1. Safeguarding disabled and SEN children and young people
Governing bodies and proprietors should ensure their child protection policy reflects the fact that additional barriers can exist when recognising abuse and neglect in this group of children, including ………
Increased emphasis on importance of giving consideration to children with SEND when developing safeguarding policies

2. Communication barriers and difficulties in overcoming these barriers
Assumptions that indicators of possible abuse relate to the child’s disability without further exploration
Children with SEND can be disproportionally impacted by things such as bullying – without outwardly presenting any signs
Communication barriers and difficulties in overcoming these barriers
International research: Sullivan and Knutson (2000) found that pupils with SEND were three times more likely to be abused or neglected than pupils who do not have SEND. Those with behaviour difficulties/conduct disorders were most at risk: seven times more likely to be abused. Also found that where the abuse or neglect is challenged, this can lead to even further abuse. Swedish research by Keven noted children with hearing loss/deaf children were three times more likely to be abused/neglected.

3. Safeguarding is also about ..
Meeting the needs of SEND pupils
Children’s health, safety and well being, including mental health
The use of reasonable force
Meeting the needs of children with medical conditions
Intimate care and emotional well being
Behaviour policy review
Recent data collection around SEN and D using thresholds
Intimate care policy has recently been updated, and Natasha has supported the SNS to deliver update sessions to education providers

4. Factors that increase risk
Complacency
Female staff pose less risk
Empathy with struggling parents
Weak policy and procedures
Social isolation
Generic pshe/sre
Cultural attitudes
Confused ownership of self
Primary emphasis on the impairment
Limited means to communicate abuse
Reliance on adult support
Reduced capacity to resist or avoid abuse
‘it doesn’t happened to disabled children’ (NSPCC report .. ‘ nobody would abuse a disabled child – nobody would stoop so low’
Hearing that more and more female staff abusing
Difficult life for some families caring but the empathy can overshadow safety; more likely to be abused within the family
Whilst emphasising DSEN, not always looking at risk
Frequently doesn’t address what life is like for DSEN children
Not all cultures believe children with DSEN have equal rights. Some have a very worrying attitude towards a disabled child; that child or parents have done something wrong and that is why the child is diasabled; also witchcraft risk
Children who receive personal care, regularly changed etc. issues/reasons for keeping silent
- ownership of self
- establishing boundaries
- worry that if complain then no-one else would change them, so left soiled.
Don’t have capacity physically or emotional to remove themselves from the situation or confidence to speak out

5. Promoting Safeguarding Equality
Accessible complaints procedure
Accessible anti-bullying policy
Involve SEND pupils in school council, school policy development, etc.
Safeguards in school based plans/EHC plans/explain DSL safeguarding role to parents
Staff code of conduct
Managing allegations policy
Whistleblowing policy
Relevant PSHE/SRE information and vocabulary
Source local/ accessible advocacy services through SEND local offer

6. Indicators of Concern
Staff should never automatically attribute possible concerns to the child’s impairment:
Bruises on child with cerebral palsy who falls a lot
Self harm in a child with autism
Physical deterioration in a child with a medical condition
Sexually harmful behaviour in a learning disabled child

7. Staff training Raise awareness of all staff
‘think safeguarding’ when interpreting pupil behaviour
Tailor training to particular roles (personal carers /TA’s providing 1:1 support)
Close liaison between SENCo/DSL/ Behaviour/Attendance lead
Attendance rates for SEND pupils

8. SEND children in the child protection system
School record of concern forms should record a child’s disability or SEND and method of communication
Referrals to children’s social care need to explain the child’s vulnerability and the impact of the child’s disability on behaviour and communication

9. The early help assessment (formerly CAF) is not a child protection tool and should not used instead of a S17 or S47 assessment
Keep the focus on the child. Parents may need support from another agency
SEND children should have access to an intermediary for the court process

10. In Solihull, in 2016
In Solihull in pupils with disability, and 2243 with SEN were subject to child protection concerns
SEN: Unity 979, Mosaic 328, Evolve 176, Rural 109, Synergy 478, post 16 and independent 0.
Disability: Unity 175, Mosaic 39, Evolve 4, Rural 11, Synergy 11, Post 16 providers 2, Independent schools 32.
Implications for us are:
Parenting capacity is reduced in such cases:
- impact on the child with D/SEN (neglect/abuse)
Impact on the household of a disability/other factors (eg: toxic trio and neglect further compounded by a disability)
Is the child at school a young carer? Are they being signposted to the young carers service (see pathway on young carers)

11. Disability
195 pupils subject to child protection concerns lived in homes where at least one other member of the household had a disability
Unity 89, Mosaic 34, Evolve 12, Rural 25, Synergy 27, Post 16 1, Independent 7.