20.1 Safeguarding Children Policy Statement

Open Homes Nottingham is fully committed to safeguarding the welfare of all the children and young people we work with, or come into contact with, by taking all reasonable steps to protect them from neglect, physical, sexual or emotional harm.  A child is anyone under the age of 18.

At Open Homes Nottingham we recognise that:

• We have a duty of care, and an obligation to, any child with whom our staff or volunteers may come into contact.
• The welfare of the children we come into contact with is paramount.
• All children, without exception, have the right to protection from abuse, regardless of gender, ethnicity, disability, sexuality or beliefs
• We have a responsibility to increase awareness of safeguarding children.
• We have a responsibility to have clear procedures for staff and volunteers to follow should they have any concern about a child or children with whom they come into contact.

In order to fulfil our duties, we will:

• Provide adequate support, guidance and training to staff and volunteers.
• Have a clear procedure for dealing with safeguarding and child protection issues, and ensure that staff and volunteers are aware of this procedure.
• Ensure that safe recruitment procedures are followed for staff and volunteers, including carrying out DBS checks on all staff and any volunteers who will come into contact with children.
• Have a named Child Protection Officer who can be contacted if a staff member or volunteer has concerns about a child.
• Ensure that each project has its own specific procedure for dealing with safeguarding and child protection issues.
• Assess the risks that our activities may pose to children and take steps to minimise and manage these risks.

20.2 Safeguarding Children - Guidelines

Situations involving the abuse of children arise infrequently in the work in which Open Homes Nottingham is involved. However, it is vital that staff and volunteers are informed and equipped to be able to deal with situations as and when they do present.

Child protection is everybody’s business

Whether being with children is a big or a small part of your actual role, everybody has a responsibility to help create a safe place for children. One of the most effective ways in which we can do this is by becoming more aware of child protection issues so that we are well informed. 

Your Responsibility

Everybody has a responsibility to help create a safe place for children.

All Open Homes Nottingham staff and volunteers should ensure that they are adequately informed so as to be able to recognise, respond to and report suspected, alleged or disclosed abuse effectively and appropriately, in line with established procedure.

Volunteers and staff should also carry out their roles in line with established guidelines on working with children and young people, detailed on the following pages.

Guidelines for good practice in working with children and young people

• Be aware of situations which may present risks and manage these.
• Plan and organise work and the project setting so as to minimise risks.
• Be open. Create and maintain a non-defensive attitude and an open culture in which to discuss any issues or concerns.
• Foster a culture of mutual accountability so that any potential abusive behaviour can be challenged.

For additional guidance please refer to specific guidelines for the project you are linked to (eg Nottingham Nightstop/Supported Lodgings).

Definitions of abuse

What is abuse and neglect?

Abuse and neglect are forms of maltreatment – a person may abuse or neglect a child by inflicting harm, or by failing to act to prevent harm.  Child welfare concerns may arise in many different contexts, and can vary greatly in terms of their nature and seriousness. Children may be abused in a family or in an institutional or community setting, by those known to them or by a stranger, including, via the internet. In the case of female genital mutilation, children may be taken out of the country to be abused. They may be abused by an adult or adults, or another child or children. An abused child will often experience more than one type of abuse, as well as other difficulties in their lives. Abuse and neglect can happen over a period of time, but can also be a one-off event. Child abuse and neglect can have major long-term impacts on all aspects of a child's health, development and well-being. 

The following definitions are taken from Working Together to Safeguard Children (Department of Health 2015) and What to do if you are worried a Child is being abused; Advice for Practitioners 2015).

Physical abuse

Physical abuse is deliberately physically hurting a child. It might take a variety of different forms, including hitting, pinching, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning or scalding, drowning or suffocating a child.  Physical abuse can happen in any family, but children may be more at risk if their parents have problems with drugs, alcohol and mental health or if they live in a home where domestic abuse happens. Babies and disabled children also have a higher risk of suffering physical abuse.  Physical harm may also be caused when a parent or carer fabricates the symptoms of, or deliberately induces, illness in a child. Physical abuse can also occur outside of the family environment. 

Emotional abuse

Emotional abuse is the persistent emotional maltreatment of a child. It is also sometimes called psychological abuse and it can have severe and persistent adverse effects on a child’s emotional development.  Although the effects of emotional abuse might take a long time to be recognisable, practitioners will be in a position to observe it, for example, in the way that a parent interacts with their child. Emotional abuse may involve deliberately telling a child that they are worthless, or unloved and inadequate. It may include not giving a child opportunities to express their views, deliberately silencing them or ‘making fun’ of what they say or how they communicate.  Emotional abuse may involve serious bullying – including online bullying through social networks, online games or mobile phones – by a child’s peers. 

Sexual abuse

Sexual abuse is any sexual activity with a child. You should be aware that many children and young people who are victims of sexual abuse do not recognise themselves as such. A child may not understand what is happening and may not even understand that it is wrong. Sexual abuse can have a long-term impact on mental health.  Sexual abuse may involve physical contact, including assault by penetration (for example, rape or oral sex) or non-penetrative acts such as masturbation, kissing, rubbing and touching outside clothing. It may include non-contact activities, such as involving children in the production of sexual images, forcing children to look at sexual images or watch sexual activities, encouraging children to behave in sexually inappropriate ways or grooming a child in preparation for abuse (including via the internet). Sexual abuse is not solely perpetrated by adult males. Women can commit acts of sexual abuse, as can other children. 

Child Sexual Exploitation is a form of sexual abuse where children are sexually exploited for money, power or status.  It can involve violent, humiliating and degrading sexual assaults. In some cases, young people are persuaded or forced into exchanging sexual activity for money, drugs, gifts, affection or status. Consent cannot be given, even where a child may believe they are voluntarily engaging in sexual activity with the person who is exploiting them. Child sexual exploitation doesn't always involve physical contact and can happen online. A significant number of children who are victims of sexual exploitation go missing from home, care and education at some point. 

Neglect

Neglect is a pattern of failing to provide for a child’s basic needs, whether it be adequate food, clothing, hygiene, supervision or shelter. It is likely to result in the serious impairment of a child’s health or development.  Children who are neglected often also suffer from other types of abuse. It is important that practitioners remain alert and do not miss opportunities to take timely action.  However, while you may be concerned about a child, neglect is not always straightforward to identify.  Neglect may occur if a parent becomes physically or mentally unable to care for a child. A parent may also have an addiction to alcohol or drugs, which could impair their ability to keep a child safe or result in them prioritising buying drugs, or alcohol, over food, clothing or warmth for the child. Neglect may occur during pregnancy as a result of maternal drug or alcohol abuse. 

Recognising and responding to abuse

The warning signs and symptoms of child abuse and neglect can vary from child to child. Disabled children may be especially vulnerable to abuse, including because they may have an impaired capacity to resist or avoid abuse. They may have speech, language and communication needs which may make it difficult to tell others what is happening. Children also develop and mature at different rates so what appears to be worrying for a younger child might be normal behaviour for an older child. Parental behaviours may also indicate child abuse or neglect, so you should also be alert to parent-child interactions which are concerning and other parental behaviours. This could include parents who are under the influence of drugs or alcohol or if there is a sudden change in their mental health. By understanding the warning signs, you can respond to problems as early as possible and provide the right support and services for the child and their family. It is important to recognise that a warning sign doesn’t automatically mean a child is being abused. 

The following signs may or may not be indicators that abuse has taken place, but the possibility should be considered.

General indicators of abuse

• Children whose behaviour changes – they may become aggressive, challenging, disruptive, withdrawn or clingy, or they might have difficulty sleeping or start wetting the bed; 
• Children with clothes which are ill-fitting and/or dirty; 
• Children with consistently poor hygiene; 
• Children who make strong efforts to avoid specific family members or friends, without an obvious reason; 
• Children who don’t want to change clothes in front of others or participate in physical activities; 
• Children who are having problems at school, for example, a sudden lack of concentration and learning or they appear to be tired and hungry; 
• Children who talk about being left home alone, with inappropriate carers or with strangers; 
• Children who reach developmental milestones, such as learning to speak or walk, late, with no medical reason; 
• Children who are regularly missing from school or education; 
• Children who are reluctant to go home after school; 
• Children with poor school attendance and punctuality, or who are consistently late being picked up; 
• Parents who are dismissive and non-responsive to practitioners’ concerns; 
• Parents who collect their children from school when drunk, or under the influence of drugs; 
• Children who drink alcohol regularly from an early age; 
• Children who are concerned for younger siblings without explaining why; 
• Children who talk about running away; and 
• Children who shy away from being touched or flinch at sudden movements. 

Signs of physical abuse

• Children with frequent injuries; 
• Children with unexplained or unusual fractures or broken bones; and 
• Children with unexplained bruises or cuts; burns or scalds; or bite marks. 

Signs of sexual abuse

• Children who display knowledge or interest in sexual acts inappropriate to their age; 
• Children who use sexual language or have sexual knowledge that you wouldn’t expect them to have; 
• Children who ask others to behave sexually or play sexual games; and 
• Children with physical sexual health problems, including soreness in the genital and anal areas, sexually transmitted infections or underage pregnancy. 

Signs of Child Sexual Exploitation

• Children who appear with unexplained gifts or new possessions; 
• Children who associate with other young people involved in exploitation; 
• Children who have older boyfriends or girlfriends; 
• Children who suffer from sexually transmitted infections or become pregnant; 
• Children who suffer from changes in emotional well-being; 
• Children who misuse drugs and alcohol; 
• Children who go missing for periods of time or regularly come home late; and 
• Children who regularly miss school or education or don’t take part in education 

Signs of emotional abuse

• Children who are excessively withdrawn, fearful, or anxious about doing something wrong; 
• Parents or carers who withdraw their attention from their child, giving the child the ‘cold shoulder’; 
• Parents or carers blaming their problems on their child; and 
• Parents or carers who humiliate their child, for example, by name-calling or making negative comparisons. 

Signs of neglect

• Children who are living in a home that is indisputably dirty or unsafe; 
• Children who are left hungry or dirty; 
• Children who are left without adequate clothing, e.g. not having a winter coat; 
• Children who are living in dangerous conditions, i.e. around drugs, alcohol or violence; 
• Children who are often angry, aggressive or self-harm; 
• Children who fail to receive basic health care 
• Parents who fail to seek medical treatment when their children are ill or are injured.

Unborn children may also be affected by neglect e.g. pregnant mother misusing substances, not engaging with statutory services and chaotic lifestyles.

20.3 Safeguarding Children – Reporting Procedure

No staff member or volunteer will prejudice their own position or standing with Open Homes Nottingham by responsibly reporting potential or suspected child abuse. Any allegation or concern regarding the abuse of a child will be treated seriously and for this reason it is important for anyone raising a concern to follow strictly the procedures laid down by Open Homes Nottingham. Particular care should be taken with regard to confidentiality and the sharing of information with appropriate people.

NOTTINGHAM NIGHTSTOP VOLUNTEERS/SUPPORTED LODGINGS HOSTS:  IT IS HELPFUL TO REMIND YOUNG PEOPLE WHEN THEY COME TO STAY FOR THE FIRST TIME, THAT THEY CAN TALK TO YOU ABOUT ANYTHING AND IT WILL REMAIN CONFIDENTIAL.  ALONGSIDE THIS, IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO LET THEM KNOW THAT IF YOU ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THEM OR ANOTHER PERSON, THEN YOU WILL HAVE TO PASS THE INFORMATION ON AS YOU HAVE A DUTY OF CARE.

ALL VOLUNTEERS:  IF A DISCLOSURE IS MADE BY A YOUNG PERSON PLEASE REFER TO THE GUIDELINES BELOW.

Remember it is not your responsibility to decide whether abuse is taking place but it is your responsibility to pass concerns on.  The guiding principle is that the safety of the child is always the overriding consideration.

What to do in the event of a disclosure or allegation of child abuse

• Record accurate details of the disclosure using the form provided. If you do not have access to the form, record details on a sheet of paper and transfer the information to the form later on.
• Report the information immediately to your Project Leader/Line Manager and the Safeguarding lead person (for Nottingham Nightstop/Supported Lodgings Hosts, please contact the on-call worker who will contact the safeguarding lead, Dawn Randall, if needed).
• Do not discuss the information with anyone else. Ensure that any documentation is kept confidential and stored securely.
• Do not attempt to investigate the alleged abuse yourself.
• Do not ask probing questions, however it is important that you clarify the information given.
• Do not promise confidentiality, you will need to explain to the young person that you have to pass this information on as you are worried about them or (name).
• If it is safe to do so, please inform the young person that you will be contacting Open Homes Nottingham/Nottingham Nightstop to pass on your concerns and to ask for advice.  Please do not do this if you feel it would be unsafe to do so, for example if it would put anyone at increased risk of harm.
• If the disclosure is about another child or young person, if possible please obtain their full name, address and date of birth.  It may be helpful to explain to the young person that you are worried about (name) and need the information as you have to speak to Open Homes Nottingham/Nottingham Nightstop to see if any help can be given.  If the young person refuses to provide the information, then re-assure them they are safe, and that you still need to pass this information on.  Please also let them know that if they are concerned then they need to speak to yourself or someone in authority. 

The flowchart shown overleaf sets out how to report suspected or alleged abuse and what will happen with the information.  Below you will find a list of helpful questions and phrases when discussing safeguarding concerns with a young person.

More detailed information about Safeguarding Children can be found in Working Together to Safeguard Children document, or the safeguarding page on the Nottingham City Council website, please see the link below:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/working-together-to-safeguard-children--2  

Helpful questions and phrases and questions to use with young people when discussing safeguarding concerns and disclosures, any questions please ring Open Homes Nottingham or for Nottingham Nightstop volunteers/Supported Lodgings Hosts the on-call number:

‘Thank you for sharing that with me, you are safe here with us.  I just need to check if there are any other children in the house where your (name of alleged abuser) lives, as we need to make sure they are safe too’

‘Thank you for sharing that with me, are you worried about (name)?’

‘I am concerned about you/or about (name) therefore I need to pass this information on to Open Homes Nottingham/Nottingham Nightstop as we have a duty to make sure you/or (name) is safe’

‘I understand that you don’t want me to tell anyone but I have a duty to ensure that you and any other young people are safe.  I need to speak to Open Homes Nottingham/Nottingham Nightstop and see if they can get any help for you/or (name).’

‘I understand that you don’t want to tell me anymore, the reason I am asking is because I have a duty to ensure that you and (name) is safe, I need to contact Open Homes Nottingham/Nottingham Nightstop and see if they can get them any help, I will let you know what they say.  The more you can tell me the more we will be able to help you/ or (name)’

‘I understand that you don’t want to tell me that information, the reason I have to ask is that I have a duty to make sure you/ or (name) is safe.  If you are concerned about (name) in the future then speak to someone you trust like a support worker/teacher etc.  We can talk about this more if you would like if you have any questions or we can watch a film or …’

1. Please ensure you keep clear written records of all concerns, communication with appropriate agencies, and any actions taken. These must be kept confidential as per data protection policy.

For further detailed information, refer to the 2015 Working Together to Safeguard Children document   https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/working-together-to-safeguard-children--2  

* MASH - Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub