators of the abuse. The child protection register is confidential and it is vital that the information remains confidential and only the people who work in the child area should have the right to know and have access to the information. The child protection register contains the names of children who are at risk of being abused this alters all agencies to work together for the safety and protection of the individual. The sequence of events leading to registration on the child protection register abides with Children’s Act 1989, 2004, Human Rights Act 1998 and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child 1989as this protects the child as when abuse is suspected it has to be reports straight away to the line manger who will then take it further.

Role and responsibilities:

Following the policies and procedures of the setting:

All the people who are apart of the care and education of children and young people have the responsibility to follow the polices and procedures of the setting. If the polices and procedures are not followed correctly especially where abuse or neglect is concerned then the child’s life will be more at risk and can lead to child exploitation. All children who reveal information about themselves should be protected and supported by trained professionals.

Observation:

It is good practise, to observe children and young people, as it ensures that planning is linked to the needs of the individual and that development is monitored and recorded. Through observations, a child’s behaviour can be noticed, if it has changed, also through observations it can be noticed if there is unaccountable marks on their body, which can be potentially abusive or exploitive, which will then lead to a further investigation.

Appropriate recording and reporting:

Observations should be kept confidential within the setting; only the appropriate people like the line manager, social services and the police have access to the information. All the reports and records should have facts and not uninformed judgements, all the records and reports should be dated and signed just in case it may be used in case conferences.

Recognising and symptoms of abuse:

Most care and education settings provide in service training on child protection issues. Local authorities require employees to undertake appropriate training as part of a continuous professional development programme. It is very important that everyone is aware of the signs and symptoms of abuse so that direct action can be taken, to ensure that the child is safe.

Knowing how to respond following disclose:

If a child discloses sensitive information, which has concerns about their safety and well being, then the care setting should follow the policy straight away. The child should always be believed and supported and the procedures put into practice straightaway. It is important to know the policies and procedures because it may be rare to implement them.

Maintaining confidentiality according to the policies of the setting:

Every setting should follow the policy about the code of confidentiality; there is a legal responsibility to disclose information to the area child protection team and the police but all information should be kept confidential and not given to anyone without ant reason. If information is passed on to other parties, it could put at risk the safety of the child.

Disclose:

Disclose means tell another person about an incident or event that has happened. Disclosure is usually linked to sensitive information, which is often connected to case of abuse and exploitation.

Direct disclosure is when the child or the young people inform someone directly that they have been abused or exploited.

Indirect disclosure often involves a third party, who may have information about the child. Staff may observe behaviour which might be indicative of abuse or the child may be sexually aware about the act which in a way is inappropriate. The child or young person may make a statement or reveal what has happened which alerts the listener to potential problems.

Listening carefully and attentively :

If a child indicates that some thing wrong has happened, the adult should listen properly and not interpret words incorrectly. They should listen to the child carefully, and take them seriously and that you are not shocked. It is important not to show disgust or shock as the child will only be more reluctant to disclose if you do.

Communicating at the child young persons own pace:

The child or young person should be supported and there should not add pressure for them to tell them everything; they should take things slowly, step by step. The child should be allowed to determine the pace of the proceedings. If the child feels that they are being rushed they may also feel uncomfortable and as if they are being judged, so it is important that they are able to control the situation. It is also important to remember that the child may have been threatened with untold horrors if they told anyone about their abuse, and they will be feeling vulnerable.

Taking the child or young persons seriously:

The child or young person should be kept as calm as possible, and they should know that they are being taken seriously. A child puts a lot of trust in the person who they are talking to, for them to disclose sensitive information about themselves.

Reassuring and supporting the child/ young person:

The child or young person should receive the support and reassurance that they require and will need to assured that what ever has happened to them is not their fault and they are not to be blamed for.

Unconditional acceptance:

It is important that the child is accepted, no matter what they have said. Unconditional acceptance is used to put across a message that whatever has happened, and what ever way, the child or young person is a valued person without blame and they will be supported through out the investigation. Unconditional acceptance relates to the Children’s Act 1989, UN Convection on the Rights of the Child 1989 and Human Rights Act 1998, as all children have the right to be treated equally regardless of race, gender, background etc, therefore all children should be unconditionally accepted when they reveal information in order to make them feel safe, and also to ensure that they are appropriately protected from their abusers.

Boundaries of confidentiality:

In an abusive situation, confidentiality can be exceptions. There is a legal responsibility to pass information to the authorities investigating the case and these may include a number of different agencies like the area child protection teams and the police.

Following the correct procedures of the setting promptly:

If all the procedures are followed properly then the outcome should be good. The procedures of the setting are in place to safeguard every one in involved and it is important that they are followed correctly and promptly.

Dealing with your own feelings and emotions:

If you get involved in a child protection case you will have your own feeling to deal with as it may lead to a point where your emotions are involved. Sometimes this situation can get out of control and counselling sessions may need to take place.

Below are points where the procedures of a setting are followed to show where abuse is suspected or confirmed:

Procedure for dealing with disclose of abuse and procedure for reporting concerns:

Reporting and leading allegation of abuse against members of staff.