Specific �Safeguarding� Issues

Refer to Annex A of Keeping Children Safe in Education

Specific safeguarding issues �

• Children / court system
• CME
• Children - family members in prison
• CSE
• Child criminal exploitation / county lines
• Domestic abuse
• Homelessness

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• So-called ‘honour-based’ violence
• Preventing radicalisation
• Peer on peer abuse
• Sexual violence and sexual harassment between children
• upskirting
• Additional advice and support

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Children and the court system

• May be called to give evidence in court, either for crimes committed or crimes witnessed

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• Guides on different age groups - 5-11 and 12-17

Children with family members in prison

• Around 200,000 children affected each year – children at risk of poor outcomes

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• Essex CAPI Service

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• NICCO – support for professionals working with offenders and their children

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Children missing Education

• Children going missing (particularly repeatedly) warning sign of potential safeguarding issues

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• Early intervention required to identify underlying cause and to prevent future risk

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Child Criminal Exploitation (CCE)�

Where an individual / group takes advantage of power imbalance to control, manipulate or deceive a child into criminal activity:

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• In exchange for something the victim needs / wants

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• For financial / other advantage of the perpetrator

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• Through violence or threat of violence

Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE)�

Involves exploitative situations, contexts and relationships where young people receive something (for example food, accommodation, drugs, alcohol, gifts, money or in some cases simply affection) as a result of engaging in sexual activities.

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Some of the following signs may be indicators of sexual exploitation:

• Children who appear with unexplained gifts / new possessions
• Children who associate with other young people involved in exploitation
• Children who have older boyfriends or girlfriends
• Children who suffer from sexually transmitted infections or become pregnant
• Children who suffer from changes in emotional well-being
• Children who misuse drugs / alcohol
• Children missing for periods of time / regularly come home late
• Children who regularly miss school or education

County Lines

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Gangs / organised criminal networks involved in exporting illegal drugs (primarily crack cocaine and heroin) into one or more importing areas [within the UK], using dedicated mobile phone lines or other form of “deal line”

County lines

• Exploitation integral part of county lines offending model – children / vulnerable adults used to move / store drugs and money

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• ‘missing’ episodes a key indicator – possibility of child being trafficked

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• Further information on the signs of child’s involvement is available in Home Office guidance

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Domestic abuse

Any incident, or pattern of incidents, of controlling, coercive, threatening behaviour, violence or abuse between those aged 16 or over who are, or have been, intimate partners or family members regardless of gender or sexuality

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Domestic abuse – support available

Refuge runs (free of charge / 24 hour) National Domestic Abuse Helpline:0808 2000 247

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NSPCC - signs, symptoms and effects of domestic abuse

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Safe Lives - young people and domestic abuse

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Southend / Essex / Thurrock domestic abuse partnership 

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This quick reference guide ​provides a useful

oversight of DA arrangements in Essex

Homelessness

• Risk to welfare of child

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• School can support in raising / progressing concerns with local authority

What is the impact on the child?

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• Homeless Reduction Act 2017 – places new duties on local authorities

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(So called) Honour-based abuse

FGM

• Partial or total removal of female genitalia

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• Mandatory reporting duty for teachers

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• National FGM Centre

Forced marriage

• Without consent of one / both parties - where violence, threats or any other form of coercion is used
• Threats can be physical or emotional and psychological
• Forced Marriage Unit: fmu@fco.gov.uk

Mental health

• It is key that staff are aware of how a child’s previous experience of abuse can impact on their mental health, behaviour and education

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• Only appropriately trained professionals should attempt to make a diagnosis of a mental health problem (although staff are well placed to observe children day-to-day and identify those whose behaviour suggests that they may be experiencing a mental health problem or be at risk of developing one)

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• Concerns should always be referred to the Designated Lead

Online safety

• Teaching online safety in school (DfE, 2019)

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• Technology a significant component of safeguarding issues – provides a platform that facilitates harm

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• 3 main areas of risk:

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• Content: exposure to inappropriate / harmful material
• Contact: subjected to harmful online interaction
• Conduct: personal online behaviour that increases the likelihood of / causes harm

Preventing radicalisation:�

Extremism - the vocal or active opposition to our fundamental values, including the rule of law, individual liberty and the mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs

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Radicalisation - refers to the process by which a person comes to support terrorism and extremist ideologies associated with terrorist groups

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Terrorism - action that endangers / causes serious violence to a person/people; causes serious damage to property; or seriously interferes with / disrupts an electronic system

What is PREVENT?

Home Office / Prevent

The Prevent Duty:�

As of July 2015, the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act (HMG, 2015) placed a new duty on schools and other education providers

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Under S. 26 of the Act, schools are required, in the exercise of their functions, to have “due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism”. This duty is known as the Prevent duty

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Schools expected to assess risk of children being drawn into terrorism, including support for extremist ideas that are part of terrorist ideology

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PREVENT in Essex:

• PREVENT Lead in all agencies (Head of Education Safeguarding and Wellbeing is lead for Education)

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• Dedicated PREVENT Police team

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• Countywide strategic Prevent Board brings together all key agencies

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• Essex PREVENT Strategy

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• CHANNEL Panel – meets monthly

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PREVENT in Essex:

• Advice and guidance through Children and Families Hub (they will signpost elsewhere if appropriate)

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• Referrals made through the Children and Families Hub (as with any other safeguarding concern)

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• Family Solutions may be identified as an appropriate intervention – they work at early stage with the young person and the family to address concerns (requires consent)

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• Escalate to Social Care where ‘risk of significant

harm’

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Peer on peer abuse

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All staff should recognise that children are capable of abusing their peers and understand school processes for addressing this:

• Bullying
• Physical
• Sexual violence
• Sexual harassment
• Upskirting
• Sexting
• Initiation / hazing violence and rituals

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Sexual violence / harassment�

• Can occur between children of any age and gender – could be individuals or groups

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• Staff should be aware some groups are potentially more at risk - evidence shows girls, children with SEND / LGBT children at greater risk

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Sexual harassment: unwanted conduct of sexual nature (on or off-line)

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Sexual violence (Sexual Offences Act 2003):

• Rape
• Assault by penetration
• Sexual assault

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Consent – freedom and capacity to choose

Let children know you're listening��Please click the above link to watch a short NSPCC animation on responding to a child’s disclosure of abuse�(approx. 2 minutes)��

What to do if a child discloses to you:

DO

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• Listen carefully
• Establish the Facts
• Make accurate notes (using the child’s words) - date and sign these
• Reassure the child they have done the correct thing by telling you
• INFORM THE DESIGNATED LEAD

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DO NOT

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• Promise confidentiality
• Ask leading questions
• Use your own words to describe something
• Investigate

• staff should be aware of systems which support safeguarding (includes Child Protection policy, Staff Behaviour policy and name of Designated Lead).
• Any concerns should be raised with Designated Lead
• All CP records relating to a child should be kept in a central location (locked, fire-proof filing cabinet).
• It is good practice to review files regularly to scrutinize concerns logged - record the review process.

• How do staff report concerns and how are they recorded?

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• Is rationale for decisions / action recorded?

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• What happens then with the information?

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• Is there feedback to staff about their referral?

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• Has all appropriate action been taken?

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Effective Support for Children and Families in Essex (ESCB, 2017)�

Effective Support for Children and Families in Essex (ESCB, 2017)

Essex Effective Support Windscreen

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�Effective Support for Children and Families in Essex – Universal (Level 1)��

All children who live in the area have core needs such as parenting, health and education – children are supported by their family and in universal services to meet all their needs

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���Effective Support for Children and Families in Essex – Additional (Level 2)�

Children and families with additional needs who would benefit from or who require extra help to improve education, parenting and / or behaviour, or to meet specific health or emotional needs or to improve material situation

�Effective Support for Children and Families in Essex – Intensive (Level 3)�

Vulnerable children and their families with multiple needs or whose needs are more complex, such as children and families who:

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• Have a disability resulting in complex needs
• Exhibit anti-social or challenging behaviour
• Suffer neglect or poor family relationships
• Have poor engagement with key services such

as school and health

• Are not in education or work long term

��Effective Support for Children and Families in Essex – Specialist (Level 4)��

• Children or young people who have suffered or are likely to suffer significant harm as a result of abuse or neglect
• Children with significant impairment of function / learning and / or life limiting illness
• Children whose parents and wider family are unable to care for them
• Families involved in crime / misuse of drugs at a significant level
• Families with significant mental or physical health needs

Key documents:

• Keeping Children Safe in Education (DfE, 2020)

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• SET Procedures (ESCB, 2019)

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• Working Together to Safeguard Children (HMG, 2018)

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• What To Do If You’re Worried a Child is Being Abused ( HMG, March 2015)

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• Teaching online safety in school (DfE, 2019)

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• Inspecting Safeguarding in Early Years, Schools and Skills Settings (Ofsted, 2019)

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• PREVENT Duty Guidance (HMG, 2015) - Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015

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• Sexting in schools and colleges: responding to incidents and safeguarding young people (PDF) (UKCCIS, 2016)

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• Essex Effective Support for Children and Families (ESCB, 2017)

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• Sexual harassment and sexual violence between children in schools and colleges
• (DfE, 2019)

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�Essex School Infolink (ESI) Safeguarding page�INFOLINK:�https://schools.essex.gov.uk/pupils/Safeguarding/Pages/Safeguarding.aspx�

• Model Child Protection Policy
• Level 2 training programme
• Information on CSE
• Information on PREVENT
• Training opportunities
• Key documents and useful resources

• Safeguarding Audit
• Feedback from Serious Case Reviews
• Termly briefings
• How to make a child protection referral
• How to manage allegations against members of the workforce
• Templates for recording and reporting concerns

‘Working Together’ (March 2018)

“effective safeguarding of children can only be achieved by putting children at the centre of the system, and by every individual and agency playing their full part, working together to meet the needs of our most vulnerable children.”

Safeguarding Manager for Schools and Early Years:�

jo.barclay@essex.gov.uk

033301 31078

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Safeguarding Adviser for Schools and Early Years: �

matthew.lewis@essex.gov.uk

033301 31072

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THANK YOU

for taking the time to complete Level 2 safeguarding training

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• Please email Ronnie Branch when you have completed this training and a safeguarding certificate will be issued to you.

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• Please include in the email any queries you may have in response to this presentation.

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