1. Safeguarding Children and Young People

2. Everyone's responsibility
Everyone has a responsibility to keep children and young people safe. All organisations that come into contact with children should have specific safeguarding policies and procedures in place. This includes voluntary and community organisations, faith groups, private sector providers, as well as schools, hospitals and sports clubs (NSPCC). This presentation forms part of our safeguarding policy and procedure. It may be unlikely you will ever need to report a concern about a child's wellbeing, but, we have a duty of care and legal responsibility to ensure you know how to. Even if you don’t work directly or regularly with children.

3. How do we define child abuse?
Child abuse is understood as any form of maltreatment of a child. This is split into the following categories:
Neglect
Emotional abuse
Physical abuse
Sexual abuse
Failure to thrive (separated from emotional abuse in Scotland)
This may occur in a family, community or institutional setting by those known to the victim, but can be by strangers often via the internet. Abuse can be perpetrated by men or women, by more than one adult and by children towards other children.

4. A disclaimer
The next two slides list signs/indicators for each type of abuse.
Keep in mind:
Noticing these signs, and changes in behaviour, often requires you to have repeated contact with a child over a length of time.
These are generalised and do not take into account pre-existing conditions, such as Crohn’s Disease or Ulcerative Colitis, or other issues.
These signs should therefore not be viewed in isolation and must be put into the context of your interaction with the child.

5. What are the signs and indicators of abuse?
Neglect
Tired/listless
Unkempt/poor hygiene
Dressed inappropriately for the weather
Untreated medical conditions and missing appointments
Constantly hungry
Overeats when food is available
Poor growth
Poor school attendance
Few friends/withdrawn
Regularly left unsupervised
Emotional abuse
Failure to thrive
Attention seeking
Low self-esteem
Over ready to relate to others
Apathy
Depression/self-harm
Drink/drug/solvent abuse
Persistently over protective
Withholding love and affection
Frequently humiliating a child

6. What are the signs and indicators of abuse?
Physical abuse
Unexplained injuries
Injuries on unusual parts of the body e.g. backs of legs, upper arms, neck, in various stages of healing, or which suggest an object has been used to inflict harm.
Flinching when approached
Reluctant to change clothes
Limbs covered in hot weather
Crying/instability
Afraid of going home
Behavioural extremes
Apathy/depression
Sexual abuse
Age inappropriate sexual behavior and knowledge
Wary of adults
Running away from home
Eating disorders
Depression/self harm
Unexplained gifts/money
Stomach pains
Bedwetting
Recurrent genital discharge
Sexually transmitted diseases
Secrecy when online

7. What is expected of you? Standards
Place the child’s welfare at the centre of all that you do.
Treat all children fairly, with respect, and dignity. Do not discriminate.
Conduct and behaviour
Be conscious of how you speak and what you say around children.
Do not put yourself out of plain sight and/or alone with a child.
Do not allow children to engage you in inappropriate attention seeking.
Only contact children through official channels. Do not accept friend requests on social media and don't ask for details/private information.
Do not engage in rough, physical, or sexualised games or behaviour, intrusive conversations, name-calling or excluding children/young people from an activity, instead challenge these behaviours and make a safeguarding report if appropriate.

8. How do I respond to an incident or disclosure?
Don’t interrupt and listen carefully to what’s being said without drawing your own conclusions.
Stay calm, try not to react or express any opinion or view.
Let them know that telling someone was the right thing to do.
Use encouraging phrases like “You’re doing really well” and “It’s ok, I’m listening”.
Only ask questions to clarify facts or check you understand.
Don’t promise that you won’t tell anyone, explain what you will do next and that you have to inform someone who will be able to help.

9. How do I report a concern or incident?
If you witness, are informed about, or have a concern about a child’s welfare or safety, regardless of who is implicated, you must: Report this as soon as possible by calling our reporting line: No response? Call the NSPCC on: Is there an immediate risk? Call the police. Don’t talk to anyone until you have phoned one of the above numbers. It is not your job to conduct an investigation, just listen carefully and follow any instructions given to you by the person who answers your call.
Don’t contact anyone other than the emergency number, NSPCC or the police.
Please ensure you also call us, after calling the police or the NSPCC, and inform the designated safeguarding officer of what has happened.
Crohn’s and Colitis UK ensures that the person making the report is offered support following a call.

10. What to do after making a call?
Within 48 hours, write down an exact account of what you have witnessed or been told, including names, dates and locations. Write down facts and not your opinion. Sign and date this. Keep everything you have written in a secure place and do not share this with anyone until directed to do so.

11. Where can I find the policy?
Our entire policy can be found on the website here: Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy Or, if you are a member of staff, a PDF and Word version are saved onto the Shared Drive here: Safeguarding folder

12. Support for yourself
If this presentation has raised any issues for you, has a comprehensive list of services and advice that may help you. For other concerns or questions about safeguarding children, please contact the Designated Safeguarding Officer (DSO) By phone: By