The every child matters policy
The every child matters policy, it applies to the well-being of children and young people from when they are born and then reach the age of 19. The policy is based on regardless the child’s background or circumstances, and child should always throughout their life; they should always receive as much support as possible.
There are five key principles in the policy which the government believe children should have support in. These are as follows:-
1) To be healthy
This outcome deals with the extent to which providers contribute to the development of healthy lifestyles in children. Therefore, providers should be promoting the following: physical, mental, emotional and sexual health; participation in sport and exercise; healthy eating and the drinking of water; the ability to recognise and combat personal stress; having self-esteem; and the avoidance of drug taking including smoking and alcohol.
- To stay safe
This is about the outcome of how extent, to which providers contributes to ensuring that ‘children’ stay safe from harm. Evidence includes complying with child protection legislation, undertaking CRB checks, protecting young people and vulnerable adults from bullying, harassment and other forms of maltreatment, discrimination, crime, anti-social behaviour, sexual exploitation, exposure to violence and other dangers. Furthermore, within each facility example: school, make sure all the staff have the appropriate training.
To enjoy and achieve
This had been put in place, so they can achieve the most enjoyment and attendance with education and training. The government hope to be able to evaluate how effective this has been by doing the following, assess and monitor learner’s progress, support learner with poor attendance and behaviour, and meet the needs of potentially underachieving groups. Furthermore, this principle they are wanting to see how effective the ‘enrichment’ of provision by promoting social, cultural, sporting and recreational activities.
- To make positive contribution
This principle has been put in place to develop self-confidence and enterprising behaviour in learners, together with their understanding of rights and responsibilities, and their active participation in community life. This aim wants young people to be able to focus on their appropriate independent behaviour and to avoid engaging in antisocial behaviour.
- To achieve economic well-being
Overall the plan aims to improve educational outcomes for children, improve children’s health, reduce offending rates among young people and eliminate child poverty by 2020.
For the above aims to succeed, all organisations that work with children and young people need to work together effectively to:-
- Tackle inequalities
- Support parents, carers and families
- Establish better safeguards
- Focus on prevention and early intervention
- Provide integrated, personalised services
The policy has had a wide range of impacts on care practices and provisions in many ways, because it applies to everyone who works in any capacity of children, or who provide services for children. This includes professionals such as teachers, social workers, foster carers, hospital, children’s homes, social services and the police.
In many ways the policy has had a good impact between different care practices and provisions because it brings together different groups of people who work with children in any way or form, to come together and provide information on the best way to promote the needs of children and help them gain the most out of life. Furthermore, it is good because it brings children and the young people be able to come together to discuss what they think is important to them and what could be looked at to make it better for them.
Be healthy
The government have set out 4 main targets which are as follows:-
- reduce and educate obesity
- reduction in teenage pregnancy
The agenda to reduce and educate obesity has been put in place because there has been a high level of childhood obesity. This policy has been set in place to look at what schools could and should be doing to tackle the problem. The government have come up with the statistics that if obesity does not get tackled now the nation as a whole would be heading into a catastrophic problem. Overweight obesity is at all level of education is associated with a poorer outcome. Obesity is one of the biggest health issues that is facing the UK, which is increasing people of the risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and provoking numerous psychological problems, which can lead to a lifestyle of depression and low self esteem. Obesity is high on the agenda with the government and the schools. Norman Foster is a microbiologist and nutritionist who advise the primary trust care about obesity who was recently responsible for organising the weighing and measuring of nearly 12 thousand school children across the county. From the data found, he found out that in the older age group 10-11 year old children a 3rd of the children were actually overweight.
Due to the increase of childhood obesity, the government have tried to introduce initiatives by doing the following:-
- Putting in place healthy eating campaigns
- Encouraging more healthy and physical exercise
Schools have a responsibility to children but in many ways because of a wide range of factors they shy away from that because they can become sensitive about labelling children overweight or obese. A professor of a ‘fat camp’ said that he thought that if teachers became to sensitive about the issue, they could be making the situation much more worse.
Many concerns with tackling this area is the following:
- Some teachers think that it may upset the children by identifying them as overweight or obese
The professors response, was that the children already know they are overweight, because they will get teased and bullied about their sizes at school
Schools now have a vital part in tackling teenage pregnancy by providing help in the form of social and emotional skills. The government see schools having an important role in its overall strategy to halve teenage pregnancy by 2010. They also think if teenage parents are encouraged to increase their participation in education and training or employment there would be a reduced risk of long-term social exclusion.
The government have come to the conclusion that they think that there is a higher pregnancy rate in those with low educational achievements, even after adjusting for the effects of deprivation. Nearly 40% of teenage mothers leave school with no qualification.
‘Work in schools on improving young people’s emotional health and well-being – which is recognised as a strong protective factor against a range of outcomes – has become a much higher priority over recent years. The development of children and young people’s social and emotional skills is key to promoting positive behaviour and effective learning.’
Schools have now put in place a scheme called ‘clinic in a box’, and this is where
- reducing smoking
- suicide rates within teenagers
How has the Every Child Matters policy affected schools?
For Every Child Matters aims to be achieved school have an important part to play. To achieve to their best ability schools need to be able to work in partnership with other services to tackle the barriers that stop children realising their full potential.
The government have set a goal to achieve by 2010, that all schools will provide access to extended services and activities for children and families on the school site or nearby. These services and activities are as follows,
- a varied menu of activities, combined with childcare in primary schools
- community access to school facilities
- swift and easy access to targeted and specialist services
- parenting support
Extended schools would have similar processes, tools and techniques that they used to implement the National Agreement. There was a remodelling process where the government gave money to schools to get them to open earlier and close later, which would give the pupils of the school more advantage. Extended schools are there to offer a whole range of other services to children and young people, outside of normal school hours. The government want every secondary school to offer activities and child care from 08:00am – 18:00pm every day, with breakfast clubs and a wide range of sporting and other activities after school. Schools will also be used a lot more by the community and will be open most weeks in the year.
The Every Child Matters are trying to integrate all services for children, therefore meaning that the schools have to be central to these changes, as in most cases, teachers have much more contact with children and their families than any other professionals.
From the Every Child Matters agenda, some people would argue that they don’t know how it is meant to be an educational route. For example; the third outcome ‘Enjoy and achieve’, people think this is the only one that really focuses on what we traditionally think of as education. However, schools also have a much wider role in making sure that every child take full advantage of education, but schools have tried to meet all criteria’s and make sure that children are safe and healthy.
There has been some issues that teachers think they should be paid to be a teacher not to be a doctor or social worker, but the teaching and learning is the core of what schools do, but to make sure that children can benefit from education, schools are expected to work closely with the local health service, social services and other local agencies.
The idea is that all the services will co-operate so that every child gets all the help and support they need to make good progress.
Every school has to meet all the criteria’s of the Every Child Matters, due to this being a new school inspection arrangement, which began in September 2005, this therefore means that every school will be inspected against the five Every Child Matters outcomes. Their Ofsted inspection report will also look at all the five areas. In their report it is not just acceptable to be getting good test results, schools need to look after the whole child. The local authority is also inspected every year against the same give outcomes. So local authorities have to work hard to ensure that health and social services are all meeting the new agenda.
The main issues are establishing a common understanding of what children need and who can provide it is the biggest challenge for teachers, social workers, health workers and all the other professionals involved in dealing with children. In the end the government are hoping the policy will make it easier for all children and their parents to access the full range of services, by having better co-ordination. Therefore, meaning children like Victoria Climbie are spotted and made safe, before anything happens to them.
What targets are set?
When/how are they reviewed?
How does this impact on teachers?
How does this impact on schools?
What are your feelings about the ECM agenda? (Primary information)
Bibliography
Every child matters policy
AO3
In this section, I am going to be researching and analysing quality assurance methods used by two services which I have chosen to conduct on a teacher and a nurse. I will be devise a questionnaire that will enable me to find out what systems are in place to implement and monitor quality assurance.
Here are brief definitions on terms that I will be using:
Quality assurance:
Primary research:
Secondary research:
Quality assurance
Quality assurance can be defined as all activities that contribute to defining, designing, assessing, monitoring and improving the quality of healthcare. Since 1990, the quality assurance project has developed tools and methods based on quality management principles used in industries which has then been applied to developing the countries health systems.
There are four core principles which have emerged out of the project being put in place to guide quality assurance in healthcare:
This is where the services designed certain goals to meet the needs and expectations of clients and communities
- Focus on systems and processes
This is where the provider would understand the service delivery system and its key service processes in order to improve them
This is where the data recognises by an analysing process; it would then identify problems and measure performance
This is where the quality is best achieved through a team approach to problem solving and quality improvement
Focus on the client
Health services are their to provide the health needs of a patient, so this is where the health services have been designed to meet an individuals needs. A focus on the individual examines how and whether each step in a process is relevant to meeting client needs and eliminates steps that do not ultimately lead to a patient’s satisfaction or desired patient outcome.
By focusing on a client, this can be achieved by gathering information about clients and then designing services to cater to the needs that are discovered from the information that is found.
By meeting these goals, you are not only involving people that come to the facility to receive services (external customers) but it also addresses the work-related needs of personnel (internal customers) involved in the delivery of care.
External customers include the people receiving the end product, or output of a system. For example, patients are external customers of healthcare in a hospital. Internal customers are organizational members who are involved in the processes necessary to produce the output, which could be the following:
- Doctors
- Nurses
- Administrative personnel
- Cleaning staff
The above are all good examples of internal customers within a hospital, and each is important in achieving the overall goal of quality care. Internal customers benefit from system efficiency by being able to perform their jobs better, thereby better meeting the needs of external customers.
Focus on systems and processes
Quality management addresses all work in the form of processes and systems. Systems are arrangements with a particular function or outcome. A process is defined as “a sequence of steps through which inputs from suppliers are converted into outputs for customers.” All processes are directed at achieving one goal or output from the system that cover the process.
The above information is about the quality assurance and how services implemented quality-assurance procedures. Now I am going to analyse the range of quality of assurance mechanism that is used by 2 different services. The services I am going to use are a ‘Teacher’ and a ‘NHS nurse’.
Primary research: Questionnaire
Teacher:
Secondary research:
Teacher
Code of conduct and practice for registered teachers
The general Teaching Council for England approved the revised Code of Conduct and Practice for Registered Teachers on 1st July 2009. The code sets out expected standards of conduct and norms of practice for 540,000 registered school teachers in England. Its expectations for standards of conduct also apply to trainee teachers, overseas-trained teachers and instructors who are provisionally registered with the Council.
Here is a quote of a GTC Chief Executive Keith Bartley’s opinion on the teacher’s code of conduct:
‘Having a professional Code, developed with and shared by members, is a hallmark of a profession. Teaching, and the expectations on teachers, has changed enormously in recent years. A key part of the GTC’s role is to support teacher professionalism and to support the raising of standards in the public interest. The development of a new Code, reflecting teachers’ enormous commitment and unique skills, will help us to support the profession to articulate clearly its shared values and expectations about behavior and practice.'
There are 8 principles of conduct and practice, for a registered teacher they are as follows:
Registered teachers:
- Put the wellbeing, development and progress of children and young people first
- Take responsibility for maintaining the quality of their teaching practice
- Help children and young people to become confident and successful learners
- Demonstrate respect for diversity and promote equality
- Strive to establish productive partnerships with parents and carers
- Work as part of a whole-school team
- Co-operate with other professional colleagues
- Demonstrate honesty and integrity and uphold public trust and confidence in the teaching profession
My discussion
This code of conduct has been set out for quality assurance for the teachers, because all teachers must meet this so there is a high level of child care protection. For example, teachers are allowed to have Facebook, but are not allowed to have pupil interaction over this website until the age of 18 where the pupil would be classed as an adult, but if under they are classed as a minor and it would go against the quality assurance for child protection.
I think some teachers may not be pleased with the teacher’s code of conduct because it may intrude a little into their private lives and strip them of basic human rights. I also think that some teachers may want public trust and confidence out of school and on weekends, although one of the General Teaching Council for England (GTC) says teachers must “Maintain reasonable standards in their own behaviour that enable them to uphold public trust and confidence in the profession”.
Furthermore, one of the codes that were revised implemented and gave the impression to teachers that they could not be trusted, and that their regulatory body needed to pin down their every activity and tell them how to behave. I think some teachers, could take this in the wrong way and may think that little statements that they do, or activities that they do could jeopardise their teaching careers.
I also spoke to a teacher and asked them about the code of conduct, and they quoted ‘that they think the code is reasonable to some extent but at time they think that the code can sometimes intrude into their private lives, which is intruding on basic human rights and could also put mine or other subject teachers careers on the line. Also, I don’t agree with how due to the code someone could report me for something they claim I did on the weekend, I think this is unfair and unpractical because I think regardless of your profession I think when your out of school ours what you do is what you do, and it shouldn’t oppose on your career path.
When doing some research I came across some information where other teachers had spoke about this problem, and their was a statement underneath on of the quotes from a teacher from Keith Bartley, chief executive of the GTC, said “it is a well-established principle that individuals have a duty to uphold the reputation of their chosen profession, and this is backed by a substantial body of case law. We are absolutely explicit that the new code does not in any way intrude into teacher’s private lives. The code is not open to interpretation.”
In this term, I don’t think there is a problem with teachers letting their hair down during a weekend period, but then some people could criticize this comment by saying teachers have a role model standard to set to pupils inside and outside the classroom by maintaining ‘reasonable standards in their own behaviour’. ()
Quality assurance in the education sector is one of the major initiatives of the commonwealth of learning (COL).
According to the code of conducts for teachers to meet quality assurance for their profession they would have to meet all criteria’s such as:
- They should look beyond themselves
- Training
- Have unbiased judgement
I have used the national code of conduct for Teachers because regardless our local Lincoln code of conduct for Teachers is the same, and they are following the same practice. Teachers serve as role models to students and they actions and conduct reflect on the school as a whole.
Nurse’s code of conduct
The code: Standards of conduct, performance and ethics for nurses and midwives
Make the care of people your first concern, treating them as individuals and respecting their dignity
Treat people as individuals
- You must treat people as individuals and respect their dignity
- You must not discriminate in any way against those in your care
- You must treat people kindly and considerately
- You must act as an advocate for those in your care, helping them to access relevant health and social care, information and support
Respect people's confidentiality
- You must respect people's right to confidentiality
- You must ensure people are informed about how and why information is shared by those who will be providing their care
- You must disclose information if you believe someone may be at risk of harm, in line with the law of the country in which you are practising
Collaborate with those in your care
- You must listen to the people in your care and respond to their concerns and preferences
- You must support people in caring for themselves to improve and maintain their health
- You must recognise and respect the contribution that people make to their own care and wellbeing
- You must make arrangements to meet people's language and communication needs
- You must share with people, in a way they can understand, the information they want or need to know about their health
Ensure you gain consent
- You must ensure that you gain consent before you begin any treatment or care
- You must respect and support people's rights to accept or decline treatment and care
- You must uphold people's rights to be fully involved in decisions about their care
- You must be aware of the legislation regarding mental capacity, ensuring that people who lack capacity remain at the centre of decision making and are fully safeguarded
- You must be able to demonstrate that you have acted in someone's best interests if you have provided care in an emergency
Maintain clear professional boundaries
- You must refuse any gifts, favours or hospitality that might be interpreted as an attempt to gain preferential treatment
- You must not ask for or accept loans from anyone in your care or anyone close to them
- You must establish and actively maintain clear sexual boundaries at all times with people in your care, their families and carers
Work with others to protect and promote the health and wellbeing of those in your care, their families and carers, and the wider community
Share information with your colleagues
- You must keep your colleagues informed when you are sharing the care of others
- You must work with colleagues to monitor the quality of your work and maintain the safety of those in your care
- You must facilitate students and others to develop their competence
Work effectively as part of a team
- You must work cooperatively within teams and respect the skills, expertise and contributions of your colleagues
- You must be willing to share your skills and experience for the benefit of your colleagues
- You must consult and take advice from colleagues when appropriate
- You must treat your colleagues fairly and without discrimination
- You must make a referral to another practitioner when it is in the best interests of someone in your care
Delegate effectively
- You must establish that anyone you delegate to is able to carry out your instructions
- You must confirm that the outcome of any delegated task meets required standards
- You must make sure that everyone you are responsible for is supervised and supported
Manage risk
- You must act without delay if you believe that you, a colleague or anyone else may be putting someone at risk
- You must inform someone in authority if you experience problems that prevent you working within this Code or other nationally agreed standards
- You must report your concerns in writing if problems in the environment of care are putting people at risk
Provide a high standard of practice and care at all times
Use the best available evidence
- You must deliver care based on the best available evidence or best practice.
- You must ensure any advice you give is evidence based if you are suggesting healthcare products or services
- You must ensure that the use of complementary or alternative therapies is safe and in the best interests of those in your care
Keep your skills and knowledge up to date
- You must have the knowledge and skills for safe and effective practice when working without direct supervision
- You must recognise and work within the limits of your competence
- You must keep your knowledge and skills up to date throughout your working life
- You must take part in appropriate learning and practice activities that maintain and develop your competence and performance
Keep clear and accurate records
- You must keep clear and accurate records of the discussions you have, the assessments you make, the treatment and medicines you give and how effective these have been
- You must complete records as soon as possible after an event has occurred
- You must not tamper with original records in any way
- You must ensure any entries you make in someone's paper records are clearly and legibly signed, dated and timed
- You must ensure any entries you make in someone's electronic records are clearly attributable to you
- You must ensure all records are kept securely
Be open and honest, act with integrity and uphold the reputation of your profession
Act with integrity
- You must demonstrate a personal and professional commitment to equality and diversity
- You must adhere to the laws of the country in which you are practising
- You must inform the NMC if you have been cautioned, charged or found guilty of a criminal offence
- You must inform any employers you work for if your fitness to practise is called into question
Deal with problems
- You must give a constructive and honest response to anyone who complains about the care they have received
- You must not allow someone's complaint to prejudice the care you provide for them
- You must act immediately to put matters right if someone in your care has suffered harm for any reason
- You must explain fully and promptly to the person affected what has happened and the likely effects
- You must cooperate with internal and external investigations
Be impartial
- You must not abuse your privileged position for your own ends
- You must ensure that your professional judgment is not influenced by any commercial considerations
Uphold the reputation of your profession
- You must not use your professional status to promote causes that are not related to health
- You must cooperate with the media only when you can confidently protect the confidential information and dignity of those in your care
- You must uphold the reputation of your profession at all times
Discussion
The code has been set out that provides guidance for ethical relationships, responsibilities, behaviours and decision-making, and it is used in conjunction with the professional standards, law and regulations that guide practice. The code also serves as an ethical basis from which nurses can advocate for quality work environments that support the delivery of safe, compassionate, competent and ethical care.
The code implicates seven primary values which are:
- Providing safe, compassionate, competent and ethical care
- Promoting health and well-being
- Promoting and respecting informed decision-making
- Preserving dignity
- Maintaining privacy and confidentiality
- Promoting justice
- Being accountable
The Nurse Code of Conduct sets out certain expectations as a support tool to help them in practice so they are faced with ethical, moral and professional dilemmas, they can then refer to the code for guidance and advice. The revised code requires nursing staff to ensure that anyone they delegate to is able to carry instructions and to ‘confirm that the outcome of any delegated task meets required standards’. It also requires Nurses and Midwives to ‘act without delay’ if they believe that themselves, a colleague or anyone else may be putting someone at risk.
()
The nurse’s primary professional responsibility is to their patient. The code has been set out so they provide care, and promote an environment in which the human rights, values, customs and spiritual beliefs of the individual, family and community are respected. It also cover the confidential part, with patients personal information should be kept confidential and should not be used as a judgement tools.
The nursing code of ethics tackles tough issues of the past, present and future. Since Florence Nightingale’s day, the ethical duty of a nurse was to care first and foremost for her patient. While a nurse’s premier moral obligation remain unchanged more than a century later, as health care challenges grow with the times, so do the profession’s ethical issues.
The code begins by emphasizing a nurse’s ‘compassion and respect for the inherent dignity, worth and uniqueness of every individual.’ It goes on to reinforce the unwavering truth that ‘the nurse’s primary commitment is to the patient, whether an individual, family, group, or community.’
A source called Badzek explained that the ANA’s code is put up for review by the Congress on Nursing Practice every five years. Although they are been thoughs that it will not be looked at for another 10 years.
“Think of how the world changes in 10 years, all codes need to be reviewed after a while”. ()
The world is always changing and changes in the world are often key indications of what’s on the forefront of nurses’ ethical issues. There a wide ranges of general nursing issues that frequently acquire attention, such as conditions of work like fatigue or the nursing shortage, or issues related to nursing and gifts or nursing and end-of-life care.
AO4
In this section I have going to write an evaluation on how two different services meet the needs of one person who uses services and approaches used by practitioners who work within them, how they work in partnership and the impact on the person who uses services.
How services and practitioners meet individual needs
Individual service users have a range of needs which must be met, including physical, intellectual, emotional and social needs. In a care assessment the nurse or care worker identifies the client’s range of needs and develops a plan to meet these needs.
Preventative and treatment
The saying ‘prevention is better than cure’ applies to modern approaches to health and social care. For example, preventing disease through immunisation has had a dramatic effect on the level of childhood illness.
Primary prevention
Changing lifestyle of taking other acetones to make diseases less likely. Stopping smoking and eating a healthy diet fits this model. Although immunisation isn’t a lifestyle change, it is also primary prevention.
Secondary prevention
Identifying disease at an early stage through screening such as for cancer.
Health visitor
The role of a health visitor to a service user is prevention, detection and treatment of the problem.