HSCB Initial Multi-agency Safeguarding Course

1. HSCB Initial Multi-agency Safeguarding Course

2. Learning Outcomes • By the end of the course, the participants will be able to: • State the legal and procedural framework. • Understand their own role within their agency with regard to safeguarding. • Recognise roles and responsibilities of other agencies. • Understand the Herefordshire Pathway of Intervention • Identify the factors that impact on the vulnerability of children • Recognise the multi-disciplinary nature of the child protection process.

3. Learning Principles • To value and listen to contributions • To question differences constructively,in a manner that is enabling to the process of the group and the objectives of the course • To address and challenge oppressive behaviour or language • To support a principle of confidentiality about personal issues and feelings

4. Introduction

5. Influences for Change • Victoria Climbe • Peter Connolly • Kyra Ishaq • Holly Wells and Jessica Tate

6. Framework of Legislation and Guidance UN Convention on the Rights of the Child 1989 Ratified by the UK in 1991 Education Act 2002 Children Act 1989 Children Act 2004 The Laming Report 2003 Working Together to Safeguard Children – 2013 Every Child Matters – Change for Children - 2004 The Bichard Report 2005 The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act - 2006 Safeguarding Children and Safer Recruitment in Education - 2006 What to do if you’re worried a child is being abused - 2006 The Protection of Children in England: A Progress Report - 2009

7. Working Together 2013 – Key Changes • Child Centred • Alert Professionals • Information Sharing • Professionals contribute and review regularly • LSCB’s to co-ordinate and challenge • Publish SCR’s • Local Innovation

8. Working Together to Safeguard Children 2013 • Children have said that they need • Vigilance: to have adults notice when things are troubling them • Understanding and action: to understand what is happening; to be heard and understood; and to have that understanding acted upon • Stability: to be able to develop an on-going stable relationship of trust with those helping them • Respect: to be treated with the expectation that they are competent rather than not • Information and engagement: to be informed about and involved in procedures, decisions, concerns and plans • Explanation: to be informed of the outcome of assessments and decisions and reasons when their views have not met with a positive response • Support: to be provided with support in their own right as well as a member of their family • Advocacy: to be provided with advocacy to assist them in putting forward

9. Effective recruitment, selection and contractual procedures including safeguarding checks Clear lines of accountability for safeguarding arrangements Procedures for dealing with allegations against staff /volunteers Priorities in strategic policy documents & commission strategies Whistleblowing and culture of sharing concerns Safeguarding and Promoting Children Welfare Safeguarding policies inc.CP policy and complaint procedures in line with LSCB Culture of listening to and consulting with children Arrangements of working with other organisations and information sharing Arrangements for staff/volunteer training , supervision and support

10. Local Influences • Local Safeguarding Children Board • Joint Inter Agency Procedures and Protocols - www.herefordshiresafeguardingchildrenboard.org.uk • Ofsted Inspections Both Local Authority and Education • Herefordshire Serious Case Reviews & Significant Incident Learning Process

11. Themes from serious case reviews • Need to ensure clarity regarding making referrals WHEN – recognising and understanding safeguarding issues HOW – understanding the process and roles and responsibilities BARRIERS - perceptions of thresholds • Need to ensure an awareness in adult services of the needs of children and the impact of parents behaviour on their health and development • Need for greater understanding of the role of information sharing within and between agencies

12. Themes from serious case reviews • Need to be aware of and follow the Inter Agency Procedures for Safeguarding children and to make use of available tools • Need for holistic assessment and analysis of information to ensure a focus on the needs of the child • Need to ensure effective communication with children takes place

13. Themes from serious case reviews • Need to assess all family members and in particular fathers and partners with a focus on their history and possible risks to children • Need for all services to be realistic about the impact on children of adult needs and behaviours such as substance misuse • Need to be aware of risk factors e.g. domestic violence and the cumulative nature of risk for both adults and children • Need to promote evidenced based practice and challenge parents when appropriate

14. Working with Resistant, Violent and Aggressive Families • No significant change at reviews despite significant input • Parents/carers agreeing with professionals regarding changes but put little effort into making changes work • Change does occur but as a result of external agencies/resources not parent/carer efforts • Change in one area of functioning is not matched by change in other areas • Parents/Carers will engage with certain aspects of the plan only • Parents/carers align themselves with certain professionals • Child’s report of matters conflicts with parent’s/carer's report

15. Possible Impact • Inability to obtain accurate information to inform assessments • Violent/intimidating behaviour may result in ‘keeping professional at bay’ • Usual sources of information/alternative perceptions may be affected • Need to work out specifically which areas of assessment are difficult to achieve and why

16. Review of Vetting and Barring Scheme • Independent Safeguarding Authority ( ISA) has been merged with CRB – Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) • Existing duty on a ‘regulated activity provider’ to ascertain whether a person is barred before engaging in regulated activity remains. • Definition of ‘regulated activity’ has been amended so the range of posts falling within it has been reduced

17. Review of Vetting and Barring Scheme • Requirement to register has been repealed • Duty to refer to ISA remains. • Offences remain the same • Copies of CRBs will be issued to the applicant only and not copied to the body countersigning the application at the same time • Certificates will be updated on a continuous basis removing they need to make repeat applications

18. The Safeguarding Pathway

19. Safeguarding is much more than Child Protection Wellbeing of the Child Develop appropriately including health and education Have security, stability, and are cared for Stay safe from maltreatment, neglect, violence and sexual exploitation Safe from bullying and discrimination Safe from accidental injury and death

20. Safeguarding and Child Protection ‘Safeguarding’ is: • Protecting children from maltreatment • Preventing impairment of health or development • Ensuring children grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care • Enabling children to have optimum life chances in adulthood ‘Child Protection’ is: • A part of safeguarding and promoting welfare • Refers to the activity that is undertaken to protect specific children who are suffering, or are likely to suffer, significant harm

21. Local Statistics

22. Local Statistics

23. Local Statistics

24. Local Statistics

25. Local Statistics

26. Local Statistics

27. Herefordshire Levels of Need

28. Assessment Framework Triangle

29. Herefordshire Levels of Need and Service Response Guidance • Document aims to summarise the different levels of need that a child or family may experience and shows how typical interventions from a range of services can meet theses needs • Consistent application of assessments processes

30. Key Points • Model based on 4 levels of need • Centre of the windscreen is CAF – a holistic assessment and review which stays with the child or young person as they move across the levels of need. • Other more specialist assessments will feed into the CAF • Introduction of the Eligibility and Priority Framework

31. Pathway of Needs • CAF • Multi-agency Groups • Child in Need – Section 17 • Section 47 Significant Harm

32. Local Policies and Procedures • CAF Manual of Guidance • Herefordshire Levels of Need and Service Response Guidance • Multi-Agency Groups Guidance • Standards and Guidance for Multi-Agency Referrals to Children’s Social Care • HSCB – Inter agency Procedures and Protocols

33. Multi-Agency Groups • Meetings of key practitioners from different local agencies and settings • Identify vulnerable children and young people in a locality and try to ensure they receive the support they need through Common Assessment process • Provide support to practitioners who are completing CAFs • Share any additional information that is relevant which may have not been identified in the CAF • Identify any resources and interventions from within the group which may meet the needs identified in the CAF • Agree a plan of action which will address the needs identified and who will carry out different aspects of the plan

34. Case Exercises

35. Levels of Need Level 2 Level 3 Level 4

36. Child In NeedChildren Act 1989 Sec 17 A child shall be taken to be in need if: • They are unlikely to achieve or maintain, or have the opportunity of achieving or maintaining, a reasonable standard of health or development without the provision for them of services by a local authority under this part • Their health or development is likely to be significantly impaired, without the provision of such services • The child/young person is disabled

37. Significant HarmThe Children Act 1989 Section 47 • Concept of Significant harm – to justify compulsory intervention in family life in the best interests of children • Local Authority – duty to makes enquiries where it has reasonable cause to suspect a child is suffering significant harm • Defined by the Children Act 1989 • Ill treatment(including sexual abuse and physical abuse • Impairment of health (physical or mental) or development (physical, intellectual, emotional, social or behavioural) as compared to a similar child

38. Case Exercises • In your groups watch the 8 scenarios and identify signs and indicators of concern • Discuss and outline what your group thinks that professional in the clip needs to do with their concern

39. Referral to Children's Services A referral is “a request to Children Services for assessment or for services to safeguard and promote the welfare of a child in need.” • Referral to Multi- Agency Safeguarding Hub – MASH • 01432 260800 / www.herefordshire.gov.uk/MASH • Decisions about referral made within 24 hrs • Decisions can include to: • Provide advice and guidance • Signpost to appropriate agency • Undertake a short piece of work e.g. write a letter, send a leaflet (within 24 hours) • Initiate section 47 enquiries

40. Key terms • Referral to children’s social care • Initial assessment • Strategy discussion • Child protection enquiry • Child protection conference • Core assessment • Child protection plan • Core group

41. The safeguarding system CAF/MAG Early intervention Contact Referral M.A.S.H Single Assessment Child in Need Strategy Discussion Section 47 Enquiry Children Looked After Single Assessment Child subject to a Child Protection Plan Initial Child Protection Conference

42. Final key messages • Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility • All children have an equal right to protection • Some children need additional consideration to keep them safe • We are an important partner in inter-agency co-operation • We support our staff to keep our pupils safe

43. Contacts The M.A.S.H: 01432 260800 (Professionals’ number to seek advice or report a concern) Out of Hours Emergency Duty Team: 01905 768020 CAF NSPCC: 0808 800 5000 www.nspcc.org.uk This is a free 24 hour service which provides counselling, information and advice to anyone concerned about a child at risk of abuse.

44. Child Sexual Exploitation and Trafficking

45. What is it? • Exploitative situations, contexts and relationships where young people receive something as a result of performing, and/or others performing on them sexual activities • Power over them by virtue of their age, gender, intellect, physical strength and/or economic or other resources

46. Child Trafficking • Involves the transport of young people across international or national boundaries for the purpose of exploitation which can be of a sexual nature but also includes financial exploitation and forced labour. • It can also involve the trafficking and prostitution of local children and young people by organised gangs.

47. Introduction • Child Sexual exploitation and trafficking are forms of child abuse • Characterised by child’s perceived position of the limited availability of choice ,experience and understanding compounding their vulnerability • Use of fear deception coercion and violence • Link between children missing from home/care and being sexually exploited is very strong

48. Key Facts about CSE • Age – often starts at 12-13 • Gender – affects girls and boys • Ethnicity – happens in all communities • Vulnerability – Any young person can be targeted • Especially vulnerable groups –Looked after children, Children leaving care, Children missing from home, Children with learning difficulties • Victims may be trafficked (locally, regionally, nationally)

49. Key Facts about CSE • Girls are targeted from age 10-11 • Boys are targeted from age 8 • 25-30% of referrals are boys • Victims from LAC and non-statemented learning difficulties are over represented in referrals. (Safe and Sound’s Experience)

50. Key Facts about CSE • Over 70% of adults involved in prostitution were sexual exploited as children or teenagers (YWCA 2002, JAGO AND PEARCE 2008) • This highlights the importance of prevention , detection and early intervention