Child Protection
All schools have a statutory duty to exercise their functions with a view to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of their pupils. Education staff have a crucial role to play in helping identify welfare concerns of possible abuse or neglect at an early stage: referring those concerns to the appropriate agency, normally social services, and contributing to the assessment of a child’s needs.
Youth Services have close contact with children and young people and should be alert to signs of abuse and how to act upon concerns about a child’s welfare. Similarly Leisure and Community Services staff will have varying degress of contact with children and will need to follow child protection procedures if there are concerns.
The legislative framework upon which child protection is based is as follows:
1989 Children Act: Education Act 1996: Education Act 2002: Children Act 2004
Section 28 Children Act 2004 requires that local authorities and their partner agencies make arrangements for ensuring that their functions are discharged having regard to the need to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.
Under section 31 of the Act, Area Child Protection Committees will be replaced by Local Safeguarding Children’s Board in October 2006 which will ensure the effectiveness of what is done by each person or body represented, in its duty of safeguarding children.
(Safeguarding Children: Working Together under the Children Act 2004)
Where there are concerns that a child has suffered, is suffering or likely to suffer significant harm or may be in need of support services, the referral process will be in accordance with the All Wales Child Protection Procedures. The following documentation relates to referrals for Education, Leisure & Community Services staff. Further advice can be obtained from the Child Protection team on 728546 who are based at the PRU, Heol Persondy, Aberkenfig or Social Services duty desk on 642320.
Policies, Proformas and Information for Education, Leisure & Community Services Staff (including schools)
Safeguarding Children: Working Together under the Children Act 2004.
The Welsh Assembly Government has adopted the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child as the basis of all its work for children and young people in Wales. The Convention rights have been translated into seven Core Aims through which the Assembly Government seeks to implement, to ensure that all children and young people:
- Have a flying start in life;
- Have a comprehensive range of education and learning opportunities;
- Enjoy the best possible health and are free from abuse, victimisation and exploitation;
- Have access to play, leisure, sporting and cultural activities;
- Are listened to, treated with respect, and have their race and cultural identity recognised;
- Have a safe home and a community which supports physical and emotional wellbeing; and
- Are not disadvantaged by poverty.
These aims are reflected in section 25 of the Children Act 2004 and together strengthen the arrangements for protecting and promoting the welfare of children and young people. For the first time it places duty on all local authorities in Wales (referred to in the Act as children’s services authorities) to make arrangements to promote co-operation with a view to improving the well being of children in their area, in relation to:
- Physical and mental health and emotional well-being;
- Protection from harm and neglect;
- Education, training and recreation;
- The contribution made by them to society’ and
- Social and economic well –being.
Education, Leisure & Community Services has its own Child Protection Policy (ratified May 2006) which all staff should be aware of and follow the guidance which is linked to the All Wales Child Protection Procedures.
Where there are Child Protection/ Children in need concerns, staff will need to follow Child Protection Procedures when making a verbal referral to Children’s Services duty desk (01656) 642320.
The referral must be followed up in writing within 48 hours on a referral form. A copy should be faxed to Children’s Services on (01656) 648689, and also to the Child Protection Co-ordinator on (01656) 720710 (for audit purposes).
Should the referral result in a case conference, then staff will need to complete the initial case conference proforma. (Guidance) (Proforma)
Review Case Conferences will take place initially at 3 months and then at 6 monthly intervals and staff should complete the review conference proforma. (Guidance) (Proforma)
N.B. Please ensure that a copy of the proforma is faxed to Children’s Services 24 hours before the conference on (01656) 648689. It would be helpful to provide copies of the report to conference.
Allegations of Abuse or Causes of Concern about a Person Who Works With Children
Children can be subjected to abuse by those who work with them in any and every setting. All allegations of abuse of children by a professional, staff member, foster carer, or volunteer must therefore be taken seriously and treated in accordance with consistent procedures. In October 2006 Area Child Protection Committees will become Local Safeguarding Children’s Boards (LSCBs). LSCBs will have responsibility for ensuring there are effective inter-agency procedures in place for dealing with allegations against people who work with children, and monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of those procedures.
In order to refer concerns of this nature, please see the following attached guidance.
Allegations Against Staff – Guidance For Schools
- Last Updated: 21/09/2006
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