Working To Safeguard Children

Safeguarding is defined as protecting children from maltreatment, preventing impairment of children 's health or development, ensuring that children are growing up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care, and taking action to enable all children to have the best life chances. There is different safeguarding legislation in England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland, so we will look at them all individually.

When looking at safeguarding children in England, the first piece of legislation is the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), 1989, which was ratified by the UK in 1991. It has not become part of English law, but the British governments have said they are bound by this convention. This piece

It is a document that all practitioners working to safeguard children should understand fully, and it provides statutory guidance and non-statutory practice guidance on how organisations and practitioners should work together to achieve this, in accordance with the Children Acts of 1989 and 2004. Working to Safeguard Children applies to anyone who works in education, health and social services, and is relevant to all those working with children and their families in the statutory, independent and voluntary sectors. The document summarises the nature and impact of child abuse and neglect and explains how to ensure best practice in child protection procedure. It also identifies the roles and responsibilities of different agencies and practitioners, and the role of Local Safeguarding Children Boards (LSCB’s.) It outlines the process that should be followed when there are concerns about a child, and the action to be taken to safeguard and promote the welfare of the child experiencing, or at risk of, significant harm. The document also states the important principles that should be followed when working with children and families, and what training is required to ensure best practice in child

The policy should include its aims, purpose and principles, and identify who the school Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) and Designated Safeguarding Governor are. The DSL is the first point of contact for any member of the school staff who has a concern about the safety and wellbeing of a pupil. The DSL does not need to be a member of the teaching staff but should be a recognised member of the Senior Management Team with the required status and authority to carry out the requirements of the role. Depending on the size and requirements of the school, a Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead should be available. The deputy is the first point of contact in the absence of the DSL to avoid any unnecessary delays in responding to a child/young person’s needs. The DSL and Deputy are required to undertake child protection training every two years and should supplement this training by attending workshops which are provided by LSCB’s. If required, in the absence of a DSL, there may be a need for the DSL or Deputy to support another school when dealing with child protection