1. MLI INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS Ensuring Best Practice
Child Protection
Ensuring Best Practice
What do I need to Know?

2. Designated Liaison Person
DLP = Senior member of staff (normally Centre Manager) with specific responsibility for child protection
Role of DLP:
Act as resource / support to staff
Oversee Student Welfare
Keep records of any concerns/ disclosures
Seek advice / Report to Operations Director
Liaise with HSE / Garda

3. Route of Referral Staff Member Centre Manager HSE Group Leader
Reasonable Cause for Concern
Direct Disclosure
Staff Member
Centre Manager
HSE
Advice – child not identified
Refer on
Group Leader
Operations Director

4. Definition & Recognition of Child Abuse
A ‘child’ means a person under the age of 18 years, excluding a person who is or has been married.
the age of consent to sexual intercourse is 17 years for both boys and girls
Sexual intercourse under the age of 17 is illegal but may not be an
indicator of abuse (see P16 of procedures)
B Redmond - UCD Mentoring

5. Physical Neglect Sexual Emotional Child Abuse Signs and Symptoms
Activity
The Signs and Symptoms of Child Abuse
Put up slide on – categories of abuse: Neglect, Physical Abuse, Emotional Abuse and Sexual Abuse
Activity 2: The Signs and Symptoms of Child Abuse
Divide participants into 4 groups. Each flip chart page will have one of the categories of abuse written at the top. The page is divided in half with a sub-heading Behavioural Indicators at the top of one column and Physical Indicators at the top of the other column. Give each group one flip chart page and 5 minutes to list what they believe the signs and symptoms are for the category they have.
After 5 minutes ask each group to pass their page to another group. Again give the next group 5 minutes to add to the list. Continue rotating the pages until all groups have had an opportunity to add to each page.
This activity will take 20 minutes – allowing each group to add to the different lists.
On completion put up the lists one by one inviting the participants to look at and comment on each one.

6. NEGLECT can be defined in terms of an omission, where the child suffers significant harm or impairment of development by being deprived of food, clothing, warmth, hygiene, intellectual stimulation, supervision and safety, attachment to and affection from adults, and/or medical care.
becomes apparent in different ways over a period of time rather than at one specific point.
the threshold of significant harm is reached when the child's needs are neglected to the extent
that his or her well-being and/or development are severely affected.
the most frequent category of abuse
the most harmful - generally lasts throughout a childhood; has long-term consequences into
adult life.
children are more likely to die from chronic neglect than from one instance of physical abuse.
Severe neglect in infancy has a serious negative impact on brain development.
Neglect is associated with, but not necessarily caused by, poverty. It is strongly correlated with
parental substance misuse, domestic violence and parental mental illness and disability.

7. PHYSICAL ABUSE of a child is that which results in actual or potential physical harm from an interaction, or lack of interaction, which is reasonably within the control of a parent or person in a position of responsibility, power or trust.
There may be single or repeated incidents.
Physical abuse can involve:
(i) severe physical punishment;
(ii) beating, slapping, hitting or kicking;
(iii) pushing, shaking or throwing;
(iv) pinching, biting, choking or hair-pulling;
(v) terrorising with threats;
(vi) observing violence;
(vii) use of excessive force in handling;
(viii) deliberate poisoning;
(ix) suffocation;
(x) fabricated/induced illness
(xi) allowing or creating a substantial risk of significant harm to a child.

8. EMOTIONAL ABUSE is normally to be found in the relationship between a parent/carer and a child rather than in a specific event or pattern of events. It occurs when a child’s developmental need for affection, approval, consistency and security are not met.
Unless other forms of abuse are present, it is rarely manifested in terms of physical signs or symptoms.
Emotional abuse can be manifested in terms of the child’s behavioural, cognitive, affective or physical functioning. Examples of these include insecure attachment, unhappiness, low self-esteem, educational and developmental underachievement, and oppositional behaviour.
The threshold of significant harm is reached when abusive interactions dominate and become typical of the relationship between the child and the parent/carer.
In the case of emotional abuse and neglect, it is more likely to impact negatively on a child where there is a cluster of indices, where these are persistent over time and where there is a lack of other protective factors.

9. SEXUAL ABUSE occurs when a child is used by another person for his or her gratification or sexual arousal, or for that of others.. Including
i) Exposure or any sexual act intentionally performed in the presence of the child;
(ii) intentional touching or molesting of the body of a child whether by a person or object
for the purpose of sexual arousal or gratification;
(iii) masturbation in the presence of the child or the involvement of the child in an act of
masturbation;
(iv) sexual intercourse with the child, whether oral, vaginal or anal;
(v) sexual exploitation of a child,
(vi) consensual sexual activity involving an adult and an underage person.
Child sexual abuse often covers a wide spectrum of abusive activities. It rarely involves just a single incident and usually occurs over a number of years. Child sexual abuse most commonly happens within the family.
Cases of sexual abuse principally come to light through:
(a) disclosure by the child or his or her siblings/friends;
(b) the suspicions of an adult;
(c) physical symptoms.

10. Definition of Bullying
Bullying is repeated aggression, verbal, psychological or physical conducted by an individual or group against others.
Isolated incidents of aggressive behaviour, which should not be condoned, can scarcely be described as bullying. However, when the behaviour is systematic and ongoing it is bullying. (DES Anti-Bullying Guidelines)
DES Anti-Bullying Guidelineshttp://

11. Bullying
School management boards should have a policy in place to deal with bullying
Teachers should be aware of this policy and of procedural guidelines to deal with it.
where the incident is serious and the behaviour is regarded as potentially abusive, the school should consult the HSE Children and Family Services with a view to drawing up an appropriate response, such as a management plan.
Serious instances of bullying behaviour should be referred to the HSE Children and Family Services.
Bullying behaviour when perpetrated by adults, rather than children, could be regarded as physical or emotional abuse.

12. Peer Abuse
In some cases …… the alleged perpetrator will be another child.
Research ……..teenagers perpetrate a considerable proportion of child sexual abuse
In a situation where child abuse is alleged to have been carried out by another child, the child protection procedures should be adhered to for both the victim and the alleged abuser – i.e. it should be considered a child care and protection issue for both children.
Abusive behaviour that is perpetrated by children must be acted upon. It is essential to refer concerns about peer abuse immediately to the HSE Children and Family Services

13. Guidelines for Recognition
The ability to recognise child abuse can depend as much on a person’s willingness to accept the possibility of its existence as it does on their knowledge and information.
There are commonly three stages in the identification of child neglect or abuse:
considering the possibility;
(ii) looking out for signs of neglect or abuse;
(iii) recording of information.

14. Remember, child abuse…..
… can occur in any type of family/ socio-economic group, gender or culture
… occurs outside families but usually perpetrated by an adult well known to child
… perpetrated by adults in trusted positions
… neglect is the most frequently occurring and reported form of abuse and it is also considered most harmful (DES, App. 3, p41)
Children with special needs are more vulnerable to abuse

15. Vulnerabilities of Children with Special Educational Needs
Poor communication skills
Greater Dependency
Limited sense of danger
Need for intimate care
Need for attention, friendship or affection
Poor self-confidence and limited assertiveness
Fear of not being believed
Limited understanding of sexuality or sexual behaviour

16. Why children don’t tell
Lack of knowledge about normal behaviour
Don’t know they have a right to refuse
Don’t know how to respond
No sense of being in control
Can be easily tricked, bribed or threatened
Language / Communication
Guilt / Fear
Try to tell
Activity
Ask the participants to list the reasons why children do and don’t tell about abuse. They can have two min to jot down ideas.Take feedback for the group and use flipchart.

17. Why children do tell Meet a person they can trust Accidental Telling
Begin to learn what is normal
Become aware of their suffering
Pain too great
To prevent it happening to siblings and/or others
B Redmond - UCD Mentoring

18. Dealing with Disclosures
DON’T
Panic
Stop a child recalling significant events
Promise to keep secrets
Ask leading questions
Make the child repeat the story unnecessarily
Delay
Start to investigate DO
Stay calm
Listen
Believe
Reassure
Record in writing
Discuss
Report
B Redmond - UCD Mentoring

19. Sean
A child in the class has come to school a number of times recently with bruises and cuts on his body. Anytime you ask him about the marks he just tells you that he fell over something or had an accident of some kind. He is very reluctant to engage with you about it.
What would you do?
What, if anything, would you expect others to do?

20. Joanne
After school today Mary came to you and told you that her friend Joanne told her that the Activity Leader is her boyfriend and that he often takes her for drives after he finishes work.
What would you do?
What, if anything, would you expect others to do?
National Induction Progrmme for Teachers/Professional Development Service for Teachers

21. Barry
You have noticed that a child in your class seems very upset, and is often alone at break time. When you ask if everything is ok he starts to cry and tells you that he hates it at this school. Everybody teases/slags him.
What would you do?
What, if anything, would you expect others to do?

22. Allegations against School Employee
- Allegation made to CM
- Written statement sought
- OD notified
- Seek advice from HSE
Role of CM
Role of OD
- Protocol for Authorising Immediate action - Inform employee
- Seek advice - gardai, HSE and legal
- Invoke Administrative leave if appropriate
- Follow the agreed employment procedures
Allegations against Staff: Role of the DLP and the role of the Chairperson
The DLP should  make a record of the allegation/s (a written record should also be sought from person making the allegation); Report the matter to Chairperson of the BOM; Contact the HSE – record and act on advice given;
The Chairperson  should inform the employee; Seek advice from the gardai, HSE and legal (from School Management Body) ; Inform the Board of Management; Invoke Administrative leave if appropriate .

23. What Should be Reported?
Specific information from the child that he/she was abused
An account by a person who saw the child being abused
Evidence, such as injury or behaviour, which is consistent with abuse and unlikely to be caused another way
An injury or behaviour which is consistent both with abuse and with an innocent explanation but where there are corroborative indicators supporting the concern that it is a case of abuse
Consistent evidence, over a period of time that a child is suffering from emotional or physical abuse

24. Record Keeping Objective and Factual Confidentiality – Need to Know
Security – Student Details
Seek advice from CM
Remind NQTs to seek advice from DLP in the school in which they are currently teaching

25. What to record ? Concerns with regard to: Appearance, Hygiene, Care
Physical Injury / implausible explanations – draw a sketch or mark on chart
What the child has told you
Attendance and Punctuality – role of bus escorts and drivers
Behaviour – changes / mood / sexualised
Language
Drawings/ Writing/Play
Concerns with regard to the behaviour of a staff member

26. Child Protection Records
Child protection concerns should be supported by evidence that indicates the possibility of abuse or neglect (DES 2011, 3.4.2, 19)
Must have a written record of all the information available
Note what was observed and when it was observed
Signs of physical injury shall be described in detail and, if appropriate, sketched
Any comment by the child or any other person, about how an injury occurred shall be recorded
The record shall be signed, dated and given to the DLP who shall retain it.
All records are highly confidential and must be placed in a secure location by the DLP

27. Best Practice in Child Protection
Recruitment and selection of staff
General Conduct
Focus on Student Welfare at all times
Changing for Games / PE and Swimming
Supervision of Pupils
Boundaries between appropriate and inappropriate behaviour in adults
Concerns with regard to the behaviour of a staff member
Dress Code
National Induction Programme for Teachers/Prfessional Developmnt Service for Teachers

28. Enabling Children to Be Safe and to Stay Safe
National Induction Programme for Teachers/Professional Develoment Service for Teachers