Unit 516 Understand safeguarding of children and young people. 1:1 “the action we take to promote the welfare of children and protect them from harm - is everyone’s responsibility. Everyone who comes into contact with children and families has a role to play.” Working together to safeguard children (HM Government 2013) Before the Children Act 1989, steps to protect a child only took place after an event had happened. Children Act 1989 This Act was a move in implementing the UN convention on the rights of the child in the UK. It said how local authority should support children and their families.
Safeguarding a child or young person is also to ensure that they have the outlook to achieve their true potential and have the right to be protected from abuse, such as: Physical abuse Sexual abuse Emotional abuse Neglect Exploitation This also shows the consequence of shared responsibilities as there can be many different agencies involved in dealing with each case. Safeguarding children is fundamentally part of schools everyday activities Wearing ID badges to identify oneself Not putting ourselves at risk to possible complaints Signing in and out of school Ensuring current legislation is adhered to such as, Every Child Matters Data Protection Human Rights Health and Safety at Work The Safeguarding Policy should be compliant with sections from: The Education Act (2004) Working Together The Local Children's Safeguarding Board To take account and inform of policy in related areas such as, Discipline Bullying e-safety exploitation Child protection is part of the wider concept to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people. It refers to the activity that is undertaken to protect particular children who maybe suffering from any form of abuse or neglect. This also involves, protecting children and young people from maltreatment besides
• Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001 This states that it is unlawful to discriminate within education. • Race Relations Act 2000 Due to this amendment, all organisations must promote good race relations. • Human Rights Act 1998 This includes guidelines on every individual’s rights and empowers them to take actions if they feel that these rights are not being met. • Childrens Act 1989 This outlines local authority duty, including schools, to make sure that the needs, safety and welfare of all children are met by the services provided. • Childrens Act 2004 This aims to make sure that the 5 outcomes of ‘Every Child Matters’ are considered in the services available for all children.
It is important for myself to understand relevant legislation and it’s purpose, as this will help me in my role as a teaching assistant and make me aware of my responsibilities. The rights of all children and young people are stated in the United Nation’s Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989). The UK Government must ensure that the right’s of children in the UK are protected through law. These rights include the right to education and the right for children to have views respected. Disability Discrimination Act 1995 Protects the rights of all those with disabilities.
CHILDCARE LEGISLATIONS 1 Children’s Act 1989 The children’s act 1989 safeguards your rights to receive assessments if needed to ensure a child has a reasonable standard of health and development and also an assessment would take into consideration health social care and educational needs. The act was a definite shake up of children’s rights and protection for everyone to work together who works with children for the safety and safeguarding against any form of abuse and to take action if a child is at risk also the act stated that a child would be consulted and would have a say before final decisions were made. In my setting I work with the parents and schools and if there is any problems we work things out together as a team .The children in my setting are never
* The role of Local Safeguarding Children boards. * The process to be followed when there are concerns about a child * The action to be taken to safeguard and promote the welfare of child experiencing risk or harm. * The important principles to followed when working with children and families, * Training requirements for effective child protection. Above taken from: https://www.education.gov.uk/publications/eOrderingDownload/00305-2010DOM-EN.pdf This act is supported in my school in the “safeguarding policy”. It states that “all staff are required to read chapters 1 & 2 of working together to safeguard children and to understand the principles in order to perform their roles effectively.
unit 4227-071 1.1 explain how current and relevant legislation and policy affects work with children and young people: The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child 1989 - which ensure that children are safe and looked after, children have the right to be protected from all forms of physical or mental violence, injury or abuse, neglect, negligent treatment, maltreatment or exploitation including sexual abuse by those looking after them. This is used in residential care to ensure that children and young people are safeguarded and are given the right amount of care that they need, ofsted will look at how well children are looked after in any setting where a child is being cared for outside their home setting.if standards are not met then the home will either be shut or given tasks to improve the quality of care that children and young people are recieveing. Children Act 1989 - Parents and professionals must work to ensure the safety of the child. Local Authority has ‘a duty to investigate when there is a reasonable cause to suspect that a child suspect that a child is suffering or likely to suffer significant harm. It is important that care givers follow this as if a child comes to harm or has suffered neglect the caregiver could face legal action.
What is safeguarding? According to Working together to safeguard children (HM Government 2013), safeguarding is referred to as “the action we take to promote the welfare of children and protect them from harm - is everyone’s responsibility. Everyone who comes into contact with children and families has a role to play.” (1) Which means that everybody who comes into contact with children whether it be in a professional capacity for example a teacher, a doctor, or a police officer who are legally obligated to care for vulnerable citizens, or in an everyday encounter for example a neighbour or family member is responsible for the protection of children from harm and reporting concerns to the appropriate body. How do we safeguard young people?
It sets out recruitment best practice, some underpinned by legislation, for the school, local authority, and further education education sectors. All schools should protect children and promote their welfare by providing a safe environment for children to learn in. Creating a culture which recognises and understands the importance of safeguarding - including listening to and discussing with children. Identifying children who are suffering or likely to suffer significant harm, both at school and at home, and referring immediately any concerns to the local authority children’s social care services. Preventing unsuitable people from working with children.
It also involves protecting children and young people from maltreatment and preventing impairment of a child’s health and development by ensuring children are raised in positive circumstances by providing safe and caring environments. Parents and carers who fail to protect or care for their children could then be taken to court and the child be then removed from the home and placed in care. The UN Convention is a set of principles about the way how to protect children from discrimination, neglect and abuse. It is the principal children's treaty, covering a full range of civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights. It grants rights for children in peacetime as well as during armed conflict, and provides for the implementation of those rights.