Safeguarding children desperate help needed

[saro87]

hi everyone i'm sorry to ask for help again im just really struggling my assigment is due in tomorow and im still sat staring at a blank screen!!!
The assignment is to write a report and I have to identify, evaluate, and discuss a current piece of social policy/legislation that impacts on my professional practice.
Learning outcomes are discuss the law relating to children and identify children who require special attention and develop reccomendations to support their individual needs.
Iv chosen to do safeguarding and Im looking at the safeguarding children and safer recruitment guidance the problem is the evaluation part i just dont know what to do ? I just need a little push in the right direction!!!please help!!!

[akel1111]

For the evauation re Safer Recruitment you might want to think about CRB clearance- in particular the failings in the Ian Huntley case (Jessica Chapman and Holly Wells) and the new proposal that *** offenders have their names removed from the list in certain circumstances (see news reports on the net).

Your outcomes include identify children who require special attention and develop recomendations to support their individual needs. So you need to look at CAF (The common assessment framework) . This helps practitioners to quickly put in place 'joined up' services to help the child or family.

I hope this helps and I would be more than pleased to explain/expand on this posting if you want me to. I have just retired from teaching child protection and CAF so I have a little knowledge about it.

Best of luck
Ann

[saro87]

thank u very much for your help you've given me some good points to discuss, iv got to relate the guidance to the policy in my setting, the problem is the evaluation which from what i understand I have say what is good what is bad and back it up this is where Im stuck I cant find any criticisms of the document im using to back up what im saying!!!

[akel1111]

If you are evaluating safer recruitment then the points about Ian Huntley show that this system is flawed. Huntley used another name for his CRB. Also think about how often a CRB is required- every 3 years? What about the person who obtains an enhanced disclosure on the 1st Jan 2010 and commits a crime on the 1st Feb 2010. How would your setting find this out- at their next CRB in 3 years time?
Does your setting allow people to work with children prior to their CRB being issued?
All in all Enhanced Disclosure may give employers, parents and colleagues a false sense of security. Remember that the very nature of paedophiles is that they act in secrecy. Therefore an unconvicted or uninvestigated paedophile who is very careful in covering their actions may well be able to obtain a CRB.

Hope this helps
Ann

[saro87]

thank you for ur help iv finally got something down on paper have started to form quite a good argument. Have had a look at the common assessment framework not really sure where to start with that it all looks very complicated!!! Is it the procedure used when u suspect a child is being abused?? i dont really understand the question 'identify children who require special attention' why do they require this dont all children need special attention when it comes to safe guarding??

[akel1111]

CAF is not related to child protection. Say for example, you have a child who you feel has a serious delay in speech. You would talk with the parent and with their agreement (very important that they agree and are a part of the assessment) you would instigate a CAF. This means filling out a form outlining your and the parent's concerns. From there a meeting is held which includes all professionals. At the meeting the child is discussed and the professionals work together to best help the child.
This may involve speech therapists, educational psychologists, you, the staff from your staffing, the Health Visitor etc.

In this way all of the professionals are working together, information is shared and the best services are provided for the child, in line with the 5 positive outcomes under Every Child Matters.

When I thought that my son was deaf (many years ago) I had to:
1 Go to my Health Visitor
2 Health Visitor advised me to see my GP
3 GP referred us to hospital
4 Hospital fitted hearing aids
5 Ear Nose and Throat dept sent us to speech therapy
6 Speech therapist advised us to contact Educational Psychologist (to find out what sort of school he should go to)
7 Ed Psy told me to seek a nursery place for my son
8 Nursery advised me to join the National Deaf Children's Society

For each step I had to explain my son's condition and who had done what and why!
Very difficult indded!
Had CAF existed can you imagine how much easier things would have been for me and my son?
So CAF saves the parent from repeating the condition over and over
All professionals are informed of what is happening at the same time
Best services are provided.

Every child under the age of 18's details are kept on a national register
The details are name, address, GP, DOB, Parent's names BUT no details other than 'CAF being undertaken' is available.
The National Register is only able to be viewed by a some professionals involved in the child's CAF.

I'm sorry that this is so long winded but I really hope it helps
Ann