Safeguarding Flashcards
Define safeguarding
Define child safeguarding
- “Safeguarding means protecting a citizen’s health, wellbeing and human rights; enabling them to live free from harm, abuse and neglect.” NHS ENGLAND
- “Safeguarding children is the action that is taken to promote the welfare of children and protect them from harm.”
- *Same definitions really*
State some different types/categories of abuse
(note: not just abuse types experienced by children, include those experienced by adults too)
- Physical
- Emotional/psychological
- Sexual
- Neglect
- Financial
- Instituitonal
- Domestic violence/abuse
- Modern slavery
- Self-neglect
State the 4 main subcategories of neglect
- Physical
- Educational
- Emotional
- Medical
Discuss signs of physical abuse in a child
-
Unexplained injuries which may include:
- Bruises
- Burns
- Broken bones
- Cuts/scratches
- Bite marks
- Fabricated or induced illness (parent or carer fabricates symptoms of, or deliberately induces, illness in child)
Discuss signs of neglect in a child
- Physical neglect: malnourished, inappropriate clothing e.g. summer clothes in winter, left alone for long periods of time, smelly or dirty, untreatednappy rash
- Educational neglect- not making sure a child receives an education
- Emotional neglect- not meeting a child’s need for nuture and stimulation e.g. ignoring, humiliating, intimidating or isolating them
- Medical neglect: not ensuring medical needs are met e.g. not attending appointments, refusing or ignoring care
Discuss signs of emotional abuse in a child
Children may:
- Lack of confidence
- Struggle to control emotions
- Struggle to make or maintain relationships
- Display behaviour that is inappropriate to their stage of development e.g. using language that you don’t expect for a child of that age
Babies & younger children may:
- Be overly affectionate towards strangers or people they don’t know for very long
- Don’t appear to have close relationship with parent/carer e.g. when collected from nursery
- Being aggressive or nasty towards other children or animals
Discuss signs of sexual abuse in a child
- Brusing
- Bleeding
- Discharge
- Pain or soreness in genital or anal area
- STIs
- Pregnancy
- Sexual knowledge/behaviour beyond what’s appropriate for their age
- Unexplained gifts etc..
What is sexual exploitation?
When a child or young person is exploited they’re given things, like gifts, drugs, money, status and affection, in exchange for performing sexual activities. Children and young people are often tricked into believing they’re in a loving and consensual relationship.
What is meant by county lines drug dealing?
County lines is a form of criminal exploitation where urban gangs persuade, coerce or force children and young people to store drugs and money and/or transport them to suburban areas, market towns and coastal towns
Why is it important to safeguard children?
Abuse can have life-long detrimental effects on a child including, but not limited to:
- Mental health issues
- Illegal activity
- Becoming an abuser themselves
State some people who are involved in the safeguarding of children
- Health professionals e.g. GP, nurse, healthcare visitor…
- Schools e.g. teachers, school nurse
- Social workers
- Police
- Carers or family members
…. anyone who has involvement with children has a safeguarding responsibility
What is Gillick competency?
State some things you must assess in order to determine if a child is Gillick competent
When practitioners are trying to decide whether a child is mature enough to make decisions about things that affect them, they often talk about whether the child is ‘Gillick competent’ or whether they meet the ‘Fraser guidelines’.
There is no set of defined questions to assess Gillick competency. Professionals need to consider several things when assessing a child’s capacity to consent, including:
- the child’s age, maturity and mental capacity
- their understanding of the issue and what it involves - including advantages, disadvantages and potential long-term impact
- their understanding of the risks, implications and consequences that may arise from their decision
- how well they understand any advice or information they have been given
- their understanding of any alternative options, if available
- their ability to explain a rationale around their reasoning and decision making.
What are the Fraser guidelines?
The Fraser guidelines apply specifically to advice and treatment about contraception and sexual health. They may be used by a range of healthcare professionals working with under 16-year-olds, including doctors and nurse practitioners.
Practitioners using the Fraser guidelines should be satisfied of the following:
- the young person cannot be persuaded to inform their parents or carers that they are seeking this advice or treatment (or to allow the practitioner to inform their parents or carers).
- the young person understands the advice being given.
- the young person’s physical or mental health or both are likely to suffer unless they receive the advice or treatment.
- it is in the young person’s best interests to receive the advice, treatment or both without their parents’ or carers’ consent.
- the young person is very likely to continue having sex with or without contraceptive treatment.
It is rape, by law, if a child under what age have sex?
Under the Sexual Offences Act 2003, children under the age of 13 are not considered able or competent to give consent to sexual activity and penetrative sex is classed as rape. Therefore if a child under 13 years reports sexual activity you must report it to safeguarding lead for investigation.
What is the ‘Triad of Vulnerability’ (previously known as toxic trio)?
- Alcohol or substance misuse
- Domestic violence
- Mental health issues
… these are common features in families with child safeguarding issues. All increase risk of child abuse.
The common assessment triangle can be used to help practitioners complete a safeguarding form; discuss what’s included in the common assessment triangle
