Early Years Safeguarding Briefing

Summer Term 2015Ceri McAteer – Early Years Safeguarding

AdviserContact – 01793 465740 07774178011

cmcateer@swindon.gov.uk

Agenda• 9.30 – Housekeeping Arrangements• 9.35 – Ceri McAteer-Learning from Serious

Case Reviews• 10.15 – Sarah Turner Supervision• 10.45 – Comfort break• 11.00-Rachel Hull- Child Protection Conference

report writing• 11.30 – Ceri McAteer-Updates• 12.00- Finish

Serious Case Review child K -Southampton

• To give delegates an opportunity to explore key issues and lessons learned following the review of Child K’s death.

Synopsis• Child K was physically, emotionally and sexually abused,

and he was neglected, physically and emotionally.• From infancy he repeatedly witnessed the domestic

abuse of his mother. It is a mark of his resilience that he continued to present much of the time as lively and cheerful.

• In December 2011, K was taken to hospital. MRI scan revealed devastating head injuries. He died the following day.

Group discussion

Task:

•Identify the key issues

•What recommendations would you have made?

Key messages & lessons learned• The importance of following Child Protection procedures

ie when a child is recognised to be at risk of significant harm this is reported appropriately and investigations and assessments are completed without delay.

• Each agency taking responsibility for making a referral• The importance of challenge and escalation.• Voice of the child-the importance of seeing and speaking

to the child• Agencies side tracked by the issue of domestic abuse,

they failed to keep the child at the centre of their concerns.

• Practitioners failed to make a connection between being intimidated themselves and that a child would feel similarly threatened.

• Professionals may have been intimidated by X, a violent man.

• Recognising and responding to children who need to be protected as a result of domestic abuse

• Assuming all possibilities (M was both perpetrator and victim of abuse)

• Agencies never formally identified the likelihood of physical abuse and appear to have been led by false confidence

• The importance of listening to close relatives (MGM)• Differential treatment of K – scapegoating• Effective supervision of staff.

School’s Safeguarding AdviserSarah Turner

Supervision

Supervision

• ‘Effective supervision can play a critical role in ensuring a clear focus on a child’s welfare. Supervision should support professionals to reflect critically on the impact of decisions on the child and the family. Any professionals working with vulnerable children should always have access to a manager to talk through their concerns and judgements affecting the welfare of the child.’

• Working Together 2015

Main functions of supervision

• Management• Learning and development• Support

Supervision is best described as ‘an accountable process which supports, assures and develops the knowledge, skills and values of an individual, group or team.’ (Skills for care 2007)

Disqualification

• What is disqualification and disqualification by association?

• What action do providers need to take?

• How do actions need to be recorded?

Disqualification, including ‘by Association’Regulations relating to disqualification come under section 75 of the Childcare Act 2006

The principle of 'disqualification by association' dates back to the Childcare (Disqualification) Regulations 2009 - so not new!

Disqualification by association is where the person is living in the same household where another individual who is disqualified lives or is employed.

Disqualification occurs when….. • An individual is included on the Disclosure and

Barring Service (DBS) Children’s Barred List; • An individual is found to have committed certain

violent and sexual criminal offences against children and adults;

• There are certain orders in relation to the care of children;

• There is refusal or cancellation of registration relating to childcare, or children’s homes, or being prohibited from private fostering;

• An individual is found to have committed an offence overseas which would constitute an offence regarding disqualification under the 2009 Regulations if it had been done in any part of the United Kingdom.

Roles that it applies to?Managers: who are directly concerned in the management of early years.Staff: who are employed and/or provide childcare in the early years. Volunteers and casual workers:•if they are directly concerned with the management of childcare provision, or •who volunteer or work on a regular basis, (whether supervised or not in relevant childcare)Agency staff and third party organisations:Providers must obtain confirmation that that the agency or organisation providing the staff has complied with the requirements of disqualification by association.

Those not coveredStaff who are not employed to directly provide childcare or manage children:

•Caretakers

•Cleaners

•Drivers

•Transport escorts

•Catering and office staff

Health care provision staff

•school nurses

•speech and language therapists, educational psychologists etc.

Actions for providers to take• Check suitability: declaration forms 2 declaration forms

– Current staff/volunteers– New applicants (pre-employment checks)

“…not knowingly employing a person who is disqualified…”

• Single Central Record (SCR) Record the check has been done

- the name of the person who verified the signed declaration

- date of the check

Identity Qualifications Barred List

Check

DBS Childcare Disqualificatio

nRequirements

Right to work in

UK

Overseas Checks

Name Address DOB

Evidence & Date

Required?

Y/N

Evidence & Date

Check Evidence

d

Check Evidenced & Date

Check Evidenced &

Date

Check Evidenced & Date

Check Evidenced & Date

Identity Qualifications Barred List

Check

DBS Childcare Disqualificatio

nRequirements

Right to work in

UK

Overseas Checks

Name Address DOB

Evidence & Date

Required?

Y/N

Evidence & Date

Check Evidence

d

Check Evidenced & Date

Check Evidenced &

Date

Check Evidenced & Date

Check Evidenced & Date

OfstedIf a declaration is made;•inform Ofsted as soon as reasonably practicable but at the latest within 14 days of the date the provider becoming aware of the information.•Applying for a waiver

The person (not the setting) will need to apply to Ofsted for a waiver in accordance with the process detailed in:

“Applying to waive disqualification: early years and childcare providers”.

Options whilst a waiver is being considered

• The provider will need to decide:– to redeploy the member of staff elsewhere in

the setting– make adjustments to their role to avoid them

working in the relevant childcare– paid leave– as a last resort suspension

• Risk assessment is not acceptable

1. Check suitability(declaration forms)

No information

disclosed

A declaration is made

Inform Ofsted

Redeploy / adjustment to their role / paid leave /

suspension

2. Record information on SCR

Individual applies for a waiver

Waiver granted

Waiver refused

DismissalIndividual resumes

employmentSetting’s actions

Record Keeping

Aims;

•To highlight changes to record keeping guidance

•What will this look like in practice?

Keeping Children Safe in Education (Revised March 2015)

• “Where children leave the school or college ensure their child protection file is transferred to the new school or college as soon as possible” Previously it stated ‘is copied for the new school’. Action: no need to photocopy CP records when a child transfers.

• An additional sentence has now been added ‘ensure secure transit and confirmation of receipt should be obtained.’ Action: Ensure you get a written receipt when information is transferred to a new setting.

Archived Records

• Further guidance to follow• Retain for now in accordance to policy.

Useful Advice

• If you are unable to get hold of a social worker always ask to speak to the team manager

• Assessment Team duty number 466817Group Manager Balbir KaurDuty Managers Wendy de Bruin/Claire HolmesFollow-up email with phonecall if no response.