Describe The Roles And Responsibilities Of Different Agencies Involved In Safeguarding

Risk assessments should be carried out regularly to make sure that there are no safe guard threats towards the children in the setting. Childcare settings need risk assessing for example is there entrances and exits to the building that an unauthorised person could use? Could a child leave the setting without anyone noticing? Could a child get seriously hurt due to a broken piece of equipment?

In order to not only promote the welfare of children within a setting but also to protect them from harm and abuse there are a number of pieces of legislation and statutory guidance that must be adhered to. Both laws and statutory guidance are mandatory and so legally enforceable and must act as a foundation of which policies and procedures within any setting can be based upon.

Children Act 2006 – Is an Act that defines the new duties imposed on the Local Authorities in respect to improving the Every Child Matters outcomes for pre-school children. The Act also defines new rules in relation to childcare for working parents as well as parental information services. It is aimed at improving the well-being of young children. It emphasises the importance of safeguarding children and young people within an educational setting. If a child discloses neglect or abuse; an establishment should have instructions to help the child. This could be referral to an outside organisation or internally.

The UK Government has defined the term ‘safeguarding children’ as: ‘The process of protecting children from abuse or neglect, preventing impairment of their health and development, and ensuring they are growing up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care that enables children to have optimum life chances and enter adulthood successfully.’

In a case of suspected abuse your priority should be making sure that if you have any suspicions you should report them and follow them through, you should do this because even if you are unsure whether they are ex piercing a use, you should not just let it slide as you may be covering up abuse if you do. if you look on the accidental and non accidental bruising chart and you think you see bruises where it states on the non accidental chart but the parents have not mentioned it, you should report it, don't just brush it off because you are embarrassed that you may be wrong, you should do this because even if you are wrong, you have done your job in the well being of the child within you're care. If you are suspicious of a child's behaviour, if they are awkward when it comes to a certain sex, show sexual advances I.e. Pull their underwear down continuously even after being told it's wrong

Section 17 – States that services should be put into place to ‘safeguard and promote the welfare of children within the (local authority) area who are in need’.

It is important to safeguard children and young people because no one deserves to be abused whether it be emotional, physical, sexual abuse and no young person deserves to be neglected and we have a duty to protect them from harm.

The importance of interagency working in the safeguarding and protection of children in the UK

National and local guidelines, policies, and procedures determine the nature of relationship and interaction with children and young people. The policies decide on the rights and privileges of children and young people in the society thus outlining how this group should relate to the entire community. National and local guidelines, policies, and procedures for safeguarding determine practice, planning, and organization of all activities in relation to children and young people. The policies ensure that the procedures for protection of children and young people are clear to all in the daily interactions. The policies enlighten the entire society on how to spot child abuse, violence, and exploitation. The policies also have the essence of creating positive and safe environment for the development of children and young people. Policies also

* Analysing the child’s and families need’s and the level of risk or harm the child may be suffering

It emphasises the important principles to be followed when working with children and young people: settings must provide a safe and secure environment, if any children are identified as suffering from abuse or likely to suffer the appropriate action must be taken.

9. Describe the role and responsibilities of the different organisations that may be involved when a child or young person has been abused or harmed.

It is everybody’s responsibility to safeguard children – This means every single staff member within a setting; irrelevant of what role they may have there. This also includes non-staff members, such as volunteers, student’s third-party companies (visitors, service providers etc). Each setting should therefore adopt their own safeguarding policy, of which has to be kept up to date and followed at all times.

Safeguarding is for everyone and every organisation responsibility to protect children from any harm and promote their welfare (Children Act, 2004). However, the Department of Children, School

Aside from removing children from their families in a confirmed abuse case, there are other ways to ensure that the child will be looked after correctly, as in some cases, it is not always the parents doing the abusing, it could be family members or even a stranger that has groomed them.