Child Protection and Safeguarding

It’s not just dedicated childcare workers that have a duty to protect
children. If you come into contact with children through your care
work, you have a responsibility to protect and safeguard them. By
children, we refer to any child or teenager under the age of 18.

Though your role may not involve direct childcare, there is always a
possibility that you’ll interact with children through your work. For
example, you might be supporting an individual who cares for children.
As such, you’ll need to know the rights and risks that children are
subject to, and how to check for possible signs of abuse.

Safeguarding is a preventative measure. It’s about promoting

children’s welfare by recognising potential risks to their safety and
security, and taking steps to reduce or avoid these risks.

Child protection is the activity of protecting children who suffer harm,

or are likely to suffer harm, from abuse.

Scenario
You only support adults in your role, but an individual you provide
support for has children and you notice they are often unwashed and
complaining that they are hungry. What are your obligations?
Guidance
This may be neglect. You have a duty to report anything that might
indicate a child is at risk of harm or neglect, regardless of whether you
are supporting them directly. Remember this is an obligation, which
means you could be held accountable for not reporting the situation.

Child Abuse
Child abuse is a form of harmful wrongdoing against a child. Child
abuse can occur in many forms, and can be apparent through many
different symptoms and behaviours. Although these symptoms or
behaviours won’t necessarily mean that the child is being abused,
they can be signs for concern.

Types of child abuse include:

Physical Abuse
Physical harm inflicted on a child through acts such as hitting, biting or
burning. Signs of physical abuse can include unexplained bruising or
wounds.

Emotional Abuse
Emotional harm can be inflicted on a child if their emotional needs are
not being met. For example, they may not receive enough attention or
could be made to feel inadequate. Seeing or hearing domestic
violence can also have a similar effect as emotional abuse. Signs of
emotional abuse can include delayed development, speech disorders,
and a fear or overreaction to making mistakes.

Sexual Abuse
Sexual harm occurs when a child is subjected to sexual acts or is
exposed to sexually explicit content, such as watching sexual acts or
pornography. This can often be a form of child sexual exploitation
(CSE), in which they are manipulated for the benefit of the abuser.
Signs and symptoms can include genital pain, sexually transmitted
infections (STIs), and an unusual sexual knowledge or awareness for
their age.

Genital damage and infection could, in some cases, be a sign of

female genital mutilation (FGM), a non-medical disfigurement of the
labia or clitoris. This is another form of child abuse.
 Neglect
Neglect occurs when a child’s basic needs are not being met. For
example, their parents may not provide them with adequate food, their
health conditions may not be treated, and they may not be given
access to education or hygiene products. Failure to protect a child
from harm or abuse is also, in itself, a form of neglect. Signs of neglect
in children can include frequent hunger, untreated illness, and poor
personal hygiene.

Radicalisation
Radicalisation of children or young people can occur when they are
exposed to, or taught, extreme and frequently violent ideas. These
ideas can be political, religious or social. Signs of radicalisation
include changes in behaviour, perhaps associated with a new group of
friends and the usage of extremist terminology and materials.

Child Trafficking
The recruiting, movement and receiving of a child by manipulative
force in order to take advantage of them. Warning signs include the
presence of a controlling adult continually accompanying the child and
speaking and acting on their behalf. The child may be particularly
compliant and withdrawn, in a state of poor health or personal
presentation, with a limited use of language.

Regardless of the form of the abuse, the harm inflicted upon the child
will affect them behaviourally. General behaviour changes that can
indicate any form of abuse include:

 A child becoming timid or withdrawn, and easily disturbed or startled.

 A child beginning to act out with excessively rowdy behaviour and
agitation.
 A child continually attention seeking, being overly eager to please or
too compliant.
 Depression and anxiety, self harm and suicidal ideation, and eating
disorders may also indicate abuse.
 Reporting Abuse

Confidentiality is an integral value of care work, and applies fully to

safeguarding and protecting children. However, sensitive and personal
information about a child may need to be shared if you suspect abuse
or neglect. Consent to share this information should be sought where
possible, but if it is not safe or appropriate to do so, you must share
any need-to-know information to the relevant authorities as per your
workplace policies and procedures.

If you are worried about a child, you need to report your concerns. Not
reporting suspected or alleged child abuse can actually constitute
child neglect.

Depending on the situation, you should:

 Report your concerns to your manager immediately and without delay.

 Make a record of your concerns, according to your workplace’s
policies and procedures.
 Dial 999 to call the police if a child is in immediate risk of harm.
In the case of allegations, it’s important to alert the authorities with any
information you may have been provided. You should report these
concerns without imparting judgement – it’s the responsibility of police
and social workers to judge the case.

Child protection records should be shared with the child’s parents or

carers, unless these individuals are the cause for concern.

Legislation

Care workers have a responsibility to promote the rights of all

individuals they work with, and naturally this includes any children you
may come into contact with.
The United Nations Conventions on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC)
outlines a worldwide agreement as to the basic rights of children and
young persons. It includes the right to live a healthy life, to not be
separated from their parents or carers unless they are at risk of harm,
and protection from various abuses. It also establishes that neglected
or abused children should receive specialised support, such as
counselling.

In addition to the policies and procedures of your workplace, there are

several pieces of legislation that govern the safeguarding and
protection of children. You should take the following into account:

The Children Act 1989

The Children Act 1989 protects children who are at risk and in need of
services. Informs the reporting procedure that should be followed if
you suspect child abuse.

The Children Act 2004

The Children Act 2004 covers services for children and encourages
collaboration between them, creating a joint framework known as the
Common Assessment Framework (CAF). Encouraged the formation of
local safeguarding boards.

The Sexual Offences Act 2003

The Sexual Offences Act 2003 states and defines sexual offences
against children and establishes the age of consent. It deals with civil
protective orders and the sex offenders register.

The Care Act 2014

The Care Act 2014 brings care and support legislation together into a
single act with wellbeing principles. In addition to adults, it covers
provisions for children and young carers, particularly those who
support their parents.
The Children and Families Act 2014
The Children and Families Act 2014 provides young carers with the
same help and support as adult carers. It establishes the right for
carers under 18 to have their support needs assessed and assisted by
local authorities.