Safeguarding Children.

What has this to do with me? Protecting children is everyone’s responsibility If you aware of anything that may impair an adult’s ability to care for a child e.g substance or alcohol misuse, physical or mental illness, then you have a duty of care to the child even when the child is not your patient.

Where can I get advice? From your line manager or from the Trust named child protection professionals: xxxx - xxxx Nurse Consultant Safeguarding Children xxxx - xxxx Consultant Paediatrician xxxx – xxxx Senior Midwife

Child protection in England 26,400 children are on the child protection register (2006) Each week 3 children die following abuse and neglect Homicide rates for under 1 year are 5 times greater than the average 80% of child homicides are carried out by a parent and 10% by a stranger

A Child is…… “ a person under the age of eighteen” ( Children Act 1989)

What is abuse? A person may abuse or neglect a child by: – inflicting harm –or failing to act to prevent harm. Children may be abused in: –a family – an institutional or community setting By those known to them or, more rarely, by a stranger. Working Together to Safeguard children 2006

Physical Abuse May involve: Hitting, Shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning or scalding, drowning, suffocating or otherwise causing physical harm to the child. Fabricated or Induced Illness by Proxy Parent or carer feigns symptoms of, or deliberately causes ill health in child. Working Together to Safeguard Children DOH 2006

Sexual Abuse Involves forcing or enticing a child to take part in sexual activities, including prostitution, whether or not the child is aware of what is happening. Physical contact - penetrative or non-penetrative Non-contact activities - involving children in looking at, or in the production of, sexual online images, watching sexual activities or encouraging children to behave in sexually inappropriate ways. Working Together to safeguard children, DOH 2006

Emotional Abuse The persistent emotional ill-treatment of a child such as to cause severe and persistent adverse effects on the child’s emotional development. Worthless or unloved inadequate or valued only in so far as they meet the needs of another person May feature age or developmentally inappropriate expectations being imposed on children. May involve seeing or hearing the ill-treatment of another or involve serious bullying or causing children frequently to feel frightened or in danger, or the exploitation or corruption of children. Some level involved in all types of ill-treatment but may occur alone. Working Together to Safeguard Children DOH 2006

Domestic Violence Every week in the UK two women are killed by current or former partners. Domestic violence accounts for one quarter of all violent crime. 1 in 4 women aged & 1 in 7 men have been physically assaulted by a current or former partner. Domestic violence often starts or intensifies during pregnancy. Domestic Violence Resource Pack DOH 2000

Neglect 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. May involve a parent or carer failing to: provide adequate food, shelter and clothing (including exclusion from home or abandonment) protect a child from physical and emotional harm or danger ensure adequate supervision (including use of inadequate caregivers) ensure access to appropriate medical treatment It can also include neglect of, or unresponsiveness to, a child’s basic emotional needs Working Together to Safeguard Children, 2006

Immediate Action to safeguard a child: Share your suspicions with your line manager or the Trust named child protection professionals Refer to Children and Young People Services (social services) so that the child is protected and the family receive the help and support they need to look after their child. Follow up in writing within 48 hours. Record your findings and actions taken. Where appropriate draw a diagram of any injury. Don’t forget time, date and signature.

Child Abuse can happen anywhere…. “Cases of abuse have been found in poor and affluent homes, in rural and urban settings, in all religious groups and races.” (Bennett 1990) And by anyone…… Parents, relatives & family members, Friends, neighbours and baby sitters, Clinical staff, paid care staff, volunteers and associates.

Protecting children is everybody’s business. Your information however small may be the key. Report it - Don’t expect someone else to!!!