NCFE STL2 unit 3 (K/601/3323)
Task 7 outcome 3.3 When there are any suspicions or concerns about a child being abused, it is well recognised that it’s difficult for people who have concerns and may be worried in case your wrong and don’t know what to do for the best The Children Act 2004 is the legislation designed to protect a child or young person under the age of 18 from abuse or neglect, if social services are informed and made aware that a child or young person might be at risk, it is their duty to act and investigate to find out if the child needs protection. A concern should be raised if any of the following circumstances have or are happening to a child, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual abuse, or Neglect. These types of abuse can sometimes overlap, so in some cases a child may be suffering from more than one type if abuse. Before making any final decision consider the following. * How vulnerable is the child * Whether the child’s parents are aware of any concerns and able to look after the child, or take action if necessary to help keep the child safe. * Whether the parents are or will use support services for help. * Any family history of concerns with this child or other children in the family. Good record keeping or documentation is very important, clear accurate records ensure that any official body investigating any allegations have a good account of events and findings. Try to collate your findings in chronological order; records are a good source of evidence for enquiries. Firstly inform your immediate safe guarding officer that you have reason to believe that a child is being abused, if there is no satisfaction then inform the head of school. The next step is to inform social services, NSPCC or in extreme cases direct to the police. There are other situations where we are in a position of trust, such as bullying, or a child may be at risk from self-harming, or another