Working Together to Safeguard and Protect Children Delivered by BSCB Training Team 18 th & 19 th October 2012.

Working Together to Safeguard and Protect

Children

Delivered by BSCB Training Team18th & 19th October 2012

Welcome and housekeeping

• Fire• Toilets• Mobile phones• Refreshments • Timetable• Learning Objectives

Learning Agreement • Confidentiality: What is shared in

the room stays in the room (few exceptions)

• Knowledge: We all have different experiences thus different knowledge, (No such thing as a silly question.)

• Responsibility: You have a role to play in training. You will get out what you put in

• Disagreement: it is ok not to agree, but listen and respect others point of view

• Time keeping: Start on time finish on time

• Networking: Talk to new people

• Any Others?

• Look after yourself

The purpose of all BSCB training is to improve safeguarding practice, thereby improving outcomes for children.

Introductions Get together in pairs with somebody that you do not know

Interview your partner, asking and answering the following questions;

• Their name

• Their organisation and their role within it

• One thing that gives them satisfaction from their role

• Something about them, that not many people know

• What their main hope from attending the training is

Go back into the main group, and ‘introduce’ your partner to the other delegates

Training Aim:

To provide participants from the Children’s Workforce with an opportunity to learn in a multi-agency environment about the key principles of safeguarding and protecting

children.

Objectives:

• To be able to contribute to and promote children’s welfare e.g. through assessment, planning, participation in core groups, planning groups, conferences and decision making.

• To acquire sound understanding of processes for effective working together.

• To be able to communicate and develop working relationships in the interests of children.

• Be aware of some of the key changes that are taking place

Roles and responsibilities of key professionals in the safeguarding

processes

The Common Assessment Framework

I = Identification and actionT = Transition

N = Needs metCommon assessment to be considered from this point

Child Protection is just one part of Safeguarding

Blackpool Safeguarding Children Board

Objectives:To coordinate what is done by eachperson or body represented on theBoard for the purposes of safeguardingand promoting the welfare of children inthe area of the authority by which it isestablished;To ensure the effectiveness of what isdone by each such person or body forthose purposes;

Sect 13 Children Act 2004

‘The focus is on children most at risk of serious harm’

The legal context for Safeguarding Children

• Children Act 1989• Framework for Assessment 2000• Education Act 2002• Children Act 2004• Working Together to Safeguard Children 2010

(Guidance)

• Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 • Blackpool Child Protection Procedures

The Children Act 1989The Act started from the principal that the responsibility for raising children rests with families, and for most children their interests are best served by enabling them to grow up with that family.

• Local Authorities have a duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of the child

• The Local Authority has a duty to protect children from abuse or harm within the family

• Agencies are required to work together for the protection and well-being of children (s.27)

A period of change

Victoria Climbie

• Died aged 8 in Feb 2000• Physical, emotional, sexual abuse & neglect• Great Aunt & Partner were found guilty of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment in 2001• Victoria moved countries & areas, had contact with many different agencies• Haringay CSC Dept took Victoria off CP Register on the day she died• Laming identified 12 key occasions when services could have successfully intervened

Baby Peter• Had a broken back, cracked ribs, numerous cuts

and bruises• Not safeguarded despite the fact that he had been

put on the ‘at risk’ register and had 60 contacts with health and social work professionals and police over eight months

Baby PeterMother’s cooperation with professionals and

appointments, positive response to offers of help,

and her own frequent initiations of contact, led to a

high level of trust in her.

Need for: • Constant vigilance• Open and inquisitive approach, regardless of

any assumptions from previous assessments

‘Thinking the unthinkable’

‘Adults who deliberately exploit thevulnerability of children can behave indevious and menacing ways. They will oftengo to great lengths to hide their activitiesfrom those concerned for the wellbeing ofthe child’.‘Child Protection cases do not always comelabelled as such’.Lord Laming

Lord Laming report into the death of Baby Peter (2009)

• Keeping the child at the centre of your work

• Engaging in effective training and supervision (one to one)

• No need for further legislative change

• Practitioners to understand their roles and responsibilities

• Children and young people get support as early as possible

• Share information, assess risk and make decisions effectively together

Working Together 2010

• Statutory guidance on the function of Local Safeguarding Children Boards and how the agencies should work together to safeguard children

• Guidance on SCRs

• Functions relating to child deaths

Serious Case Reviews (SCR)

Working Together to Safeguard Children 2010

Serious Case Reviews (SCRs)- a key driver for child protection practice

Carried out when abuse & neglect are

known or suspected factors when a child

dies (or is seriously injured or harmed) &

there are lessons to be learnt about

interagency working to protect children

Serious Case Reviews - LocalThese are managed by BSCB Case Review Sub Group

Child ‘B’ age almost 13 (atoi) Sexual messages - SCR completed 2008

Implications in respect of children and young people who display sexually harmful behaviour. Potential ‘child on child’ abuse needs greater emphasis in training.

Child ‘F’ a baby who died whilst in the care of a family member; the cause ofdeath was established as overlay

There were a number of missed opportunities for agencies to work together and share informationAll agencies must ensure that assessments, monitoring and support include fathers as routine.

Please refer to SCR PAN LANCASHIRE NEWSLETTER in your handout pack

Serious Case Reviews

Things we need to learn from national studies

SCR’s and children with disabilities

• Support needs to be tailored to the needs of the child

• Closer links between the safeguarding workers and workers specialising in working with children with disabilities

• Specific training for safeguarding children with disabilities

• Robust safeguarding training for organisations specialising in working with children with disabilities

• Clear communication (with child and family and between agencies)

• Learning lessons from SCR’s: Ofsted 2009

Munro Review 2011 Interim Report

Key points:• Keep child at the centre of work• Early intervention• Reduce bureaucracy • Strengthen Supervision• Multi Agency teams• Unannounced inspections• SCR (Ofsted not to be used)• Strengthen LSCB

Economic climate

Summer 2012New ‘Working Together’??

Uncertainty

‘Some of the worst failures of the system have occurred when professionals have lost sight of the child…’

Keep the child in focus

Coffee break

The Child’s Voice

Integrated Working

The Jigsaw!

Aims and Objectives• To further develop a better understanding of

common language, which includes the concept of ‘a team around the child’ (integrated working).

• To improve the common understanding of the different professional responsibilities within the Common Assessment Framework.

• To enhance the importance of sharing information. This information might be specific only to you or your agency and thus vital to the completion of the ‘jigsaw’.

Activity:

• What are the significant key indicators and events for the given discipline?

• What further information would you require to meet the needs of the child and family?

Jigsaw

VoluntaryAgencies

Social Care

Education

PoliceHealthExtended

Family

“…it is only when information from a range of sources is put together that a child can be seen to be in

need or at risk of harm.”

Information sharing

Information sharing

Recognising the uncertainty many of you have about sharing information, particularly outside your own setting, the first cross government

guidance on this subject has been published, Information Sharing: Practitioner’s Guide 2006

‘…it is only when information from a range of sources is put together that a child can be seen

to be in need or at risk of harm.’

www.ecm.gov.uk/informationsharing

What happens if information is not shared?

• Victoria Climbie

• Ian Huntley

• Lauren Wright

• Gary Glitter

Significant Harm

• The Children Act 1989 uses the concept of significant harm to justify the compulsory intervention in family life in the best interests of the children.

• The local authority is under a duty to make enquiries where it has reasonable cause to suspect a child is suffering significant harm.

“Data Protection Disaster”Police chief admits Huntley error”

The Chief Constable of Humberside has told the Bichard Inquiry he was "wrong" to claim Ian Huntley's police record was

deleted because of the Data Protection Act.

Humberside police did not share with Cambridgeshire police four accusations of rape against Huntley, and one of

indecent assault on an 11-year-old girl, because of data protection

Lauren Wright• Lauren was starved and physically abused for months

and eventually died

• This abuse was in full view of various professionals (including doctors and school staff)

• Moved from Hertfordshire were she was on the Child Protection Register, to Norfolk, but Norfolk SSD not told of her arrival in their area

• As a result of the failings in this case section 175 of the Education Act 2002 was implemented, clearly defining the responsibilities of all professionals to safeguard children

International arrangementsA campaign led by NSPCC has resulted in a government crackdown which restricts the

movement of sex offenders overseas and allows the authorities to remove their passports.

Under the MAPPA arrangement convicted sex offenders (such as Gary

Glitter) are required to sign the sex offenders register and remain under supervision for the rest of their lives,

including notifying police if they leave the area for more than a few days. This

information will need to shared to reduce the abuse of children both here and

overseas.

Sharing Information

Knowing when and how to share information is not always easy – but it is important get it right

“the data protection act is not a barrier to sharing information, but is in place to ensure that personal

information is shared appropriately. This guidance is welcome as it sets out a framework to help practitioners

share information both professionally and lawfully”

Richard Thomas, Information Commissioner

How and when do we share information?

Confidential information is:

Personal information of a private or sensitive

nature; and• Information that is not already lawfully in the

public domain or readily available from another public source; and

• Information that has been shared in circumstances where the person giving the information could reasonably expect that it would not be shared with others.

Information Sharing: Guidance for practitioners and managers 2009:p15

Consent

• why information needs to be shared

• who will see their information

• the purpose to which their information will be put

• the implications of sharing that information

Consent must be ‘informed’. The person giving consent should understand:

HM Government (2006) What To Do If You’re Worried A Child Is Being Abused. Department for Education and Skills, London. Appendix 3

Consent Consent can be:

• explicit – obtaining explicit consent is good practice; can be expressed orally or, preferably, in writing

• implicit e.g., when a patient agrees to a GP making a referral to a specialist, the patient is also agreeing to the sharing of information with that specialist. (also a Common Assessment)

HM Government (2006) What To Do If You’re Worried A Child Is Being Abused. Department for Education and Skills, London. Appendix 3

Seven key questions about information sharing

1. Is there a clear and legitimate purpose for sharing information?

2. Does the information enable the person to be identified?

3. Is the information confidential?4. If so, do you have consent?

Information Sharing: Guidance for practitioners and managers 2009:p12

Seven key questions about information sharing

5. If consent is refused, is there sufficient public interest to share the information?

6. Are you sharing the information correctly and securely?

7. Have you properly recorded your information sharing decision?

Information Sharing: Guidance for practitioners and managers 2009:p12

You could…

• contribute a vital piece

of the jigsaw to prevent

the death of a child

• be the first link in the chain to offer support to a family in crisis

Jack’s Story

Do you think Jack is a child in need or a child in need of safeguarding?

What is Safeguarding

• Protecting children from maltreatment.

• Preventing impairment of children’s health or development.

• Ensuring that children are growing up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care.

Every Child Matters Outcomes

• These aspects of safeguarding contribute to the five outcomes:

• Stay safe

• Be Healthy

• Enjoy and achieve

• Make a positive contribution

• Achieve economic well being

Maltreatment

• A person may abuse or neglect a child by inflicting harm or failing to act to prevent harm

• Children and young people may be abused in a family or an institutional or community setting by those known to them or, more rarely by a stranger

Significant Harm

• There is no absolute criteria for identifying significant harm. It is necessary to consider:

• The nature of the harm

• The impact on the child’s development

• The child’s development within the context of their family and wider environment.

Significant Harm

• Harm is defined in the Children Act 1989 as:

• Ill treatment( including sexual abuse and physical abuse)

• Impairment of health(physical or mental) or development as compared to that of a similar child

• Harm now includes the impairment of a child’s health or development as a result of witnessing the ill treatment of another person(Adoption and Children Act 2002)

Significant Harm - 2

• Any special needs such as a medical condition, communication impairment or disability that may affect the child’s development and care within the family

• The capacity of the parents to adequately meet the child’s needs

• The wider environmental context

• The child’s reactions, wishes, feelings according to age and understanding.

Children in Need

• Children whose vulnerability is such that they are unlikely to reach or maintain a satisfactory level of health or development or

• That their health or development will be significantly impaired, without the provision of services

• Do you think Jack is a child in need or a child in need of safeguarding?

• Watch DVD

Groupwork Activity

• Do you think Jack is a child in need or a child in need of safeguarding?

• Why have you decided this?

• What do you think should happen next?

Remember Recording

• Recommendation 12

Frontline staff in each of the agencies which regularlycome into contact with families with children must ensure that in each new contact, basic information about the child is recorded. This must include the child’s name, address, age, the name of the child’s primary carer, the child’s GP and the name of their school if they are school age. Gaps in this information should be passed on to the relevant authority in accordance with local arrangements.

The Victoria Climbie Inquiry 2003

Coffee break

Blackpool Children, Adult and Family Services

FROM REFERRAL TO CHILD PROTECTION

Diane PenningtonGroup Manager, Central Localities, Children, Adult & Family Services

Restructure of the Service May 2011

Still have 3 localities.

Teams are:• Duty & Assessment 1 & 2• South 1& 2• North 1&2• Central 1&2 • Catalyst• Awaken

Thresholds for referrals to Social Services

• Child in Need (Section 17, Children Act 1989)

• Child Protection (Section 47, Children Act 1989)

See revised Blackpool Child Protection procedures

on line

‘Thresholds’ now often referred to as ‘Eligibility for

Intervention’

Section 17, Children Act 1989

Child in Need:

• Unlikely to achieve a reasonable standard of health and development without the provision of additional services by the Local Authority

• Health or development likely to be impaired without services

• Disabled

Duty of every Local Authority:

• To safeguard and promote the welfare of children within their area who are in need

• So far as is consistent with that duty, to promote the upbringing of such children by their families

By providing a range of services

REFERRALS and Parental Consent Section 17

• Honesty and transparency• Members of public (only) have right to

confidentiality• The assessment will address your

concerns• Ongoing work will require consent• Must seek consent before making a

referral

Parental consent (cont)

• You do not need to seek consent if there is evidence to suggest risk to the child which may result in further harm, OR –

• To do so may prejudice a potential criminal investigation (physical abuse, sexual abuse or criminal neglect)

What if consent is refusedSection 17

• Continue to support and monitor under the CAF

• Refer if concerns suggest possible significant harm

• Discuss way forward with the locality Duty Social Worker and your own supervisor

• Request joint visit with the locality team

• Climbie enquiry highlighted the importance of the above

Section 47, Children Act 1989• Duty to investigate possible significant harm

(see online procedures)

• Possibly in conjunction with the Police

• Decision to undertake a section 47 investigation taken at a strategy meeting/discussion

• Outcomes

• May lead to Child Protection Conference

Section 47, Children Act 1989• Duty to investigate possible significant harm

(see online procedures)

• Possibly in conjunction with the Police

• Decision to undertake a section 47 investigation taken at a strategy meeting/discussion

• Outcomes

• May lead to Child Protection Conference

CONTINUED• State what kind of referral it is

• Be specific about current concerns

• Distinguish between fact and hearsay

• Use bullet points

• Record carefully any disclosure but do not question the child

•Explain action taken to date in relation to the CAF process

What to do when the CAF is completed

• Child in Need referral: Post or fax to Football Stadium, Seasider’s way

• Child Protection referral: Telephone then follow up in writing using the CAF

• If unsure telephone Duty Social Worker for advice

CAF FORM

• Give as much detail as possible about household members (who has PR?)

• Dates of birth are essential if available

• If referring more than one child please fill in a form for each of them

• The CAF is the only mechanism for referral

Response sheet

Allocated – section 47

Allocated – Initial Assessment

Awaiting allocation

Referred direct to…

Family sent details of relevant support services

Family been offered a duty appointment

Information been logged but no action taken

Unable to action referral due to not discussing with parents

Recommendation that the referrer undertakes a CAF

Initial assessment:•Gathers information about a child’s development needs

•Parents’ capacity to meet these needs

•Family and environmental factors

•Information analysed

•Decision made as to action needed

•Contributing to an Assessment

•You may be asked for information about the family, including personal/sensitive data

Analysis of information gathered

Recommendations:• Services required, e.g. Children’s Centre,

housing or benefits assistance – a child and young persons plan is drawn up identifying actions

• Emergency accommodation required• Begin a Section 47 inquiry if is felt that the child

may be at risk of significant harm. • Direct to other agencies• No further action

Core Assessment

• In depth assessment

• Is the means by which a section 47 investigation is completed

• May incorporate specialist information

• Normally completed in 35 days

• Is triggered by a section 47 enquiry

Ongoing Work with Families

• Child becomes ‘looked after’ LAC

• Family support Section 17 basis

• Referral to other agencies

• Strategy meeting

• Care proceedings

• Convene a Child Protection Conference

And Finally – Child Protection in Blackpool

• Referrals – 2923 for one year(from 01/11/2010-31/10/2011)

• Blackpool has one of the highest rates of referrals in the country

• Children LAC 417 in November 2011• Children currently subject to CP Plans 268• Neglect is the highest category for referrals

CONTINUED

• Assessments – 2565 Initial Assessments (over 95% of all referrals lead to IA)

• 1061 Core Assessments

• Section 47 investigations 990

(All figures for one complete year from 01/11/2010-31/10/2011)

Referral Forms

Link on the BSCB website for the referral forms and where to send them to.

http://www.blackpoollscb.blackpool.org.uk

Tea break

Back in 15 minutes

Police Role in Child Protection

Detective InspectorTony Baxter

Public Protection Unit (PPU)

Child Protection Team

Domestic Abuse Team (Catalyst)

Child Sexual Exploitation Team (Awaken)

Dangerous and Sexual Offenders Team

Missing Persons

Child Protection TeamINVESTIGATE

Sexual AbusePhysical Abuse

Neglect

WHERE THERE IS:

A family relationshipA carer relationship

A position of trust relationship

BETWEEN THE VICTIM AND THE OFFENDERAT THE TIME OF THE OFFENCE

Child Protection Team

Do not investigate

Financial Abuse

Stranger Abuse of Children

Child on child abuse/assault

Physical Abuse

May involve hitting, shaking, throwing,

poisoning, burning or scalding, drowning, suffocating, or

otherwise causing physical harm to a child.

Physical harm may also be caused when a parent or carer

fabricates or induces illness, or deliberately causes ill

health to a child in their care.

Medical Examination

Why are the necessary?

• To ensure the child’s condition is medically assessed and treatment given as appropriate.

• To re-assure the child as to their well being.• To obtain an assessment about possible

indications of abuse.• To ensure that any injuries or signs of neglect or

abuse are noted for evidential purposes.• To secure forensic evidence.

Medical Consent

• Forensic medical examination only carried out with consent of child – if capacity to give.

• Or with consent of parent/carer with parental responsibility.

• If refuse consider Child Assessment Order/EPO.

Referral ProcessStrategy Discussion

Joint Decision

Joint Investigation

Interview with child

PPO/EPO

Targeted Services Police

Family Background Medical/forensic evidence

Assessments Arrest/interview offender

Family Court Charge/RIC/Bail

Liaison with Other agencies Bail pending further enquiries

Key worker Court

Core group Conviction/Acquittal

Who Is Managed Through MAPPA?

• Category 1

– Registered Sexual Offenders

• Category 2

– Violent Offenders (and other Sexual Offenders)

• Category 3

– Other Dangerous Offenders

Managing AllegationsAmanda Quirke

Allegations of abuse against professionals

Procedures for dealing with allegations should be be followed where it has been alleged that a member of staff has:

• behaved in a way that has harmed a child, or may have harmed a child;

• possibly committed a criminal offence against or related to a child;

• behaved towards a child or children in a way that indicates s/he is unsuitable to work with children.

(Safeguarding Children & Safer Recruitment in Education – 2007)

E-Safety

How safe are you when working and socialising with new

technologies?

LADO contact details

• Contact details are published on website http://www.blackpool.org.uk

• Amanda Quirke is the LADO for BSCB.

• Tel:

• Email: [email protected]

Children Missing Education Clause 436A of Education and Inspection Bill 2006

“Duty to make arrangements to identify children not receiving education.”

……..this duty is placed on all Local Authorities

The definition of CME is a child• Not on a school roll• Not educated otherwise i.e. home educated or

privately• Out of education for 4 weeks or more.

Child Abuse:

Identification of child abuse is almost always arrived at through the piecing together of a number of factors. Therefore abuse can not be identified by ticking a check list.

‘Some of the worst failures of the system have occurred when professionals have lost sight of the child…’

Working Together 2006

Working Together to Safeguard Children provides a framework for all professionalsto protect children and promote their welfare.

Keeping children safe and promoting their wellbeing is clearly a responsibility for us all ………..

Lord Laming 2009