1.1 Child Safeguarding Flashcards
What is abuse and neglects?
Forms of maltreatment of a child. May cause abuse or neglect by causing or preventing to cause harm.
When would you refer a child to social care?
If the child is at immediate risk of significant harm, including physical, sexual, emotional harm and neglect.
Children with unexplained injuries, suspicious injuries
where there is an inconsistent explanation of the injury.
Children under two who have unexplained bruising(including unborn children)
Child victims of trafficking.
Children where there is evidence of repeated domestic
violence witnessed or experienced by a child; adult
mental health issues and substance use issues (toxic
trio).
Children who are experiencing, or at risk of, sexual exploitation
Children under 1 year old where the parents/carers have significant substance use issues.
Where there are serious concerns regarding the risk of significant harm to an unborn baby.
Children who live or have contact with adults who are known to pose a risk to children.
Children left ‘home alone’ and their age and vulnerability places them at risk.
Children who allege abuse, including sexual abuse or evidence of grooming
Adults who pose a risk
What is 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 the symptoms of, or deliberately induces illness in a child (Fabricated or Induced Illness).
What is sexual abuse?
Involves forcing or enticing a child or young person to take part in sexual activities, not necessarily involving a high level of violence, whether or not the child is aware of what is happening.
The activities may involve physical contact, including assault by penetration or non-penetrative acts such as masturbation, kissing, rubbing and touching outside of clothing.
They may also include non-contact activities, such as involving children in looking at, or in the production of, sexual images, watching sexual activities, encouraging children to behave in sexually inappropriate ways, or grooming a child in preparation for abuse (including via the internet).
Sexual abuse is not solely perpetrated by adult males. Women can also commit acts of sexual abuse, as can other children.
What is child sexual exploitation ?
Child sexual exploitation is a form of child sexual abuse.
It occurs where an individual or group takes advantage of an imbalance of power to coerce, manipulate or deceive a child or young person under the age of 18 into sexual activity
(a) in exchange for something the victim needs or wants, and/or (b) for the financial advantage or increased status of the perpetrator or facilitator.
The victim may have been sexually exploited even if the sexual activity appears consensual. Child sexual exploitation does not always involve physical contact; it can also occur through the use of technology.
What is neglect?
The persistent failure to meet a child’s basic physical and/or psychological needs, likely to result in the serious impairment of the child’s health or development
Can occur during pregnancy as a result of maternal substance misuse
Includes -
Provide adequate food, clothing, shelter (including exclusion from home or abandonment)
Protect a child from physical and emotional harm or danger
Ensure adequate supervision (including the use of inadequate care-givers)
Ensure access to appropriate medical care or treatment.
It may also include neglect of, or unresponsiveness to, a child or young person’s basic emotional needs.
What is medical neglect?
This involves carers minimising or ignoring children’s illness or health (including oral health) needs, and failing to seek medical attention or administrating medication and treatments.
This is equally relevant to expectant mothers who fail to prepare appropriately for the child’s birth, fail to seek ante-natal care, and/or engage in behaviours that place the baby at risk through, for example, substance misuse
What is emotional abuse?
Is the persistent emotional maltreatment of a child such as to cause severe and persistent adverse effects on the child’s emotional development.
It may involve conveying to children that they are worthless or unloved, inadequate, or valued only in so far as they meet the needs of another person. It may include not giving the child opportunities to express their views, deliberately silencing them or ‘making fun’ of what they say or how they communicate.
What Is confirmatory bias?
One practitioner says a child is not being abused so another is more likely to agree etc etc
What should you think when a primary school aged child is said to be self harming?
Where information comes to the attention of
practitioners which suggests that a primary age child has self-harmed serious consideration must be given to whether there are other underlying factors, including abuse
What is adult abuse?
“Physical, sexual, financial, emotional or psychological violation or neglect of a person unable to protect themselves, or to prevent from happening, or to remove themselves from abuse, or potential abuse from others.”
Why review child deaths?
To establish, where possible, a cause or causes
of child deaths (with the coroner)
To identify any potential contributory factors
To provide ongoing support to the family
To learn lessons in order to reduce the risk of future child deaths
