1. Safeguarding babies and very young children from abuse and neglect: experiences on entering education
Harriet Ward, Georgia Hyde-Dryden, Rebecca Brown, and Caroline Thomas, Centre for Child and Family Research, Loughborough University
EUSARF 2014

2. The original study
Prospective longitudinal study of 57 babies identified as suffering, or likely to suffer, significant harm
43 followed until age three; 37 until age five; a follow up age eight is ongoing
Data from case papers; annual interviews with birth parents/carers; Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaires; interviews with children aged 7+
Very high risk sample

3. The children
Majority from families already known to children’s social care through involvement with older siblings
65% identified before birth; almost all before they were six months old
63% were boys
69% White British; 31% from BME groups: 69% of these were of mixed heritage
14% were identified as having disabilities or special health care needs. Children with disabilities are 3.4 times more likely to experience abuse and neglect (Sullivan and Knutson, 2000)

4. By the age of 3 Half of the children had been maltreated
One third maltreated whilst case open to children’s social care
Continuing concerns at age three for slightly under one third
Neglect and emotional abuse most common forms of maltreatment
One third of children permanently separated
Half of the children displayed developmental problems or substantial behavioural difficulties

5. Children at age 5: study aims
To explore the perceptions of school and pre school staff about their safeguarding role and the factors facilitating inter-agency working between education and social work staff
To monitor children’s progress at school and pre school to explore the impact of professional decisions, made in the early years, on children’s subsequent life chances
To explore the need for, and availability of, enrichment programmes to help children overcome the consequences of abuse and neglect

6. Children at age 5: data collection
Data collection involved:
Interviews with birth parents and carers around the children’s fourth and fifth birthdays
Interviews with class teachers or pre school keyworkers
Interviews with children’s school or pre school head teachers
Completion of Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaires by parents/ carers and teachers
Collection of data from children’s social care case files

7. Children at age 5 Children were now entering pre-school and school
28 children living with birth parents; 6 with kinship carers; 2 with adoptive families; and one in foster care awaiting adoption
There were ongoing concerns for 14/28 children living at home:
8 children whose cases were closed at age 3 had been re-referred
6 children where concerns existing at age 3 remained at age 5
5/14 were considered to be at risk of significant harm
Circumstances had either not improved or deteriorated for 13 children (35%)

8. Children at age 5: emotional and behavioural difficulties
By the age of 5:
SDQ scores for 31 children showed that 15 (48%) exhibited evidence of emotional and behavioural difficulties, with 10 (32%) warranting referral for clinical support
3 x prevalence in wider population
Extremely aggressive behaviour towards adults and other children; a constant need for reassurance; and self- harming behaviours

9. Children at age 5
No evidence that pro-active social work was increasing in response to changing circumstances; no new legal orders made between 3-5; no children were removed or returned home during this period
Widespread expectation that social workers could withdraw support as schools and nursery staff monitor children’s well-being

10. Children at age 5: the role of schools
The majority of pre schools and schools adopted a child and family welfare approach as opposed to an educational attainment approach
Schools often became a place of sanctuary to children in the sample
Teachers expressed satisfaction with their safeguarding training and confidence in identifying signs of abuse and neglect
BUT less certainty about how to respond

11. Children at age 5: the role of schools
Lack of support and issues around inter-agency working made supporting children difficult to sustain including:
Insufficient recognition of the school’s role in the safeguarding of children
Insufficient weight given to teachers’ concerns by social workers
Unreasonable thresholds for social care intervention
Inadequate feedback about referrals
Insufficient information about individual children when children are looked after

12. Children at age 5: the role of schools
In anticipation that support would not be forthcoming, schools described using resources imaginatively to support individual children
However, their actions may go beyond those required of schools in the agreed local strategy for agencies supporting children
Risk of masking deteriorating home circumstances and therefore the need for action by children’s services
Risk of inconsistency in the level of support provided

13. Conclusions
The number of children experiencing emotional and behavioural difficulties, or deteriorating circumstances highlights the significant role of school and pre school staff in the safeguarding process
Teachers are well positioned to pick up on changes in a child’s circumstances
Schools need to be fully involved in the safeguarding process if they are to be expected to rely upon it
Effective multi-agency working is necessary to trigger appropriate action should a child’s circumstances deteriorate or if signs of maltreatment are identified
Effective multi-agency working is necessary to provide a consistent level of support
Age 8 follow-up

14. Further information
Further information about the study available at:
Research Brief: Young children suffering or likely to suffer significant harm: Experiences on entering education available at:
Ward, H., Brown, R. and Westlake, D. (2012) Safeguarding Babies and Very Young Children from Abuse and Neglect. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.