Safeguarding Of Children Essay

An outline of current legislation, guidelines, policies and procedures within own UK Home Nation (England), affecting the safeguarding of children and young people.

Keeping Children Safe in Education, July 2015 • Statutory Guidance from the Department for Education (DfE), replacing March 2015 and 2014 versions. • Covers four main areas;

i. Safeguarding information for all staff (including reporting responsibilities). ii. The management of safeguarding iii. Safer recruitment iv. Allegations of abuse made against teachers and other staff. • Gives expanded/further information on;

i. A Child Missing from Education ii. Child Sexual Exploitation iii. Female Genital Mutilation iv. Preventing Radicalisation. • Should be read in conjunction

• The role of school and college staff is highlighted as being especially important in safeguarding children because of their position to identify concerns early on, provide early intervention and to prevent concerns from escalating.

(Sources; The Key for School Governors, Keeping children Safe in Education Summary, Dec 2015 and DfE Keeping Children Safe in Education Statutory Guidance 2015).

Working Together to Safeguard Children, March 2015: A guide to inter-agency working to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. • Statutory guidance from HM Government that replaces Working Together to Safeguard Children 2013. • Applies to all schools, local authorities and organisations that commission or provide services for children and families. • Two key principles that;

i. safeguarding is everyoneâ€TMs responsibility and ii. a child centred approach to services is needed • Guidance covers;

i. legislative requirements and expectations on individual services to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and ii. A clear framework for local safeguarding boards for monitoring local services effectiveness. iii. Guidance aims to help professionals understand what they need to do and what they can expect of one another in order to safeguard/keep children

Counter Terrorism and Security Act 2015

S.26 creates the duty on certain bodies (including local authorities, childcare providers and schools and colleges) to prevent radicalisation and people being drawn into terrorism (i.e. the “Prevent Duty―)

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989) (UNCRC) • International treaty covering the rights of all children, through 54 articles, including the right of the child to express his/her views in relation to decisions being made that may affect them and their views to be given due weight in accordance with their age/maturity (Article 12). • UK Government, having signed the treaty, is legally obliged to support it via the implementation of legislation. • Recent examples of relevant UK legislation includes the introduction of the Children and Families Act 2014, which significantly changed the statutory framework for children with Special Educational Needs, giving them and their families more rights and