Child protection in early childhood settings
A critical discussion of the role of the early years practitioner when supporting children who are at risk of or suffering significant harm.
This assessment will cover the following learning outcomes:
1. Critically analyse, definitions, indicators, and signs of child abuse.
(A critical discussion of the definitions of key terms used within your work. Lack of consensus and variation of definitions over time, there is no universal agreement on what constitutes as abuse).
Define child abuse as a whole
What constitutes as significant harm
Statistics of child abuse worldwide and in the UK
Briefly outline the 5 categories of abuse (physical, sexual, domestic, neglect, emotional)
Define child protection & safeguarding
Outline this essay will focus specifically on neglect as a type of abuse
2. -An understanding of the indicators and signs of child abuse.
Difficulty in recognising signs and indictors of child abuse (as a social worker or early years practitioner)
Definition of neglect (critically discuss issues with the definition)
Types of neglect: medical, nutritional, emotional, educational, physical, lack of supervision
Signs and indictors of neglect (physical, development, behaviour) between 0-5 years
Include theories, e.g. Maslow’s (1943) Hierarchy of Needs- how it effects a child’s overall well being
Barker & Hodes (2007:45) define state that ‘neglect is often defined through acts of parental omission. Sometimes known as ‘passive abuse’, the neglectful parent is more likely to avoid, cut off and disengage from the child.’
Neglect is an act of omission rather than commission (as, for example, hitting a child would be). It is “…an act of failure to notice on the part of the carer” (J. Howarth, 2007).
“…neglect occurs when there is a deficiency in appropriate parenting behaviour, rather than when an inappropriate parenting behaviour occurs” (Schumacher et al , 2201)
Intentionality is a crucial issue for the police, as they cannot pursue a criminal prosecution without evidence of intentionality. However, it can be questioned how helpful this is for the child: the needs the child may be overlooked and barriers put in the way of working with the parents.
Neglect needs to be interpreted within the context of the situation (Beckett, 2003)
3. Apply the policies and procedures that underpin a practitioner’s role in the recognition of and the response to child abuse.
(An identification of relevant policies and procedures that have an impact on the practitioner’s role within child protection)
Define policy (National- produced by the government or local by services or provision)
Where has policy come from (Children Act 1989, Children Act 2004, Equality Act 2010)
How legislation/policy influenced shaping child protection policy
How legislation effected workplace policy
Working together to safeguard children 2018
(A guide to inter-agency working to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.
Covers legislative requirements and expectations of individual services)
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/942454/Working_together_to_safeguard_children_inter_agency_guidance.pdf
Keeping children safe in education 2021
(Statutory guidance for schools and colleges)
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1021914/KCSIE_2021_September_guidance.pdf
Benefits/limitations of serious case reviews (written following a case where a child has died, or a significant abuse has taken place requiring a review to be written on the case) Give an example of a serious case review.
The Children Act 2004, 16C(1) (as amended by the Children and Social Work Act 2017) outlines that a local authority must notify the Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel if the child dies or is seriously harm. However, when considering the definition of serious harm outlined by HM Government, 2018:83) it is difficult for practitioners to assess or make judgments about the long-term impairment of a child’s mental health or intellectual, emotional, social or behavioural development. Making it difficult knowing when to make judgments about a child’s wellbeing if they haven’t happened yet.
The effectiveness of serious case reviews was particularly questioned by Preston-Shoot (2017), stating that the reviews had the same pattern of repetitive findings which resulted in the same recommendations being made. This suggests that no change was being made in terms of learning and progress to change. Therefore, for these reviews to be more effective it should be shared and passed on to practitioners so that they are able to use the information within their setting so that the same mistakes are not made again.
How can children disclose abuse and how practitioners can respond to a disclosure?
(Keeping Children Safe in Education (2021) / What to do if you are worried a child is being abused (2015)
4.Identify the factors that inhibit and assist partnership working when safeguarding children, suggesting how safeguarding practice may be enhanced.
(An analysis of the value of partnership working and factors that may affect this)
Definition of Multi agency working
Working Together to Safeguard Children. DFE, 2018: (We want a system that responds to the needs and interests of children and families and not the other way around. In such a system, practitioners will be clear about what is required of them individually, and how they need to work together in partnership with others)
(Range of professionals involved, social worker, police, teachers, practitioners, parents- either directly with the child or overseeing the parents’ wellbeing.
Characteristics of good Multi-Agency Work: According to Walker (2018) a good multi-agency work should involve working as part of a team with a shared clear common goal (Working together for children: a critical introduction to multi-agency working).
(Professionals come together to offer different services, different procedures can however hinder/limit working together as part of a team as each one focuses on their way of doing things- need to remember the common goal of helping the child by sharing information.
Effective communication and teamwork; Documenting and sharing information is vital for the holistic well-being of the child (previous case reviews have shown that there is lack in this)
Challenges of multi-agency work (structural/individual challenges, Walker, 2018)
Working together to safeguard children 2018 (how to effectively safeguard children in multi-agency, keeping up to date with changes)
-The Victoria Climbié inquiry, 2003 led to The Children Act 2004 specifically s.10 and 11 (highlights the importance of multi-agency communication)
-The Munro review 2010: found that the child was getting lost in the lack of communication between agencies leaving the child in a vulnerable situation.
Conclusion
-Main findings
-Future recommendation
