Norfolk Children’s Services Safeguarding & SEN: The role of the SENCo in safeguarding children

22 Learning Objectives When the training is completed you will: Appreciate the role of the SENCo in safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children Be aware of the factors that can increase the vulnerability of children with SEN; Be aware of best practice in relation to safeguarding children with SEN; Know when and how to pass on a concern to the Senior Designated Professional

3 Key Definitions Children & Young People In the Children Acts 1989 and 2004 respectively, a child is anyone who has not yet reached their 18th birthday. ‘Children’ therefore means ‘children and young people’. The fact that a child has reached 16 years of age, is living independently or is in further education, is a member of the armed forces, is in hospital or in custody in the secure estate for children and young people, does not change his or her status or entitlement to services or protection under the Children Act Vulnerable Adult A vulnerable adult can be anyone over the age of 18 who has a physical or sensory disability, or a learning difficulty or a mental health problem, and who may be unable to protect themselves from abuse or harm. Abuse is any behaviour towards a person that causes him or her harm, endangers life or violates their rights. It can happen to both men and women.

44 Child Protection SEN and inclusion PHSE/ Curriculum Formal/ informal E-safety The school environment Buildings and security Safe recruitment & selection Staff code of conduct & safe practice Extended services Health and Safety Governance Anti-bullying Policy Behaviour management Whistle blowing Attendance, exclusions & children missing education Transition arrangements A ‘listening’ school

55 Education Act 2002 Section 175 (2) A governing body of a maintained school shall make arrangements for ensuring that the functions relating to the conduct of the school are exercised with a view to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children who are pupils at the school.

6 Safeguarding and Promoting Welfare Protecting children from maltreatment; Preventing impairment of children’s health or development; Ensuring children are growing up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care; Undertaking that role to enable children to have optimum life chances and enter adulthood successfully.

Identify the ways in which the SENCo can contribute to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children

8 Increased Vulnerabilities: Sullivan and Knutson, 2000 This study provided a breakdown of the risk of abuse within individual categories of disability: children with developmental delay had four times the risk across all types of abuse deaf and hard-of-hearing children had twice the risk for neglect and emotional abuse and almost four times the risk of physical abuse children with speech and language difficulties had five times the risk for physical abuse and neglect, and three times the risk for sexual abuse children with learning or orthopaedic disabilities had twice the risk for all types of abuse children with behavioural disorders had seven times the risk for neglect, emotional and physical abuse and more than five times the risk for sexual abuse.

9 Safeguarding disabled children: increased vulnerabilities Many disabled children are at an increased likelihood of being socially isolated Their dependency on parents and carers for practical assistance in daily living, including intimate personal care, increases their risk of exposure to abusive behaviour Impaired capacity to resist or avoid abuse They may have speech, language and communication needs which may make it difficult to tell others what is happening No access to someone they can trust to disclose that they have been abused They are especially vulnerable to bullying and intimidation

10 Recognising concerns Children are unique and varied individuals Their response to trauma will be as individual as they are Child abuse can happen to any child in any family in any organisation or setting Children are more likely to be abused by people they know Indicators of abuse are physical, emotional, behavioural and social

11 Indicators of concern A bruise in a site that might not be of concern on an ambulant child, such as the shin, might be of concern on a non-mobile child Not getting enough help with feeding leading to malnourishment Poor toileting arrangements Lack of stimulation Unjustified and/or excessive use of restraint Rough handling, extreme behaviour modification e.g. deprivation of liquid, medication, food or clothing Unwillingness to try to learn a child’s means of communication Ill-fitting equipment e.g. callipers, sleep boards, inappropriate splinting; misappropriation of a child’s finances Invasive procedures which are unnecessary or are carried out against the child’s will.

Identify potential barriers to identify safeguarding concerns for children with Special Educational Needs

13 Barriers to identifying concerns Over identifying with the child’s parents/carers or seeing it as being attributable to the stress and difficulties of caring for a disabled child A lack of knowledge about the impact of disability on the child A lack of knowledge about the child, e.g. not knowing the child’s usual behaviour Not being able to understand the child’s method of communication Confusing behaviours that may indicate the child is being abused with those associated with the child’s disability Denial of the child’s sexuality Behaviour, including sexually harmful behaviour or self-injury may be indicative of abuse Being aware that certain health/medical complications may influence the way symptoms present or are interpreted.

14 “There can be a reluctance to believe that a disabled child is being abused but the failure to bear in mind that they are more vulnerable to abuse than other children, does those children a great disservice. Nathan’s injuries were attributed to his self-injurious behaviour or by him stumbling. There was a too ready acceptance by professionals of these explanations, despite his observed self-injurious behaviour not resulting in such injuries.”

15 Learning Lessons: Working with Adolescents ‘A factor contributing to the lack of application of safeguarding procedures and practice was the inability to identify the young person as a vulnerable child in need rather than a challenging hard to engage adolescent.’ We should: Seek to understand and act on the causes of challenging behaviour Recognise young people’s rights, needs and vulnerabilities as children as well as young people.

16 Best Practice Help disabled children make their wishes and feelings known in respect of their care and treatment; Ensure that disabled children receive appropriate personal, health, and social education (including sex education); Make sure that all disabled children know how to raise concerns, and giving them access to a range of adults with whom they can communicate. Those disabled children with communication impairments should have available to them at all times a means of being heard; Close contact with families, and a culture of openness on the part of services; Guidelines and training for staff on good practice in intimate care; handling difficult behaviour; consent to treatment; anti-bullying strategies; and sexuality and sexual behaviour among young people; Guidelines and training for staff working with disabled children aged 16 and over to ensure that decisions about disabled children who lack capacity will be governed by the Mental Health Capacity Act once they reach the age of 16.

17 The Way We Are: Autism in 2012 The survey asked young people about their experiences of bullying through school and found that of those who responded: 63% said they have been bullied in school 75% secondary school age children said they have been bullied in school 82% of children with high functioning autism or Asperger syndrome

18 References Safeguarding disabled children: Practice Guidance, DSCF (2009) Sullivan, P and Knutson, J (2000) ‘Maltreatment and Disabilities: a population-based epidemiological study’ in Child Abuse and Neglect Vol 24 No 10. The way we are: autism in 2012, National Autistic Society: B is for bullied - the experiences of children with autism and their families, National Autistic Society (2006)B is for bullied - the experiences of children with autism and their families, National Autistic Society (2006)

19 What do I need to know? Who is your SDP and alternate? What is the procedure for reporting disclosures? Where would you find the safeguarding policy? Who would you speak to if you have concerns about a child? How would you record a concern? Have you read the Code of Conduct or ‘Staff Handbook’? Do you know how to report a concern about another adult’s behaviour?

20 Final thoughts ‘Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility’ Source: Children Act 2004