Critical Case Reviews On The Protection Of Children

1.2 - Explain child protection within the wider concept of safeguarding children and young people.

Throughout this essay, the health, safety and welfare policy and practise that came about after the Victoria Climbie case will be reviewed and evaluated. After arriving in England in November 1991 from the Ivory Coast, eight-year old Victoria Climbie suffered abuse from her great-aunt, Marie-Therese Kouao, and her great-aunts partner. The anguish and eventual murder of Victoria in 2000 from hypothermia, caused by malnourishment and damp conditions, provoked ‘the most extensive investigation into the child protection system in British history’ as described by Batty (Macleod-Brudenell, 2004). The high media profiled incident exposed a clear lack of precision and communication between all professionals and agencies involved. This is shown by

1.3 Analyse how serious case reviews and inquiries have contributed to the establishment of policies and procedures within recruitment which safeguard vulnerable adults, children and young people.

Section 47- the local authority has “a duty to investigate when there is reasonable cause to suspect that a child is suffering

In case of serious harm reviewing the serious case and the role of all the involved agencies.

This case deals with the current issue of failures in the system of child protection in NSW.

Unit 69 – Understand safeguarding of children and young people for those working in the adult sector (Level 5)

The NSPCC concerntrates on seven most important issues which could cause children to be at most risk, these are : children who have experienced neglect, physical abuse ( families with violent adults, alcohol/drug abuse and mental health problems), sexual abuse, children under the age of one, disabled children, children from certain ethnic communities and looked after children. The service provides the most confident and effective support and ensures the safety and well being of children is protected.

In recent times safeguarding of children has once again come under spotlight with cases such as Madline McKan and the horrific murders of Jessica Chapman and Holly Wells. Prior to this the Children’s act of 1984 and updated 2004 version highlighted that all professionals have an obligation to report suspected abuse. There was a public inquiry in 2000 to address the failure of the law which was not upholding the protection of vulnerable children. There was changes to the legislation and the government set up The Every Child Maters (ECM) initiative. This works in line with current legislation Working Together to Safeguard Children 2006 Act. This Act authorised guidance on how organisations and individuals should work together to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people in accordance with the Children Act 1989 and the Children Act 2004. All organisations must have the succeeding policies and procedures:

Child Protection aims at prevention and reactions in relation to exploitation, violence, and abuse against children. Children obtain protection against activities such as sexual exploitation, labor, trafficking, and harmful traditional practices. Most children are vulnerable to these abuses hence require much protection for full growth and development.

Serious case reviews are called by the local safeguarding children’s board when a child dies and abuse and neglect are known or suspected to be a factor in the death. They will involve the local authority children’s service and the police, as well as health, education

Physical abuse is when a child is physically hurt . Hitting, beating, throwing, shaking are all physical abuse.

Staff were not aware of who they could talk to, this critic’s poor management and lack of training. Staff have a duty of care according to section 11 of Children Act 2004 and yet they could not protect Daniels safety and wellbeing and failed to take any action to save his

In Scotland, a review of the Children’s Hearings System in 2004 led to the formation of Getting It Right For Every Child (GIRFEC) in order to improve outcomes for vulnerable children. At about the same time in the rest of the UK a similar initiative, Every Child Matters, was conceived in part following the tragic death of

Social worker in charge of particular cases of a suspected child maltreatment must initially complete a core assessment of the child and his family's situation. This process is crucial for planning of an intervention with a positive outcome (Parker and Bradley, 2003). In the assessment, under the ecological model, the practitioner must recognise different systems, such as the child, family or neighbours, and surrounding environments. If the assessment asserts that a child fits a category of a child in need within these systems, defined in the Children Act 1989 as a child 'unlikely to achieve or maintain (...) a reasonable standard of health or development without the provision for him of services by a local authority' (Children Act, 1989, section 17), the social worker must organise a form of an intervention. He or she must assess which part of the environment requires a change, and where are stress factors negatively affecting the child and the family. At the same time, the child should be given resources, and a certain level of autonomy, and to be treated as the centre of the assessment (Teater, 2010). In the ecological perspective, it might be easier for the social worker to relate to the adults' needs (Davies and Davies, 2011). However, the focus of the assessment should be child-centred, protecting the child's health and wellbeing (Every Child Matters, 2004)(Department of Education, 2011).