introduction to work with children and young people by the end of the training you should be able...

Introduction to work with children and young people

By the end of the training you should be able to:• Recognise how your role supports children and young people• Understand how your organisation fits into the Every Child Matters

framework • Know what your legal responsibilities are in relation to keeping children

and young people safe• Describe the actions you need to take if you have concerns about a child or

young person• Suggest some ways of including and promoting positive outcomes for the

children and young people with whom you work

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To make the session go well….

Keep to time

• Listen to others

• Be constructive

• Switch phones off or set them to silent

• Enjoy

• Take care of yourself


Every Child Matters

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Every Child Matters

“The support and protection of children cannot be achieved by a single agency. Every service has to play its part. All staff

must have placed upon them the clear expectation that their primary responsibility is

to the child and his or her family”.

Lord Laming in the Victoria Climbié Inquiry Report, January 2003.

Every Child Matters - 5 outcomes The ambition is to improve these outcomes for all children and young people and to narrow the gap between those who do well and those who do not.

Be Healthy

Achieve economic well-being

Enjoy and achieve

Make a positive

contribution

Stay Safe

Integrated Working - Processes and toolsIntegrated Processes and Tools

Lead Professional

Children’s Services Directory

Information Sharing

Contact Point

Common Assessment Framework

Multi-agency

services

Improved outcomes:• Be Healthy• Stay safe• Enjoy and achieve• Make a positive contribution• Achieve economic well-being

Integrated frontline service delivery

Legislation, policies and initiativesEvery Child Matters

Integrated working The Children Act (2004)

A range of others…

The Children’s Plan: Building brighter

futures

2020 Children and Young People’s

Workforce Strategy

Youth Matters and Targeted Youth

Support

21st Century Schools UN Convention on the Rights of the

Child (1989)

For more information go to•The Every Child Matters website: www.ecm.gov.uk•The Children’s Workforce Development Council website: www.cwdcouncil.org.uk


Safeguarding and protecting children and young people

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Safeguarding: a legal definition(Children Acts 1989 and 2004)

Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children means:Protecting children from maltreatment;Preventing impairment of children’s health or development;Ensuring that children are growing up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care; andUndertaking that role so as to enable those children to have optimum life chances and to enter adulthood successfully

Safeguarding - a continuum........................Preventative work

Proactively seeking to involve the whole

community in keeping children safe and promoting their

welfare.

Child protection Protecting individual

children identified as either suffering or at risk of

suffering significant harm as a result of abuse or neglect.

CAF common assessment framework – for early

intervention

Initial assessment(social care)

Child in need - not at risk of significant harm but

intervention is needed

Core assessment (social care)

where initial assessment suggests there is risk of

imminent harm

Bullying....

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You are playing for prizes!

Definition of bullying“Behaviour by an individual or group, usually repeated over

time, that intentionally hurts another individual or group either physically or emotionally”.

(DCSF 2007)

Key issues:Cyber bullying – the use of information and communication to deliberately hurt or upset someone or get them into trouble

Prejudice-driven bullying – bullying that is motivated by racism, disablism, sex/gender or homophobia

• Duty of care – preventing foreseeable harm• Duty to have an anti-bullying policy, stating how you will

work to prevent and respond to bullying. This should include reference to cyber bullying, prejudice-driven bullying, bullying outside school and bullying of staff

• Duty to promote equality and tackle prejudice driven bullying

• Duty to safeguard and protect children, including from bullying

• Duty to promote community cohesion• Duty to support children in achieving the ECM outcomes

Bullying – schools’ duties:

• Power to regulate behaviour off school site ‘to such an extent as is reasonable’

• Power to search and confiscate mobile phones

The option to use these powers must be written into their anti-bullying policy

Bullying – schools’ powers:

If it is felt that a concern about bullying is not handled appropriately, the school’s complaint

process should be followed

Supporting a child being bullied

• Listen to them and try not to judge any actions they have taken/not taken so far. They have done the best they could. Provide emotional support.

• Discuss next steps – what do they want to happen? Follow them if you can.

• Agree when/how to review• Contact the police about suspicion of illegal content (cyber

bullying)• Involve schools/parents/carers/other support/agencies as

required

Responding to bullying

empower

rescue

help build resilience and problem solving skills

Responding to bullying

empower

rescue

Examples of possible actions

Things that they can do

• Running away• Making a lot of noise• Ignoring• Fogging• Blocking (texts, websites etc)• Fighting back• Staying with groups• Asking friends for support

Things that adults can do

• Direct action – challenging those who are bullying• Indirect action – assemblies, group work• Give help to identify and access other sources of support

Talk with them about what they have done and help them to think about why they have done it

Make it clear that bullying is not acceptable behaviour

Try to identify other issues in their lives which may be affecting their behaviour

Work with the school to help develop positive behaviours.

Talk with the school about other help and support they may need

Children who bully

Forms of abuse and effects of abuseForms of abuse include:• Physical abuse• Sexual abuse • Emotional abuse• Neglect• Faltering growth• Domestic abuse• Institutional abuse• Bullying and harassment• Self-harming• Abuse via the internet• Sexual exploitation

Abuse is likely to have a deep and long lasting impact on:

• Self-image• Self-esteem• Health• Development • Well-being

Signs of abuse activityIn your groups, list the signs you might see in a child or

young person affected by the issue/s you have been given

List your thoughts onto flipchart and be ready to feedback to the whole group

Signs of abuseThe following non-specific signs may indicate something is wrong:

• Sudden withdrawal from others• Suspicious bruises• Fear of strangers• Extreme anger or sadness• Aggressive and attention-seeking behaviour• Lack of self-esteem• Self-injury• Depression• Age inappropriate sexual behaviour

All workers shouldConsider safety and well-being issues in all aspects of their workKnow who to speak to if they have any concerns or questions about

a child’s or young person’s safety or well-beingBe willing to work with others, where necessary, to make sure

children and young people are safe and their well-being is promoted. Where appropriate, this will involve sharing information.

Remember that an allegation of child abuse or neglect may lead to a criminal investigation, don’t do anything that might put a police investigation at risk (e.g. asking a child leading questions or attempting to investigate the allegations of abuse)

Record in writing all concerns, discussions about the child, decisions made, and the reasons for those decisions.

If you have concerns about a child..Discuss concerns with your manager or designated

member of staff. Make a record of this and any decision made

In most cases, try to talk with the child or young person, as appropriate to their age and understanding, and with their parents, and seek their agreement to making a referral, unless such a discussion would place the child at an increased risk of significant harm.

If appropriate, make a referral using agreed local procedures.

If a child or young person discloses abuse:

React calmlyReassure them that they were right to tell and that they are

not to blame - take what they say seriouslyCheck your understanding but keep questions to a minimum.

Don’t try to investigate or ask about explicit detailsReassure them but do not promise confidentialityTell them what you will do nextMake a full and written record of what has been said/heard as

soon as possible and don’t delay in passing on the information to the named person and/or your line manager.

Safeguarding legislation and national guidance• Children Act 2004 and 1989

• Children Act 1989

• Education Act 2002

• Working together to safeguard children (2006)

• What to do if you’re worried a child is being abused (2006)

• Safeguarding children in education (2004)

• The children’s plan (2007)

• The staying safe action plan (2007)

For more information go to: The Every Child Matters website www.ecm.gov.ukThe Children’s Workforce Development Council website www.cwdcouncil.org.uk


Health and Safety

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Health and safety legislation and policyLegislation:

• Health and Safety at Work Act 1974

• The Management of Health and Safety at work regulations 1999

Policy:

•The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) enforces health and safety legislation.

•Work environment’s individual health and safety policies

Both employers and employees have responsibilities regarding health and safetyEmployers must: Have regard for all relevant

legislation and policyHave a health and safety policy

relevant to their setting Undertake and act upon risk

assessments Support their staff in

understanding and implementing legislation and policy

Employees must:Take reasonable care of their own and others’ health and safety Co-operate with their employers Carry out activities in line with training and instructionsInform the employer of any serious risks.

Guidance on premises, policies and proceduresGeneral guidance on premises:Organised in a way that meets

the needs of childrenAdequate space Access suitable for those with

disabilitiesInsuredCleanAdequately ventilatedAt a suitable temperatureWell lit, preferable with daylight

Practitioners need to be able to:• Identify security

measures• Promote fire

safety• Work safely when

visiting other places

Personal safety and security: key issues

Practitioners should think about and work with their managers to:

• Identify risks to their personal safety• Assess the risks involved in situations involving conflict or

challenge • Identify ways of working that minimise dangers• Identify what action need to be taken to stay safe

Risk assessments

Need to be carried out in relation to places and activities (and sometimes people)

Dynamic risk assessment – carried out at the time e.g. during an activity

Complete if there is genuine riskKeep it ‘fit for purpose’Act on it

Conducting a risk assessmentIdentify the hazards

Decide who might be harmed and how

Record your findings and implement them

Review your assessment and revise it if necessary

Evaluate the risks and decide on precautions

Guidance on safe working practices

Documents giving guidance on safe practices when working with children and young people include:

Guidance for Safe Working Practice for the Protection of Children and Staff in Education settings (2005)

Positively Safe - A guide to developing safe practices (2005) published by the NCVCCO

In your groups, list the particular health and safety issues you think we need to consider in our work with the following

age groups:

•5 – 11•11 – 14•15 – 19

Cycles of Development – An Overview

Developmental Stage

Examples of key tasks

Being(0-6mths)

• To call for care• To learn to trust caring adults

Doing(6mths-18mths)

• To use all senses to explore• To get help in times of distress

Thinking(18mths-3yrs)

• To push against boundaries and other people • To express anger and other feelings

Identity & Power (3-6yrs)

• To acquire info about the world, self, body and gender role

• To learn extent of personal power

Skills & Structure (6-12yrs)

• To practice thinking and doing• To develop the capacity to cooperate

Integration(Adolescence)

• To emerge as a separate independent person with own identity and values

• To be competent and responsible for own needs, feelings and behaviours


Equality and diversity

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Equality and diversityEquality does not mean

everyone has to be treated the same

All practitioners have a part to play in supporting people to live in the way they value and choose, to be themselves and

to be different if they wish

Diversity is about the differences in values, attitudes, cultural perspective, beliefs, skills, knowledge and life experience of

each individual in any group of people.

Equality is the chance to take part on an equal

basis

Relevant legislation• The Disability Discrimination Act 2005 • The Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001 • The Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000• Convention on the Rights of the Child (UN, 1989)• The Human Rights Act 1998• The Sex Discrimination Act 1975 (as amended)• The Equality Act (2006)• Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2003

We have made progress but....•Women still earn, on average, 22.6% less per hour than men •Less academically able, but better off children, overtake more able, poorer children at school by the age of six •Disabled people are still more than twice as likely to be out of work than non-disabled people •If you are from an ethnic minority, you are 13% less likely to find work than a white person •One in five older people are unsuccessful in getting quotes for motor insurance, travel insurance and car hire •6 out of 10 lesbian and gay young people experience homophobic bullying at school and many contemplate suicide

Single Equalities Bill:RaceGenderDisabilitySexual orientationAgeReligion and belief

What you need to know......Duty to promote equalityDirect and indirect discrimination are illegalIncludes ‘by association or perception’

Models of disability 1: the medical modelThe person is in a tragic situation Disability is part of the individual - belonging to her/himThe disabled person's decision-making functions are

inevitably impairedSuccessful rehabilitation is the number of tasks that can be

done without help, rather than the number of tasks which can be organised and directed with help

Disability centred

Models of disability 2: the social modelDisability is not part of the individual - it is a result of society's

structures and organisationThe disabled person can make her/his decisions, or can be

supported in her/his own decision-making processIndependence is seen as the ability to organise and direct

support to accomplish tasks Society can change to be more accommodating

Person centred

Person-centred practicePerson-centred practice: Is holistic Focuses on their priorities,

desires, needs, wishes, rights, choices and decisions

Focuses on strengths and capabilities and using these to meet needs

Is empowering and competency-enhancing

Gives choice and the right to make decisions

Involves a partnership approach to working, including: active participation power sharing agreeing aims mutual trust respect

Requires clear, open, honest, communication,

Is respectful and sensitive to family, cultural, ethnic and socio-economic diversity

Disability....In your groups, discuss the statements you have been given

and decide whether you agree or disagree with them.

Place them on the paper in the appropriate place, 0 being disagree, 5 being agree.

Prejudice and discriminationPrejudice - unfavourable opinion or feeling

formed beforehand without knowledge, thought or reason. It involves feelings or attitudes

(positive or negative) towards individuals or groups based on prior assumptions.

……leads to

Discrimination - - treating a person less favourably than others in the same or similar

circumstances.

Anti-discriminatory practice• FundamentalFundamental - examination of one’s own values, beliefs,

attitudes and expectations, updating, challenging and changing them when necessary

• ProactiveProactive efforts to give all children and young people equality of opportunity at all times.

• KnowledgeKnowledge of:-– equal opportunities legislation, responsibilities under that

legislation and putting them into practice– organisation’s equal opportunities policy and codes of

practice and practitioner responsibilities• UseUse of language and resources in the work setting which

promote equal opportunities• RespectRespect for allall people

InclusionFocus upon ensuring that everyone has opportunity to be

engaged and involved in mainstream community life – whether it be education, employment or community involvement

Putting values concerned with equity, participation, respect for diversity, community, rights, compassion, and sustainability into action.

Valuing all equally and enabling participation


Understanding behaviour

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The behaviour iceberg

Observable aspects of behaviour

Hidden or motivating aspects of behaviour

Building resilienceGrotberg (1995)I haveTrusting relationshipsStructure and rules at homeRole modelsEncouragement to be autonomous Access to health, education, welfare, and security services.

I canCommunicateProblem solveManage my feelings and impulsesGauge the temperament of myself and othersSeek trusting relationships

I amLovable and my temperament is appealingLoving, empathic, and altruisticProud of myselfAutonomous and responsible

Building resilienceHenderson and Milstein (2003)

Working to change challenging behaviour

There are no simple solutions - Effectiveness depends on:

An effective, open and honest working relationship

Selecting the most appropriate approach

The time available for the work

The confidence, ability and training of the practitioner

Strategies

• Storyboarding• Miracle question• Exploring consequences• Cost/benefit analysis• Self monitoring• Modelling• Celebrating success

Putting it into practice...In your groups, discuss the scenario you have been given. Thinking about what you have learned today, answer the following questions:

•What would you do immediately?•What would you do in the longer term?•Who else might need to be involved?

Write your thoughts onto flipchart and be ready to feedback to the group