Safeguarding Children and Social Work - Assignment Example

Safeguarding Children and Social Work Question 1: Effects of Child Abuse Safeguarding refers to the act of protecting children from any form of maltreatment that can cause impairment on their health, growth and development so as to ensure that they grow up in a manner that is consistence with the accepted standards of safety and care to ensure that they realize a better growth. For a very long time, children have been susceptible to different forms of abuses: physical, sexual, neglect, psychological and emotional (Walsh, DiLillo 2011). Each of these has adversely affected children in many ways as discussed herein: The first significant harm suffered by the children who experience sexual abuse has higher chances of contracting dangerous Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) like gonorrhea and syphilis. This is possible because in many cases children are sexually abused, the sexual intercourse can be carried out without the use of protective devices such as condom. This may be so unfortunate especially when the perpetrator of such acts suffers from such diseases (Slapper, Kelly 2008). Worse still, such a deliberate action can lead to the spread of HIV/AIDS to the innocent vulnerable child. These are very bad experiences that might permanently interfere with the life of such children. Each of these diseases comes with their own challenges that such young children might not cope up with. For example, the infection of gonorrhea might result into mental distress. Besides, HIV/AIDS might cause stigmatization especially if it is discovered by peers in school (Harvey 2011). The other significant harm posed by child abuse is physical bodily harm. Just like Helen who must have experienced physical abuse, children’s body can be bruised, swollen or permanently impaired. Such experiences can result from brutal acts like battery, beating, pinching, stabbing, flogging or any other form of corporal punishment to which children can be subjected by their family members, teachers or any other adult with whom they interact (Dewar, Parker 2000). This is what happened to Helen whose thighs and legs had to have lots of bruises. Had she not been physically abused, this would not be the case. Such bodily harms if not properly treated in time, might permanently impair the child or even cause a disability. Last, but not least, the abuse of children might harm their emotional and psychological well being. An emotionally abused child can experience psychological and emotional distresses like lack of self-esteem, withdrawal, depression, anxiety, difficulty in sleeping, poor academic performance, trauma and flashbacks (Barnett, 2008). Moreover, children who are neglected by their parents can resort to aggressive acts such as alcohol and drug abuse as well as becoming public offenders or street kids in different cities in the country. Lastly, when people who experience child abuse grow up, they either fail to establish healthy and long lasting relationships or end up abusing their children as well. Question 2 The Referral Process for Helen Reporting the Matter As clearly stipulated in the Children’s Act of 1989, a child in need is a child who may be unlikely to maintain or accomplish a satisfactory level of development, growth, health or whose effective growth and health might be impaired in case they fail to acquire certain services. It is such children who require the safeguarding services provided by the local authorities and their agencies. When a child is suspected to be a victim of abuse, they may be referred. The referral exercise can be initiated by a family member or service providers such as healthcare providers. This explains why the pediatrician consultant had to refer Helen when he found out that she has bruises in her thighs and legs that needed the attention of relevant authorities. However, before taking such actions, it is recommended that the consent of the parent should be sought. Had it not been for this, the pediatrician would not have bothered seeking for the approval of Helen’s mother (Hilaire 2010). Compliance with the Principle of Working Together Since the safeguarding of children should be done in compliance with the principle of working together which states that individuals and organisations should work as a team for a common goal of protecting the child and safeguarding their welfare, the process needs to incorporate the input of a wide range of parties (Famularo, Kinscherff, Fenton 2011). These include the family members, police officers, local authority chief executives, social workers, directors of children’s services; local safeguarding children board chairs, health care providers and volunteers. Each of these should be actively involved in Helen’s case. Complying with the Principle of Good Practice The other important principle to comply with while handling Helen’s referral maters is good practice. As the name suggests, this principle states that all the concerned parties involved in the safeguard of children need to dedicate their time to provide their best services for the best interest of the children. Meaning, each of them should only prioritise the interests of the child who need to be safeguarded. Once guided by this principle, these professionals would show a lot of commitment in whatever role they are responsible for without fear or favor. If this happens, the endangered child would be safeguarded as per the law. Referral and Disclosure of Helen’s Information Once a child is suspected to be abused, a referral program should be immediately initiated. After seeking the consent of the parent, information about the child should be delivered to the police, social workers or NSPCC. During this stage, the referrer should be ready to meet with these professionals and disclose to them all the necessary information about the child. Some of the most crucial information to be availed to the authority is about the status of the child, nature of suspected abuse and the possibilities of anyone committing such offenses (Courtois 2008). This is exactly what happened when the pediatrician was handling Helen’s case. After realizing that she had bruises in her body, he felt the need of contacting the social worker so as to disclose all the relevant information that could help in knowing exactly what happened to Helen before the necessary support is provided. Assessments on Helen After the disclosure of all the essential information: full names of the child, age, date of birth, ethnic and cultural background; parent/carer’s contacts; reasons for the referral; and the immediate dangers in the life of the child; the police officers or the social services will have to organise and come for an immediate assessments. Here, they will focus on addressing issue to do with the child’s gender, developmental needs, and ability of the carers or parents to offer the necessary care as well as the social and environmental factors which might influence the child’s development (Hoyano, Keenan 2007). On a successful completion of this procedure, the social service will take the necessary measure, depending on the decision made, to subject the child to a protection plan if it is resolved that the carer or parents can not guarantee them safety. Course of Action for Helen’s Case While implementing the referral process for Helen, all the concerned parties should be involved. By following the above outlined procedure, it means that pediatrician would immediately inform social workers and inform them about the conditions of Helen. After providing the professionals with all the necessary information, the social workers would have to arrange and conduct rigorous and conclusive assessments so as to ascertain the allegations and find out if there was any abuse (Hilaire 2010). Finally, they will have to analyse the situation and make an informed decision whether to allow Helen to continue living with her parents or launch for her a child protection plan that suits her. If this is done, Helen would be guaranteed an opportunity for a healthier growth than it would otherwise be. Conclusion As clearly stipulated by the Children’s Act, no child should be exposed to any form of abuse whatsoever. In case of any case, a child should be offered a safeguard and protection that they rightfully deserve. As human beings, they need to be brought up in a conducive environment in which their life is not endangered whatsoever. Just like in Helen’s case, any child who is suspected to have been abused should be taken to the relevant authority. However, for this to be achieved, everyone should comply with the principle of god practice and working together. Only if important stakeholders like family members, police officers, local authority chief executives, social workers, directors of children’s services; local safeguarding children board chairs, health care providers and volunteers work as a team; can any results be attained. Bibliography Barnett, H, 2008, Constitutional & Administrative Law, Routledge, London. Courtois, CA, 2008, Healing the incest wound: adult survivors in therapy, Norton, New York. Dewar J, Parker, S, 2000, Family law: processes, practices, pressures: proceedings of the Tenth World Conference of the International Society of Family Law, Hart, Oxford. Famularo, R, Kinscherff, R, Fenton T, 2011, "Parental substance abuse and the nature of child maltreatment". Child Abuse & Neglect 16 (4): 475–83. Finkelhor, D, 2008, Childhood Victimization: Violence, Crime, and Abuse in the Lives of Young People, Oxford University Press, Oxford. Harvey, CJ, 2011, Human Rights in the Community: Rights As Agents For Change, Hart, Oxford. Hilaire B. 2010, Constitutional and Administrative Law. Second Edition, Cavendish, London. Hoyano, L, Keenan, C, 2007, Child Abuse: Law and Policy Across Boundaries, Oxford University Press, XOD. Slapper, G, Kelly, D, 2008, The English Legal System, Routledge-Cavendish, London. Walsh, K, DiLillo, D, 2011, "Child sexual abuse and adolescent sexual assault and revictimization" In Paludi, MA, The psychology of teen violence and victimization, Praeger, Santa Barbara. Appendix Accrington school opts out as polling station 08:54, 31 January 2014 By Jon Macpherson, Dan O'Donoghue Bosses at Peel Park Primary say they had serious safety concerns. Peel Park priamry school Accrington A primary school has withdrawn its availability as a polling station because of ‘serious concerns’ over pupil safety. School bosses from Peel Park School in Accrington blamed past incidents of adults ‘wandering into school’ from the polling station as well as moving playground barriers for the decision. The school, on Alice Street, was critcised at a town hall meeting for withdrawing its availability for election polling. Speaking at a meeting of Hyndburn’s full council, Huncoat councillor Dave Parkins launched an attack on the decision. He said: “I would just like to say that I am more than disappointed in Peel Park school. There were a lot of people from the area that used to vote when they picked their kids up. “It is now going to be a good hard struggle for them. I would have thought the school would have come to the council to explain themselves. I am very disappointed in the head of Peel Park school.” A replacement mobile station will now be erected around a quarter of a mile away from the school at Taskers on Queens Road for future elections. Speaking after the meeting, the school’s headteacher Judith Williams defended the decision and said the school had offered an alternative, including a mobile polling station on the car park. She said: “We have always tried hard to accommodate the needs of the council over many years in acting as a polling station. The governors of our large school have serious concerns about safeguarding and keeping the children safe, as there have been instances of adults wandering into school from the polling section and moving the barriers in the Year 5/6 yard. “Members of the public have also struggled and complained due to lack of disabled access and tried to use the ramped main entrance. There is also disruption to staff and lessons as they cannot deliver their normal curriculum timetable including use of alternative entrance/exit points on that day. “To close the school on polling day would significantly inconvenience parents and further disrupt the children’s education.” The move came after Hyndburn council was required to review its polling districts by the Electoral Registration and Administration Act 2013. Polling stations remained unchanged in most areas. Children still unsafe in Birmingham, damning new report reveals 13:53, 13 October 2014 By Emma McKinney Birmingham Safeguarding Children Board said new plans were needed to protect children from sexual exploitation, female genital mutilation, forced marriage, honour-based violence and trafficking Birmingham Council House A catalogue of child protection failures left Birmingham youngsters at risk, a damning report has concluded. The Birmingham Safeguarding Children Board detailed a catalogue of problems concerning the police and social and health workers in the last financial year. Its annual report said new plans were needed to protect children from sexual exploitation, female genital mutilation, forced marriage, honour-based violence and trafficking. And it revealed that 169 child deaths were investigated in the year from April 2013 to last March. Serious case reviews were carried out into the deaths of three-year-old Dylan Crean, who was battered to death by his mother’s boyfriend, and Keanu Williams, the two-year-old fatally injured by his mother. An investigation was also launched into sexual abuse at Little Stars Nursery in Nechells. The Board’s independent chairman Jane Held said: “There were still significant numbers of children and young people who were not safe, not getting the support they needed or who were not known about or identified as at risk in the first place.” She listed a string of other issues including high health visitor case loads and a mistrust of the city council by schools. The Board’s members are from organisations with responsibility for services to children. But the group was itself rated “inadequate” by Ofsted inspectors in May. Its report will be presented to Birmingham Council’s cabinet on October 20. City children’s services boss Coun Brigid Jones said: “While the report looks back at issues we are already aware of – and that we have discussed publicly and at length – it rightly sets out the challenges all agencies face and how we must continue to work together better. “As the report makes clear, we now know quite clearly what needs to be done. “We have as a council a sustainable, long-term improvement plan. “We still face challenges and we will have testing moments but we must not be blown off-course; we need to get on with making children safe and secure.” Former home linked with claims of abuse 10:45, 19 September 2014 By Dan O'Donoghue Politicians have called for a thorough investigation of claims by a national newspaper that ‘members of the public were able to abuse children’ staying at the former Dyke Nook children’s home on Whalley Road. Share Share Tweet +1 LinkedIn Allegations of child abuse centred around a former Accrington children’s home have been met with shock. Politicians have called for a thorough investigation of claims by a national newspaper that ‘members of the public were able to abuse children’ staying at the former Dyke Nook children’s home on Whalley Road. One alleged victim has claimed that gangs of men, plied girls with drink and drugs before raping them, while social services and police failed to protect them. She was a resident at Dyke Nook before it was closed by Lancashire County Council in 2002 for being ‘surplus to requirements’. She claimed: “Staff turned a blind eye while I was groomed, battered, kidnapped and raped. They did nothing. Men hung around outside.” The allegations come as an investigation is ongoing into the handling of historic allegations of sexual abuse at a Rochdale special school. Lancashire Police said they have been ­investigating the alleged victim’s claims since 2012. Hyndburn MP Graham Jones said any allegations needed to be thoroughly investigated. He said: “Any allegation of child abuse must be reported to the police as it is a serious criminal offence. “We should be vigilant all the time – this is not something we can treat lightly. “In my experience, this is the only alleged incident that I have heard of at Dyke Nook, but others may come forward in light of these allegations. “I have spoken to the county council on this matter and it will take it very seriously. “This will not slip across a few desks and not be noticed.” Conservative group leader Peter Britcliffe added: “I am very shocked by these allegations, and I would call for a thorough investigation.” A police spokesman said: “We are committed to preventing child abuse, helping victims and bringing offenders to justice.” Louise Taylor, director of the Children and Young People’s Directorate for Lancashire County Council, said: “We are aware of these distressing ­allegations. “Combatting sexual exploitation of ­children is given the highest priority.” Read More