Child Safeguarding Flashcards
What is abuse and neglect
Abuse and neglect are forms of maltreatment of a child. Somebody may abuse or neglect a child by inflicting harm, or by failing to act to prevent harm. Children may be abused in a family or in an institutional or community setting; by those known to them or, more rarely, by others (e.g. via the internet). They may be abused by an adult or adults or another child or children.
Who should be referred into social care
Children 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.
- 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 abuse or 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
Is 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.
Neglect may occur during pregnancy as a result of maternal substance abuse.
What is encompassed in neglect
Once a child is born, neglect may involve a parent or carer failing to:
- 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; (Horwath 2007)
Child S died at the age of 7 years as a result of a severe medical condition. Several agencies were working with Child S and the family to offer support at home and with medical treatments. The family did not always attend medical appointments, or have medication available to Child S when it was needed. Child S was frequently rushed to hospital for emergency treatment. In the 12 months preceding death Child S had four admissions to hospital, two of which were to intensive care.
Wha 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.
It may feature age or developmentally inappropriate expectations being imposed on children. These may include interactions that are beyond the child’s developmental capability, as well as overprotection and limitation of exploration and learning, or preventing the child participating in normal social interaction.
It may involve seeing or hearing the ill-treatment of another.
Some level of emotional abuse is involved in all types of maltreatment of a child, though it may occur alone.
What are ke themes rom serious case reviews
The need to be aware of confirmatory bias and for practitioners to reflect on their own biases and ensure these do not cloud their work with children and families.
- The value of using chronologies, including medical and medication reviews, to support referrals to Children’s Social Care and provide clarity to all involved of the extent, pattern and severity of concern.
- 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
- Recognising males who may pose a risk
- Balancing the needs of parents and children
How to handle a disclosure
- Listen rather than ask questions;
- Do not stop a young person who is freely recalling significant events;
- Remain calm, and do not give the young person the impression that what they have said is shocking or upsetting;
- Don’t promise to not tell anyone else or that everything will be ok
- Make a report of the discussion as soon as possible, taking care to record the timing, the setting, the people present, as well as the content of what was said, quoting wherever possible the words used by the child;
- Record all subsequent events up to the time of the decision as to whether to start a formal Child Protection investigation.
- Reassure the child or young person that it was the right thing to do in telling
What to do if you are concerned about the welfare of a patient
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How to safeguard adults
The Law Commission (1995) defines abuse as:
“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.”
Describe the wider context of safeguarding
- Domestic and sexual violence
- Trafficking
- Radicalisation
- Modern slavery
- Female genital mutilation/cutting
- Forced marriage
- Honour based violence
- Discriminatory abuse
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
