Safeguarding the Wellbeing of Children Andyoungpeople

2158 Words9 Pages
Outcome 1 Understanding the main legislation, guidelines, policies and procedures for safeguarding children and young people. • Introduction. The government has defined the term safeguarding as "The process of protecting children from abuse or neglect, preventing impairment of their health and development and ensuring they are growing up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care that enables children to have optimum life choices and enter adulthood successfully."[1] • Media reports have frequently highlighted the need for proper safeguarding of children and young people. For example in the case of an 8 year old girl Victoria Climbié in England in 2000 whereupon her torture and death at the hands of her guardians led to a public enquiry and produced huge changes in child protection policies in the United Kingdom. The case led to the initiative "Every Child Matters"[2] being formed and the introduction of the Children's Act 2004 in England. This has led to the introduction and raising of standards in legislation which require organisations that work with children and young people to introduce policies to safeguard their wellbeing. • Wellbeing is a general term for the condition of the social, economic, psychological and spiritual/medical state of a child or group of children and young people. Examples of legislation, policy and procedures put in place to safeguard this wellbeing are as follows:- o Children (NI) Order 1995. The Children (NI) Order 1995 came into force in Northern Ireland on 4 November 1996. There are key principles that underpin this Order; otherwise known as the 5 p's. These principles are; ▪ Paramountcy. This is the fundamental principle in child care law and practice, for example; the welfare of the child must be of paramount consideration in decisions taken about them. ▪

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