Safeguarding in the Learning and Skills Sector

• Facilitators

• Participants

Introductions

• Some of the content within this presentation and training day is sensitive and may be difficult to discuss

• If you would like to talk about any issues raised, please approach the facilitator, your safeguarding designated person or contact one of the support agencies whose details are contained in the training handbook.

Please note:

Aims and Objectives

Aim:

To identify effective safeguarding practice in the learning and skills sector, and to update on the wider context for the safeguarding of young people and vulnerable adults

Objectives of the workshop:

• To identify the legislative context and key policy drivers which have informed the safer recruitment and wider safeguarding agenda

• To understand the difference between safeguarding and child protection and to explore ways of safeguarding young people and vulnerable adults in further education

• To identify the importance of creating a whole organisation approach towards safeguarding

Aims and Objectives

Important to have a whole organisation approach

A Background to Safeguarding

• Lord Laming inquiry into the death of Victoria Climbie (2003)

• Soham murder case and subsequent Bichard inquiry (2004)

• Lord Lamming review into the death of Baby ‘P’ (2009)

• Every Child Matters –outcome 5 ‘staying safe’ (2004)

• Inspection – limiting grade (2009)

Bichard Inquiry Report, 2004 p12 para 79

‘For those agencies whose job it is to protect children and vulnerable people, the harsh reality is that if a sufficiently devious person is determined to seek out opportunities to work their evil, no one can guarantee that they can be stopped.

Our task is to make it as difficult as possible for them to succeed….’

Definitions

• Child or young person: up to their 18th birthday (UN convention of the Rights of the Child)

• Vulnerable adult: a person who has attained the age of 18, and:

• Is receiving any form of health care• Is receiving a service or participating in an activity which is

specifically targeted at people with age-related needs, disabilities or prescribed physical or mental health conditions or expectant or nursing mothers living in residential care

• Age-related needs includes needs associated with frailty, illness, disability or mental capacity

For more details see Section 59 of Safeguarding VulnerableGroups Act 2006.

The ContextAn Overview:

• Definition of safeguarding

• What we are safeguarding learners from?

• Who are the potential abusers?

• Why is safeguarding important?

• Safeguarding and external inspection

What is child protection?

What is safeguarding?

What’s the difference?

Child protection looks at recognising abuse and neglect and acting on it….

…whereas safeguarding looks at keeping children, young people and vulnerable adults safe from a much wider range of potential harm, and delivers preventative action, not just reaction.

Safeguarding Definition

• “The term ‘safeguarding’ describes the broader preventative and precautionary approach to planning and procedures that are necessary to be in place to protect children and young people from any potential harm or damage.”

Keeping it Safe, National Council for Voluntary Youth Services, 2002

• Child protection and safer recruitment are important aspects of safeguarding

• This is also true for vulnerable adults

Activity

So what are we safeguarding learners from?

Safeguarding Learners From

• Sexual abuse or inappropriate relationships

• Grooming

• Physical and emotional abuse or neglect

• Domestic violence

• Inappropriate parenting

• Inappropriate supervision by staff/volunteers i.e. ‘bad practice’

• Bullying, cyber-bullying

• Self-harm, risky behaviour

• Unsafe activities and environments

• Accidents e.g. road, home

• Crime

• Fear of crime

• Exploitation including financial abuse, sexual exploitation, forced marriage

• Immigration issues

• Potentially unsafe environments e.g. parks, sports grounds

• Homelessness and unsuitable housing

• Victimisation due to race, sexuality, faith, gender, disability and so on

And…

Who are the potential abusers?

Potential Abusers

•Family members

•Friends and acquaintances

•Strangers, e.g. predatory paedophiles

•Staff working in the sector including peripatetic staff e.g. assessors and agency staff

•Externally contracted staff e.g. security staff, transport staff

•Volunteers

•Governors/trustees/board members

•Other learners

•Themselves

•Anyone (potentially!)

Continued…

Activity

What challenges and concerns might you face

when taking this back to your workplace/team?

• What do you see as the main challenges and concerns?

• Are some colleagues likely to be resistant?

If so, how and why?

‘This could never happen here, so why is this important?’

So why is this important?

Legal/policy issues Doing what is best

• Legislation

• Inspection

• Protecting the organisation and its workforce

• Policies and procedures

• Contractual responsibilities

• Commitment to providing the best and safest learning environment possible to ensure learners can succeed and staff can feel secure

Safeguarding Legislation

Core legislation: Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act, Independent Safeguarding Authority and Children Acts

Other legislation: Employment law (to cover Work-Based Learning), Equality & Diversity law, health and safety, and regulations that take into account the learner voice

Broader policy context: Every Child Matters and safer practice

Core Legislation

Every Child Matters - the five outcomes:

• Being healthy• Enjoying and achieving• Making a positive contribution• Achieving economic well-being• Staying safewww.everychildmatters.org.uk

Providers now apply and are inspected on how they apply the five outcomes to every learner

Every Child Matters

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External inspection will look at:

• Whether there is an awareness of safeguarding across the organisation including staff and learners

• Whether there is staff training on safeguarding to ensure all understand the requirements and duties to safeguard all learners including vulnerable adults

• Whether providers have looked at their policies to include safeguarding

• Whether providers have safeguarding systems in place and are critically looking at existing practices

• Whether the organisation is proactive and taking the right steps

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External inspection continued…..

• Whether learners feel safe

• Whether the provider knows about the requirements on vetting and barring

• Whether providers have made decisions around ISA/ CRB checks and who should be included in these

• Whether the organisation has links with the local safeguarding board LSB (for details of LSB’s www.everychildmatters.gov.uk/lscb)

Safeguarding Judgements in the Common Inspection Framework

How safe do learners feel?

•What is observed (safe practices)

•What learners tell inspectors (feel safe)

How effectively does the provider promote the safeguarding of learners?

•Learners are safeguarded and protected

•Staff take action to identify and respond appropriately to users’ welfare concerns

•Safeguarding is prioritised

•Providers work together with agencies and professionals effectively to safeguard learners

External inspection continued…

Compliance or commitment?

• The grade for safeguarding is a ‘limiting’ grade, which impacts on grades for Leadership and Management and Overall Effectiveness.

• Compliance is the minimum necessary requirement for a judgement of ‘adequate’ in safeguarding (Reference to Journey to Excellence)

• Staff Training – The LSIS Safeguarding Training Modules are recognised by OfSTED. It will be important for providers to select the modules best suited to staff roles and responsibilities.

Activity – How do we safeguard learners

Jigsaw Activity

Aim:

•To reflect on what value there is to individual pieces

of information

•To consider how information that sometimes isn’t of

concern may help to provide a better picture of the

child/vulnerable adult’s whole experience

Jigsaw Activity

Four groups each with one complete jigsaw

to assemble

Ask yourselves:-

•What type of picture does this present of the child’s life?

•Does this information suggest that there are any concerns?

Victoria Climbie-was known to:

•4 social services departments

•2 police child protection teams

•2 hospitals

•2 housing offices

•1 homeless persons unit

•1 child and family centre

•1 practice nurse

•2 health visitors

•1 teacher

•2 Baptist ministers

A Safer EnvironmentAn overview:

•How do we safeguard learners and staff?

•An organisations policies and training

•Developing a culture of vigilance – getting the right balance

•Roles and responsibilities

•Types of abuse – recognising and responding

How Do We Safeguard Learners and Staff?

• Safer recruitment of staff including volunteers

• Effective management and supervision

• Clear and effective policies and procedures

• Promoting safe working practices

• Raising awareness of learners, staff and governors/trustees/board members, and involving them in reviewing and developing approaches

Activity : Polices and Procedures a)

Working in groups, list all the policies and

procedures in your organisation which relate

to safeguarding of learners and staff.

You should have policies and procedures that cover:

• Safeguarding

• Safer Recruitment

• Child Protection/Vulnerable Adult Protection

• Equality and Diversity

• Health and Safety

• Learning and Teaching

• Anti-bullying

• Whistle-blowing

• Acceptable use of technology

Continued...

• Professional Boundaries

• Volunteering

• Lone Working

• Learner Behaviour Policy

• Learner Complaints

• Learner Recruitment

• Risk Assessment

Activity: Polices and Procedures b)

•In your groups identify any situations where staff could be

placing themselves in a position of vulnerability in relation to

safeguarding e.g. using personal mobile phones for

communicating with learners

•Now look back at your list of policies and procedures and

identify which of these are designed to provide support and

guidance for staff in these situations

Safeguarding and Risk Assessment

The following areas may be covered by your Risk

Assessment process:•T

rips•W

ork placements•C

ertain workshop/practical activity•L

one Working•O

ther Learners (where applicable)•H

ome visits•M

ixed age groups within one learning cohort•M

ultiple sites•T

ravel between sites …………

The best way to protect learners and staff is to empower

them to protect themselves

We should:

• Ensure that they have an understanding of what is appropriate and what is not

• Help them to challenge what is inappropriate

• Give them avenues to address and report their concerns

• Involve them in the development and review of approaches to safeguarding

Involving and Informing Learners and Staff

Training and Awareness Raising:

•Induction for all staff (part-time, full-time and contractors), governors/trustees/board members and volunteers to include an element of safeguarding awareness

•Basic awareness training for all, refreshed regularly

•Discussion at team meetings

•Specialist training for the designated safeguarding person/s

•Information disseminated using wide range of methods e.g. intranet, briefings, newsletters etc.…..

Developing a Culture of Vigilance

Whose responsibility?

•Senior management

•A specialist Designated Person for safeguarding

•All staff and volunteers

•Governors/board members/trustees

•Partnerships

How ?

•Through robust application of safeguarding policy and procedures

•Through safer recruitment

•Through Designated Person, line management, appraisal, etc.

Organisations need to get the right balance

Activity

Complacency Vigilance Suspicion/Paranoia

The 5 Rs

Everyone’s Responsibilities

Recognise

Respond

Report Record

Refer

• Physical

• Emotional

• Sexual

• Neglect

From Working Together to Safeguard Children, HM Government, 2006

Also:

• Bullying, financial abuse and domestic violence

Types of Abuse-first R-Recognise

Activity

The first R - Recognise:

•To get participants to think about what we mean by abuse and neglect

•5 minutes in groups and 5 minutes to feed back

•Four groups:

•Physical abuse

•Emotional abuse Signs/suspicions in young

•Sexual abuse people/vulnerable adults

•neglect

The 5 Rs

Everyone’s Responsibilities

Recognise

Respond

Report Record

Refer

The Second ‘R’ Respond

No report or concern should ever be ignored

The following 5 actions are required if receiving a

safeguarding disclosure or concern:

•Listen

•Ask open questions not leading questions

•Do not make promises

•Do be clear about what happens next

•Don’t panic

The Third ‘R’ Report

•Go to handout in your packs

•Safeguarding guidelines and contacts for staff

•Any questions/comments?

The Fourth ‘R’ Record

•You should record precisely what has been alleged

•This information should be recorded and stored

securely, in line with confidentiality policy and

accessible to only those who need access as part of

any action that needs to take place

The Fifth ‘R’ Refer

•Only the designated person of their deputy can make the decision to refer a complaint or allegation

• To promote positive safeguarding procedures and practice

• Receive information and offer advice about safeguarding concerns, maintain secure records and take appropriate action

• To be familiar with national and local safeguarding guidance and referral procedures

• To assess the development needs of staff and co-ordinate training

• To keep all staff and volunteers informed of good practice and development

• To monitor safeguarding cases in the organisation

Roles and Responsibilities:

the role of the Designated Person

Designated Person Flowchart

Safeguarding policy and activity to promote it

All staff, volunteers, contractors and learners

Designated person and/or deputy:

Gathers informationTakes advice

Makes judgement

Any concerns about learners or staff re safeguarding

Local AuthorityDesignated Officer

Local Safeguarding

Board

Children’s Services

Adult Services

Police

Independent Safeguarding

Authority

Dealt withinternally.

Record and monitor

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Activity Case Study 1

A learner approaches you and tries to explain that they are worried about a friend who they believe is being abused . They say that they have approached you because they trust you.

What action do you take?

Case Study 2

You have been off work recently and during this time have, on a number of occasions seen a part time member of the teaching staff socialising with one of your learners. You happen to know that this learner is currently having a difficult time at home you are also worried as this learner is 17 years old.

What action do you take?

Activity

Case Study 3: John is a 25 year-

old man who experienced an acquiredbrain injury in a

road traffic accident. He has a left sidedweakness and is

unable to walk and has severs cognitive difficulties. He can have

problems understanding what people say andfinds it hard to say

or write down his thoughts. John attendsCollege as part of

his rehabilitation programmeThere have been

rumours that other learners are gettingJohn to pay for

their meals at lunch time.

What action do you take?

Activity

Case Study 4:

A learner has received threatening

Messages on social networking sites and

through their personal E mail from other

students at their college, the learner is feeling

And fears for their safety. The messages are

sent from college computers, in college time

What action do you take?

In Summary

•We owe it to all learners and staff to keep them as safe as we can

•It is not just good practice, but a requirement, to have effective policies and procedures in place

Development and Support

Information and Support for Learners and Staff

• It is important to note that all incidents must be reported and that some learners may need specific support linked to different issues

• It is important that organisations offer staff access to both practical and personal support around safeguarding issues

• Your handbook (reference Appendix 1) contains suggestions of organisations that can support vulnerable learners and young people and adults generally

• You may know of local support agencies as well

E-learning Resource

Assessment

• Available via the LSIS virtual learning environment (VLE) as part of the on line learning resource at www.leadershiplearning.org.uk

• Multiple choice

• 2 assessments:

• one covering modules 1 and 2

• one covering all the modules

• Range of questions

• Testing understanding and knowledge

• Certificate if successful score achieved

• No feedback as assessment not quiz

Any Questions