FOCUS ON…

WHAT IS SAFEGUARDING?

 

WRITTEN by SERVICES FOR EDUCATION

This is a taster of our new product from SFE The Safest Start: A Parent Information Guide which gives you content to provide to your parents around safeguarding issues. If you purchase the product you will received 12 editions that you can add to your own safeguarding parents newsletter. You can purchase the product here.

In this free edition around WHAT IS SAFEGUARDING? we’ll look at:

  • What do we actually mean when we talk about safeguarding? It’s a word we hear a lot- but what does it actually mean for you and your child?
  • What does safeguarding look like? We all want to keep our children safe, but how? Who is responsible?
  • Working in partnership- who else had a duty of care to keep children safe? How, as a parent, can you access that support?
  • A Safeguarding glossary- what do certain words and terms mean when we talk about safeguarding? Why are these important to know as a parent?
  • A range of Resources and Signposts– where to look for help, advice and guidance.

 

WHAT DO WE ACTUALLY MEAN WHEN WE TALK ABOUT SAFEGUARDING?

You will have likely heard the work ‘Safeguarding’ talked about at school or other settings, but not all parents are really clear on what it actually means or looks like for their child. In education settings, the term Safeguarding refers to the process of protecting children from harm. This includes protecting them from abuse, neglect, and exploitation. Safeguarding processes, polices and procedures are put in place to ensure that children are safe and happy, and that they have the opportunity to reach their full potential and thrive.

As a parent, you have a vital role to play in safeguarding your child. You are the first line of defence against harm. By being aware of the risks and taking steps to protect your child, you can help to keep them safe.

Safeguarding is not just about protecting children from physical harm. It’s also about protecting them from emotional harm. This includes protecting them from bullying, cyberbullying, and other forms of emotional abuse. Parents and carers also play an enormous role in teaching children about personal safety, online safety, and dangers they may encounter in their everyday lives and by being proactive, informed, and involved, parents can significantly contribute to their children’s safety and wellbeing.

 

WHAT DOES SAFEGUARDING LOOK LIKE?

Safeguarding is the proactive process of planning, minimising risk and putting into place strategies to keep children safe. As a parent, you will do this every day without even thinking about it- you hold your child’s hand as they cross the road, teach them about trusted adults and make sure that they are safe in all that they do – but it goes beyond that.

Schools and education settings will have policies and procedures that set out the measures in place to keep children safe, but how can you do this as a parent? For parents, safeguarding should be a combination of proactive measures and vigilant awareness, many elements of which we will complete naturally, but it is always useful to take a step back and consider how you are maintaining the key elements of safeguarding your own children:

  • Building strong relationships with your children
  • Teaching essential safety skills
  • Awareness of potential and changing risks that you children may encounter
  • Trusting your own safeguarding instincts
  • Adapting your safeguarding rules as your child grows and matures, in line with above.

 

WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP

In order for Safeguarding to be most effective, in needs to be a collaborative effort involving multiple sectors to protect children from harm. Alongside parents and carers, Education, Children’s Social Care, health services, and the Police all play crucial roles in ensuring children’s safety.

Education: Schools and educational settings have a duty of care to safeguard children. They provide a safe learning environment, monitor children’s wellbeing, and have policies and procedures in place to identify and respond to potential risks.

Children’s Social Care: Social workers are responsible for assessing children’s needs and providing support and protection, where necessary. They investigate concerns of abuse or neglect, work with families to address issues, and may take legal action to safeguard children. It is important to remember that, as Social Care is not about removing children from their homes- but supporting families to stay together and thrive.

Health Services: Healthcare professionals, including doctors, nurses, midwives and health visitors, play an essential role in identifying signs of abuse or neglect as well as providing medical treatment, support, and advice to children and their families.

Police: The police are responsible for investigating crimes, including child abuse and exploitation. They work closely with other agencies to protect children and bring perpetrators to justice. They can be used to safeguard children in emergency situations and work closely with other agencies to share important information.

By working together, these sectors can create a strong network of support to protect children from harm and ensure their well-being.

 

SAFEGUARDING GLOSSARY

Abuse: Any form of ill-treatment of a child. This can be physical, emotional, sexual, or neglect.
Bullying/Child on child abuse: Any behaviour by an individual or group, repeated over time, that intentionally hurts another individual or group either physically or emotionally. Bullying can take many forms (for instance, cyberbullying via text messages or the internet), and is often motivated by prejudice against particular groups.
Child in Need: Defined under Section 17 of the Children Act 1989 as: “Those children whose vulnerability is such that they are unlikely to reach or maintain a satisfactory level of health or development, or their health and development will be significantly impaired, without the provision of services”.
Child Protection: Refers to the activity that is undertaken to protect specific children who are suffering, or are likely to suffer, significant harm. This relates Section 47 of the Children Act 1989.
Cyberbullying: Bullying that takes place over digital devices like smartphones, computers, and tablets. Cyberbullying can occur through text and apps, or online in social media, forums, or gaming where people can view, participate in, or share content. Cyberbullying includes sending, posting, or sharing negative, harmful, false, or cruel content about someone else.
Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL): The key person in a school or education setting who has ultimate responsibility for Safeguarding. There will also be Deputy DSLs who make up the safeguarding team.
Domestic Abuse (DA): Any incident or pattern of incidents of controlling, coercive, threatening behaviour, violence or abuse between those aged 16 or over who are, or have been, intimate partners or family members regardless of gender or sexuality.
Early Help: Also known as early intervention, this is accessed my most of us at some point in our lives. Early Help is support given to a family when a problem first emerges, this may be related to health, educational needs, school uniform support etc. It can be provided at any stage in a child or young person’s life.
Emotional Abuse: The persistent emotional maltreatment of a child, such as humiliation, rejection, or isolation.
Exploitation: Child Criminal Exploitation (CCE): When children and young people are manipulated, coerced, or forced to commit crimes. This can involve drug dealing, theft, or violence.

Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE): When a child or young person is sexually exploited by another person or people. This can include grooming, sexual abuse, and trafficking.
Grooming: The criminal activity of becoming friends with a child, especially over the internet, in order to try to persuade the child to enter into a sexual relationship or carry out illegal activity.
Harmful Sexual Behaviour (HSB): Developmentally inappropriate sexual behaviour which is displayed by children and young people.
Neglect: The failure to provide for a child’s basic needs, such as food, clothing, or medical care.
Physical Abuse: Any form of physical harm to a child, including hitting, shaking, or burning.
Sexual Abuse: Any sexual activity with a child, including sexual assault, sexual exploitation, and sexual grooming.
Vulnerable Child: A child who is more likely to be abused or neglected, such as a child with disabilities or a child who has experienced trauma.

 

SUPER RESOURCES FOR YOU TO USE AND TO SHARE

The Safest Start: a parent information guide

WHERE TO FIND SUPPORT

  • The Waiting Room – A central place which brings together websites, who provide help and support across Birimngham and Solihull: the-waitingroom.org

Like what you see then why not purchase the full product?

The Safest Start: a parent information guide

Page Last Modified:  17/12/2024 11:53