Safeguarding the Welfare of Children and Young People Argumentative Essay Example

gives a summary of The Welfare of the Child, including parental responsibilities and their definition. It also discusses how fathers, mothers, step-parents, and others can obtain parental responsibilities. Certain parts of the Act deal with the appointment and removal of guardians, where children should reside, arrangements for communication with children, and other associated orders. The Education Act 2002 was granted Royal Assent on 24 July 2002. It outlines the duties of parents, local educational authorities, schools (including independent schools), head teachers, and all individuals working with children to guarantee their safety and well-being.

It is the duty of everyone to protect and promote the welfare of children. This law focuses on the collaboration between schools and local authorities in safeguarding children. To fulfill this responsibility, all individuals working with children should inform social services about any incidents, make decisions, resolve doubts and dilemmas, and provide assistance to children in need. Teachers often face uncertainty when dealing with concerns about students, especially if it involves supporting vulnerable children.

Additional training is always helpful in balancing support and surveillance between teachers and parents. Sometimes, teachers may experience confusion when it comes to addressing concerns about students with their parents. Questions often arise about when and how to approach parents, as well as who is responsible for doing so. Communication, including sharing information and maintaining confidentiality, plays a crucial role in this dynamic. Teachers and other education staff regularly interact with individual students, providing them with an advantageous position to detect signs of abuse, behavioral changes, or developmental setbacks.

Teachers, staff members, and other individuals working with children and young individuals have a responsibility to share information while maintaining confidentiality. This

includes designated teachers, governors, and adherence to child protection policies. Access to advice and support is crucial as well. The legislation imposes certain minimum standards for independent schools, pertaining to health, safety, and space requirements. Additionally, it emphasizes the importance of ensuring that all children and young individuals are protected from bullying and discrimination. They should receive assistance in developing positive relationships and opt not to engage in bullying or discrimination.

The Children Act 2004 provided guidelines for children's services nationwide, outlining the Every Child Matters five outcomes that professionals must strive for. The government's objective is to ensure that all children, regardless of their background or circumstances, receive the necessary support to be healthy, safe, successful, make positive contributions, and achieve economic well-being. Additionally, the Act emphasizes the need for services to collaborate more closely.

In order to facilitate the early identification of children in need, it is crucial for schools, social workers, and local authorities to share information. To achieve this goal, implementing a common assessment framework is essential. By identifying these children at an early stage, finding solutions becomes more manageable. Another important aspect is having a shared database that contains relevant information about the safety and well-being of children. This database also enables earlier support for parents who are facing difficulties. Furthermore, The Children Act 2004 emphasizes the significance of addressing issues like bullying, discrimination, and harassment.

Guidance on reporting concerns of child abuse: The importance of teachers and staff members reporting suspicions or allegations of abuse was emphasized in 2006. To ensure proper handling, these reports should be made to the designated teacher who will then refer them to investigating agencies as outlined

by the local Area Child Protection Committee. This document aims to provide best practice advice for individuals working with children to safeguard their well-being.

The document includes an appendix to assist practitioners in addressing legal concerns related to information sharing. It also offers general information for professionals who engage with children and families, especially those in social care, health, education, and criminal justice services. The document outlines the required procedures when there are worries about a child's welfare and explains the subsequent actions following the reporting of such concerns. Furthermore, it explores potential participation in assessment, planning, working with children, and reviewing progress.

The interactive version of Working Together to Safeguard Children, issued in March 2010, provides guidance on the steps to be taken from referral and initial assessment to potential emergency action and subsequent strategy discussion and child protection review conference. This document highlights the responsibilities of organizations and underscores the significance of collaborative efforts in safeguarding children and young people.

When working with children and young people, it is crucial to follow certain responsibilities, which include:

• Local Safeguarding Children Boards
• Managing individuals who pose a risk of harm to children
• Child death review processes
• Working together to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and families
• Managing individual cases where there are concerns about a child's safety and welfare
• Policies which safeguard

All schools are required to create policies that guarantee the safety, security, and well-being of their students. The Department of Education offers guidance for local authorities and schools.

The schools utilize these guidelines as a basis for crafting their own policies and procedures,

which must be followed. These policies should include sections on safeguarding, protection, reporting procedures for e-safety bullying (including cyberbullying). It is also crucial to recognize the unique characteristics of different types of child abuse. Abuse involves intimidating or manipulating an individual or intruding upon their mental well-being in order to gain control. Typically, it manifests as a persistent pattern of behavior over time, although isolated incidents can still qualify as abusive.

Child abuse refers to the mistreatment of a child who is under 18 years old. This mistreatment is carried out by various individuals, such as caregivers, parents, household members, or anyone who interacts with children. The actions involved in this mistreatment can cause harm to the child or put them at risk of physical injury. These actions violate the rights of children and have an impact on their well-being and development. Importantly, it should be noted that abuse does not discriminate based on social groups or socioeconomic statuses; it can occur in affluent neighborhoods with educated residents as well as low-income areas occupied by working-class individuals. Abuse can occur within families, schools, churches, and community organizations.

Abuse can be passed down from one generation to another, much like an inherited illness within a family. Vulnerable or compliant children are frequently the victims of abuse. For example, a dominant sibling may mistreat their weaker brother, an entitled teenager might use abusive tactics to manipulate their parent, or a cooperative sister could endure abuse from her uncompromising brother. Abuse can take various forms including verbal, social, economic, intellectual, or spiritual mistreatment. Moreover, as people age, the severity of abuse usually increases.

Children, being highly vulnerable and dependent on adults

for their basic needs and guidance, face the possibility of different types of abuse. Even in a safe and nurturing home environment, children may suffer from mental abuse if parents fail to cater to their intellectual interests. Child abuse encompasses any actions or lack thereof that endanger a child's physical, mental, or emotional well-being and development. These forms of mistreatment often overlap, resulting in children experiencing multiple instances of abuse.

Child abuse encompasses various forms of mistreatment towards children, such as sexual, emotional, and physical abuse. Any type of abuse or neglect can have detrimental effects on a child's overall well-being. In comparison to adult abuse, child abuse is exceptionally severe due to its potential long-term consequences and interference with healthy development. Physical abuse entails purposefully causing harm or injury to a child through actions like hitting, kicking, burning, suffocating, scolding, throwing, or shaking. This involves intentionally inflicting non-accidental physical harm on a child.

Physical signs of child abuse include unexplained burns, bruises, fractures, grasp marks, bite marks, bruises to the eyes or face, and marks from implements like sticks or belt buckles. It is important for individuals working with children and young people to be able to identify behavioral signs that may indicate physical abuse. These signs may include withdrawal, aggression, discomfort during physical education changes, fear of parental explanation, depression, running away from home, and flinching when approached or touched.

Child abuse can also manifest as sexual abuse where a child engages in any sexual activity with an adult or a more dominant child who is either older or more powerful. This can involve physical acts such as sexual intercourse, oral and anal sex,
and touching of

private parts or incest. Non-physical acts can include forcing a child to witness others engaged in sexual intercourse,
incestuous activities,
or pornography.
Physical indicators of sexual abuse can include bruises or marks; difficulty walking or sitting;
sleep and stomach issues;
frequent headaches; vaginal bleeding
or discharge;
and "love bites" (blue-reddish marks on the skin).

Children who have experienced sexual abuse may exhibit various indicators, such as engaging in self-harming behaviors, developing eating disorders, possessing inappropriate knowledge for their age, using sexually explicit language, and displaying secretive behavior online (closing web pages quickly when an adult is present). Emotional abuse refers to ongoing mistreatment that has a negative impact on a child's emotional development. This type of abuse involves consistent disapproval, belittling, teasing, and name-calling. It can also leave the child feeling scared, unloved, worthless or in immediate danger. Emotional abuse can occur independently but often coexists with other forms of abuse like sexual misconduct, physical harm, and neglect.

The signs of emotional abuse manifest in both physical and emotional aspects, such as delayed development and speech disorders. Behaviors commonly associated with this type of abuse include difficulty communicating, self-harm, extreme reactions to problems or mistakes, low self-esteem, engaging in rocking chairs or thumb sucking, twisting hair, seeking excessive attention, aggression, and struggling to form friendships. Neglect occurs when a parent or caretaker fails to properly supervise a child or disregards their rights.

Neglect is the act of not fulfilling a child's basic needs, including food, clothing, shelter, emotional and physical safety, protection, medical and dental care, hygiene, education, and supervision. Signs of physical neglect can include hunger, poor personal grooming habits, being excessively over or underweight, fatigue or lack of energy,vearing inappropriate or

inadequate clothing,delayed healthcare treatment,failure to meet developmental milestones,and frequent illnesses. Indications of behavioral neglect may also involve consistently arriving late to school or frequently missing classes,difficulty in forming friendships,and engaging in stealing from peers.

It is crucial to report any indications of abuse, no matter how severe they may seem. Bullying, which is considered a form of child abuse, must be taken seriously because it causes distress to victims and can have serious consequences. Although bullying is often associated with schools and workplaces, it can happen in any environment where people live, work, or interact. It affects both individuals and groups and remains a significant concern for children, young adults, and adults alike.

Bullying behavior can be intentional and repeated, or unintentional but still harmful. Even one instance of bullying behavior can have a lasting negative impact on an individual. While bullying is distinct from violence, any action that causes hurt, humiliation, or fear qualifies as bullying.

There are numerous actions that may make someone feel bullied: name-calling, verbal aggression, spreading gossip and rumors, excluding and isolating others, cyber-bullying via technology, targeting based on identity or perceived identity, racial taunts or gestures,and inappropriate physical contact or sexual comments.

Other behaviors can also be seen as bullying if they negatively affect others.Bullying can make a victim feel upset afraid ashamed embarrassed and anxious about attending school; it affects children of all ages including younger students in grade school and even those in kindergarten.

Bullying is a behavior that is frequently repeated unless there is intervention. According to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1990, all children have the right to feel safe in their home, school,

and community. It is important to note that bullying is not a normal part of the development process but rather persists and worsens over time if left unaddressed. Therefore, it is crucial to directly address bullying by responding when witnessing it and taking preventive measures. The first step involves identifying when there is an issue since children are unable to resolve bullying independently; instead, outside intervention becomes necessary.

Changing the behavior is difficult without intervention from adults, as it is a challenging uphill battle. Usually, stopping the behavior only requires a few minutes if you take immediate and consistent action. Cyber-bullying has developed alongside technological progress. In contrast to traditional bullying that usually involves physical or verbal abuse, cyber-bullying does not cause physical harm but can result in more severe harm due to its alarming facts.

Cyber bullying has a devastating impact on its victims, doubling their likelihood of suicide compared to individuals who have not experienced it. There are various forms of cyber bullying, such as emotional, racist, or sexual abuse, which can occur through emails, messages, and phone calls. Furthermore, this type of harassment involves posting photos and personal information on social networking sites as a means of torment. Despite perpetrators feeling detached from their actions, the consequences for the victim are equally destructive because they feel trapped with no escape. To combat cyber bullying effectively, it is essential to enforce the following measures:

It is important to exercise caution and be selective when giving out your phone number and email address. It is also crucial to be vigilant with your mobile device and avoid lending it to others. If someone asks to borrow your phone,

take control by making the call or sending the text on their behalf. Failing to do so may result in misuse of your phone, causing harm to others and wrongly implicating you. When sharing personal information on social networking sites like Facebook, be careful and make use of privacy settings. It is worth mentioning that Facebook requires users to be at least thirteen years old. Lastly, always remember that not everyone online is who they claim to be.

Caution is essential while presenting oneself online as it enables deceptive portrayals. For instance, someone who claims to be a 14-year-old seeking a meeting may actually have malicious intentions and be much older. This poses significant risks, so it is crucial to inform your parents or an adult before meeting anyone from the Internet. Ensuring your safety involves reviewing personal information on online platforms and removing any that reveal too much. Additionally, delete or block individuals suspected of bullying from your friend lists. If children encounter bullying, it is advisable not to respond to abusive emails or texts but rather preserve them as evidence against the bully.


To comprehensively address the risks and consequences faced by children and young people using the internet, mobile phones, and other technologies, we must acknowledge that these platforms offer positive educational and social benefits but also carry risks. Completely avoiding internet usage or technology is not feasible; however, educating children and young people about these risks and how to protect themselves holds great value.

Children and young people are at risk of harm when using the internet, mobile phones, and other digital technologies. They may not be aware of the dangers, just like

in any other part of life. It is important to understand that some young individuals may participate in inappropriate or illegal activities. Exposure to unsuitable material is a major threat when using the internet, sending emails, or joining chat rooms. This material can include pornography, hate speech, violence promotion, or encouragement of dangerous or illegal behaviors. Furthermore, it may contain content that is not suitable for their age.

The internet and new technologies present multiple dangers, encompassing sexual or emotional mistreatment, disclosure of personal information, and exposure to unsuitable material. These risks extend to physical harm as certain individuals may try to establish relationships with children and young individuals for engaging in sexual acts. Moreover, the anonymity facilitated by these technologies allows bullies to focus on their victims through text messages or emails received by youngsters, resulting in negative emotions like sadness, embarrassment, distress, depression, or fear.

Engaging in harmful online activities can have significant consequences for children and young people, negatively impacting their self-esteem and overall psychological well-being. Furthermore, these activities can lead to serious illegal actions like identity theft, bullying, selling stolen goods, and involvement in hate websites. There is also a risk of children accessing harmful sites such as suicide websites and online gambling platforms. Additionally, children may unknowingly disclose personal information such as their full name, address, email address, and hobbies which can have severe consequences.

Although the Internet is beneficial for both adults and children alike, it also poses risks. Children often share personal information about themselves online which makes it easier for others to identify them. This information includes their name, address, phone number, and even photographs. Individuals who intend to harm

children may patiently gather information about their potential victims' lives over time. In some instances they might even inquire about the child's sexual experiences or desires for a romantic partner.

This behavior, known as grooming, occurs when an individual gains the trust of children with the intention to sexually abuse them. The process involves subtly manipulating and persuading the child without their awareness. The person initiates conversation with the child, discussing shared interests while inquiring about their residence, family situation, and emotional state. The objective is to gradually establish a sense of trust through continuous communication. It is crucial to acknowledge that children are constantly at risk of encountering inappropriate content.

To protect children online, it is vital to control their access to age-inappropriate content such as websites that sell illegal goods or promote unlawful activities. Additionally, privacy-compromising sites should be avoided. Unfortunately, children may unknowingly come across these risks while innocently browsing the internet for information. Hence, schools must implement filtering systems that limit access to inappropriate sites and establish policies prioritizing continuous child protection.

There is a growing awareness among parents and school staff about the dangers of internet use. It is essential to teach children about staying safe online and protecting themselves. Children should also be educated on how to report any worries they may have.

In addition, please provide three steps that should be taken if there are any indications or concerns of abuse, harm (including self-harm), bullying, or potential risks involving a child or young person.

It is the responsibility of everyone within the education service to ensure the safety of children and young people. This involves recognizing signs of abuse, creating a safe learning

environment, identifying vulnerable students, and implementing necessary measures to protect them both at school and home. Assistant teachers are particularly important in this role as they spend significant time with children and develop special connections with them.

Children are more at ease when speaking, sharing privately, and confiding in situations where the rest of the class is absent. It is crucial for the teacher to be able to identify signs of abuse and take necessary steps to safeguard the child. There are multiple ways through which suspicions or reports of abuse may come to light. A child or young person might disclose their experiences of abuse directly to you. Furthermore, a colleague could inform you that a child or young person has revealed their abuse or expressed concerns about another child being mistreated.

If there is suspicion or awareness of abuse, it is important to prioritize the welfare of the child while also protecting the interests of the accused. Prompt action should be taken and professionalism maintained. Any concerns about possible abuse, harm, or bullying towards a child should always be reported to the designated person or manager if there are any unusual behavior patterns or changes in the child's demeanor.

When a child discloses abuse, bullying, or harm, it is essential to actively listen and take their disclosure seriously. It is crucial to acknowledge their courage in speaking up and collaborate with them to seek assistance. We need to reassure the child that they are not at fault and assure them that we will inform someone who can offer help. Promptly after the disclosure, it is important to document the conversation using the child's own words, including

the date, time, and signature. These notes may be utilized in future legal proceedings. Instead of making assumptions, we must remain attentive and avoid drawing hasty conclusions.

When dealing with a child or young person, it is important to inquire directly to gather more information or provide suggestions for them to express themselves. It is crucial to encourage the child or young person to share all the details without making assumptions or accusations. We must also avoid making promises we cannot fulfill and refrain from expressing personal opinions. Instead, we should present the facts as reported or as told by the individual involved. It is crucial that we never attempt to determine the validity of allegations ourselves or handle any suspicions or reports of abuse independently. Additionally, in response to concerns about a colleague failing to comply with safeguarding procedures, two appropriate actions to consider are explaining the procedure and offering support or reporting the concern to a designated authority.

The understanding of responsibilities in safeguarding matters is crucial for individuals working with children or young people. It is important to communicate any concerns regarding the well-being of a child or young person to their manager or supervisor, who is usually the appropriate person. Local Safeguarding Children Boards are organizations that operate within local areas and have statutory status. Their aim is to promote collaboration among services and ensure the welfare of children and young people.

When working with children, organizations must responsibly hire staff members who are suitable for this role. Job applicants for positions involving children must complete a form disclosing any criminal convictions and undergo a CRB check. However, despite these precautions, incidents of

abuse have occurred within schools, which is referred to as institutional abuse. It is the responsibility of all school staff members to take action if they witness colleagues not following the correct codes of conduct.

All staff members must follow policies and procedures to protect the safety of children and young people. Not adhering to these guidelines may put their well-being at risk. Any concerns should be reported promptly to either the safeguarding co-ordinator or head teacher. It is important to take immediate action if we become aware or suspect that our colleagues are not following safeguarding protocols. Although it may be difficult, prioritizing the welfare of children and young people is crucial when raising concerns about fellow staff members. However, it is necessary to avoid discussing these issues with others.

If you have concerns about a colleague not following safeguarding procedures, it is crucial to report the incident. You can do this by contacting our manager, designated person for safeguarding, or the Head Teacher. It is important to provide a detailed account of what was seen and what caused the concern.

If the accusations are against the Head Teacher, it is advised to report the incident either to the designated person for safeguarding or directly to Local Educational Authorities.

Furthermore, if you have worries that a colleague has harmed, abused, or bullied a child or young person, two necessary actions should be taken:

When it comes to the safety of children and young individuals, schools are typically considered safe environments. However, there have been instances where adults responsible for their well-being and education have mistreated or caused harm. In such cases, it is crucial that we promptly and comprehensively

respond, treating the situation as we would if the offender were a parent, family member, or stranger. It is imperative that we take immediate action to safeguard the children's safety by informing the Head Teacher or designated individual in charge of child protection. Furthermore, it may be necessary for us to fill out a concern form and provide testimony in legal proceedings.

It is extremely important to stay watchful and report any staff member who tries to form a close bond with a child, such as giving gifts or organizing private meetings outside of the school or setting. Although these conversations might be uncomfortable, it is vital to voice our concerns since the well-being of the child is the most important thing. Furthermore, we will discuss two principles related to confidentiality and when it is appropriate to share information about a student or young individual with people who are not directly involved.

Confidentiality is of utmost importance in schools, and all school staff, including practitioners and volunteers, are required to follow the Confidentiality Policy. In our roles as educators, we often gather information from parents or guardians, such as medical records, previous school records, or special educational needs records. This information is considered confidential and should only be used for its intended purpose. It is crucial to maintain the confidentiality of sensitive information to avoid making parents feel exposed and vulnerable if it becomes widely known.

The school has a confidentiality policy that provides guidelines for handling confidential information. According to the policy, specific student information should be kept private and shared only with staff members who have a legitimate need to know. Additionally, all social services, medical,

and personal details about students must be securely stored and accessible solely to school personnel. Staff members requiring medically related information like allergies or health requirements can conveniently retrieve this data.

Parents/guardians must provide permission before using photographs of children, and names should not be included with any photographs. School staff should offer clear guidance to parents regarding the use of cameras at public school events. The confidentiality of a child's work, grades, and progress should be maintained and only disclosed to parents/guardians or another school if the child transfers. Parents cannot access information about any child's work or progress other than their own child.

The privacy and confidentiality of social services records, health reports, SEN reports, and other documents are crucial and should only be shared with relevant individuals. Similarly, any information containing addresses, telephone numbers, or contact details must remain confidential and only disclosed to staff members in emergencies. This data should not be accessible to others. When a child departs from the school, this information will be securely disposed of or shredded. However, there may be cases where we must share this information with professionals without consent if there is a potential risk of significant harm to the child.

Sharing information about children and young people is crucial for their safety. It is important to explain to parents why it is necessary and beneficial to share information about their child. If a parent refuses, it is recommended to seek guidance from the named person for safeguarding or the manager. Failing to share information has been emphasized in serious cases of child abuse because sharing information helps identify problems early and take appropriate action when

there is a risk of abuse.

In an educational setting, school staff are likely to observe signs and symptoms of common childhood illnesses as children spend around 6 hours per day at school. Staff should be able to recognize these signs and symptoms without making diagnoses in order to provide support for the children. Schools need to inform parents if there are indications of a common illness so that they can pi