Safeguarding Update for SchoolsAutumn Term 2013

Cathryn Adams

Lead Commissioner for Children in Care and Safeguarding

Standards & Excellence Service

Daniel Pelka Serious Case Review-Background• Daniel was a 4 year 9 month old Polish boy, born in the UK to

Polish parents, living in Coventry. He died in July 2012 from a subdural hemorrhage (serious head injury).

• His mother and stepfather both received 30 year prison sentences for his murder.

• His sister (8 years) and brother (1 year) are in care.• The head injury caused Daniel’s death, but he was also severely

malnourished and had a large number of bruises on his body.• There had been a number of referrals and assessments by

social care, the case was repeatedly closed.

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Daniel Pelka Serious Case Review-Learning for Schools• Ensure previous school or nursery records are read to be aware

of any previous concerns or external services intervention.

• Record any injuries including the date and explanation from the child or parent. Seek medical advice if unsure of injury and explanation.

• Consider the whole picture- possible links between injuries and behaviour.

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Daniel Pelka Serious Case Review-Learning for Schools• Good formal and recorded communication in school with clear

accountable oversight.

• Review the school safeguarding policy for clarity including internal arrangements for communication and reporting.

• Sharing information on domestic abuse between agencies

• Consider language differences when communicating with the child and between the school and family.

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Daniel Pelka Serious Case Review-Learning for Schools• Do not use siblings or family members or friends as interpreters

• Think the unthinkable• Maintain courteous scepticism

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Domestic Abuse Notifications

• Essex Serious Case Review – Olivia

• Essex sharing domestic abuse notifications High or medium risk case Open to Childrens Social Care

• Named contact in school

• If you have concerns for the welfare of a child, do not assume all is well if you have not received a notification

Child Sexual Exploitation

• CSE can involve any child, not just ‘in care’ not just white and not just female or teenagers.

• Essex along with Southend and Thurrock is developing CSE Champions approach – each school will have a lead person (Designated Teacher for Child Protection)

• CSE Champions Training for Designated Teacher

• House of Commons, Select Committee report ‘Child Sexual Exploitation and the Response to Localised Grooming’.

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Concern for the Welfare of a child

• Family Solutions Early Help and Advice Hub early.help@essex.gov.uk 0845 603 7627

• Effective Support for Children and Families in Essex www.escb.co.uk

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Schools Safeguarding Survey

• Strategic and organisational arrangements

• Work with individual children and families

• Staff training and workforce development

• Safer recruitment

• Effective inter-agency working

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Schools Safeguarding SurveyKey areas of concern• Materials to promote safeguarding and awareness of mental health

issues for staff, pupils and parents• Clearer definition on who should be trained in ‘safer recruitment’

and school responsibilities for safeguarding• Schools should be encouraged to seek the views of children and

families when making plans• Provision of materials to help signpost where pupils and families

can go for help around maltreatment, abuse and bullying.• More guidance on information sharing about a child(ren)• Ensure staff and volunteers are trained in recognising signs of

abuse and neglect.• More is done to encourage schools to review and promote

safeguarding procedures and duties to staff

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Schools Safeguarding-actions to take forward• Follow up on the concerns raised in the schools survey• Make contact with the 21% of schools that did not complete the

survey• Provide an annual report to the Essex Safeguarding Children

Board on safeguarding in schools

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Training and Conferences• Strength Based approach to child protection conferences

• Anti- Bullying (PACS)

• Child Suicide –Working together to reduce the risk (For secondary schools only)

• CSE Champions Training www.escb.co.uk/Training/ChildSexualExploitation.aspx

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Safeguarding Support for Schools

• Cathryn Adams- Lead role for Safeguarding in Standards and Excellence Service

• New Schools Safeguarding Adviser post

• Advice and guidance on child protection and safeguarding for schools

• Support for schools to promote safeguarding

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Documents of Interest

• NSPCC Report of Disclosures of Childhood Abuse

http://www.nspcc.org.uk/Inform/research/findings/no-one-noticed-no-one-heard_wda98738.html

• House of Commons, Select Committee report ‘Child Sexual Exploitation and the response to localised grooming.

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmselect/cmhaff/68/68i.pdf

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Documents of Interest

• Feeling Safe, Keeping Safe and Good Practice in Safeguarding and Child Protection in Secondary Schools. http://www.childrenscommissioner.gov.uk/content/press_release/content_515

• Safeguarding Children and Safer Recruitment in Education DfE 2007

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