Safeguarding Children

1. Child protection

2. Introduction
Child protection is the process of protecting individual children
identified as either suffering, or likely to suffer, significant harm
as a result of abuse or neglect. It involves measures and structures
designed to prevent and respond to abuse and neglect.

3. Aims & objectives
The aim is to raise awareness regarding the safeguarding
of children and to remind you of your responsibilities
whenever you have a concern about a child.
will be aware of:
 what is meant by the term safeguarding children;
 the various types of intervention and their thresholds;
 some signs and symptoms of possible abuse;
 what you should do if you have a concern for a child’s
welfare or safety.

4. children act1989
 There is no single piece of
legislation that covers child
protection in the UK
 Children Act 1989 was
introduced to reform and clarify
the existing plethora of laws
affecting children
 Paramountcy Principle: a child’s
welfare is paramount when
making any decisions about a
child’s upbringing (Child First)
although every effort should be
made to preserve the child’s
home and family links

5. children act1989
 Parental responsibility which is
defined as “the rights, duties,
powers and responsibilities which
by law a parent of a child has in
relation to the child and his
property”
 It sets out in detail what local
authorities and the courts should
do to protect the welfare of
children
 Local authorities are charged with
a duty to provide “services for
children in need , their families
and others” Section 17

6. Children act 1989
 Charges local authorities with the “duty to investigate…if
they have reasonable cause to suspect that a child who
lives , or is found, in their area is suffering, or is likely to
suffer significant harm Section 47
 The Children Act 1989 defines harm as ill treatment
(including sexual abuse and non-physical forms of ill
treatment) or the impairment of health ( physical or
mental) or development (physical, intellectual,
emotional, social or behavioural)
 Significant is not defined in the Act

7. Childin need
 He/she is unlikely to achieve or maintain or have the
opportunity of achieving or maintaining a reasonable
standard of health or development without the provision
for him or her of services by the local authority OR
 His/her health is likely to be significantly impaired or
further impaired without the provision for him of such
services OR
 disabled

8. children act 2004
 In response to Lord Laming’s
inquiry in 2003 to Victoria
Climbié’s death (2000) and the
Green paper “Every Child
Matters”
 Does not replace or amend
much of the Children Act 1989
 Sets out the process for
integrating services for
children- creating Children’s
Trusts and Local Safeguarding
Children’s Boards (LSCB)
 Duty on all agencies to make
arrangements to safeguard and
promote the welfare of children