Being a parent or a guardian is one of the most significant and fulfilling tasks that a person can ever assume. You must be well-versed in the policies and legislation pertaining to child protection whether you are a part of an organisation or frequently interact with children on your own. Regardless of how their family is structured, every single child has a right to an equal level of safety and protection.
In order to preserve a secure and healthy environment, safeguarding policies mandate that schools, public or private institutes, and other organisations that work directly or indirectly with children abide by the necessary guidelines. This is to prevent any kind of abuse or negligence against children.
What is Safeguarding Children?
Safeguarding is any action performed to protect children.
According to the UK government, “safeguarding children” refers to the process of making sure that kids grow up in environments that provide them the best prospects of a fulfilling life and a smooth transition into adulthood. This phrase refers to safeguarding kids from harm and neglect, avoiding health and developmental problems, and ensuring safe and effective care.
Child protection includes:
- Protecting children from harm or neglect
- Ensuring children’s health and development are not impaired
- Ensuring children have a healthy, secure, and well-cared-for environment in which to develop
- Taking action to ensure the greatest possible results for each and every kid
The process of safeguarding keeps children safe. This project gives priority to helping children who have been hurt badly or are in danger of being hurt badly. Here are some essential safeguarding principles everyone must know about.
6 Guiding Principles for Protecting Children
Accountability
Accountability is a critical component of safeguarding children as it ensures that those who are responsible for protecting children are held responsible for their actions and that there are consequences for any failures or breaches in safeguarding protocols.
Accountability in safeguarding can involve ensuring that all staff and volunteers who work with children are properly trained, following safeguarding policies and procedures, reporting any concerns or incidents promptly, and participating in regular reviews and evaluations of safeguarding practices. It can also involve creating clear lines of communication and reporting structures, ensuring that children and families are aware of their rights and how to report concerns, and providing adequate support to those who have experienced harm or abuse. For instance, if a teacher suspects that a child is being abused, they should report it to the appropriate authorities and follow up on the case until it is resolved. This ensures that they have done their part in protecting the child and are accountable for their actions.
Another way is through awareness, by having clear guidelines and protocols in place. A school, for example, may have a safeguarding policy that outlines the steps that should be taken in the event of a child protection concern. This ensures that everyone involved knows what is expected of them and can be held accountable if they fail to follow the procedures. Accountability is accepting responsibility for our deeds and being conscious of abusive behaviour in order to both recognise it and refrain from acting aggressively toward others.
Partnership
The partnership principle places a focus on how various groups and multi-agency organisations collaborate. Several organisations support the weak and ensure their safety and well-being. To ensure the safety of children and other vulnerable persons, locals can keep in touch with them. Here the community forms a partnership with various organisations, such as schools, local law enforcement, social services, and neighbourhood associations, to ensure the safety and well-being of children. They might be able to identify threats, take appropriate action, and keep their town secure if they collaborate well. Partnerships also serve as a reminder that it is everyone’s duty to ensure the safety of the children in our immediate vicinity. To ensure the safety and care of those who are most in need in our communities, everyone has a role to play.
Empowerment
It’s important for adults who take care of children to create an environment where children can make their own decisions and can say “no” or speak up when they’re put in an uncomfortable situation. It is crucial to provide support and encouragement while working with the individual who has been the victim of neglect or abuse, especially if the person is a child. Empowerment is not an overnight process. Only with continued support and encouragement over time, children can gradually begin to develop a sense of empowerment. They can gain confidence in expressing their feelings and setting their own boundaries.
Prevention
In some circumstances, it can be possible to step in and protect the person from harm. Understanding the indicators of abuse and neglect will enable you to act “just in time” if you ever have worries about someone’s welfare. Abuse, neglect, and other forms of maltreatment can occur anywhere, including the home, a group home, and an institution.
You can make sure that you always know what to look out for when it comes to protecting vulnerable adults, children, and young people by participating in verifiable safeguarding training and studying the essential signs and symptoms of abuse and neglect.
Some common signs that something concerning might be going on in a child’s life include:
- Unexplained changes in behaviour or personality
- Becoming withdrawn
- Seeming anxious
- Becoming uncharacteristically aggressive
- Poor bond or relationship with a parent
- Knowledge of adult issues inappropriate for their age
- Running away or going missing
Proportionality
Proportionality means that any action or intervention taken to protect a child should be proportionate to the level of risk faced by the child. In other words, the response to any safeguarding concern should be appropriate and proportional to the nature and severity of the risk.
For example, if you think a child or a vulnerable adult is at risk and the situation is urgent, dialling 999 is a recommended response.
The best course of action would be to note the time, date, what you saw, and any comments you made to the person and keep this on file in case you have any more suspicions or, on the other hand, you only notice bruises on a person once and there are no other indications of abuse.
Protection
Being a supporter of people who have already experienced abuse or neglect, as well as those you fear may be at risk of receiving such treatment in the future, is crucial. Further harm to these children can be avoided by making sure they receive adequate help and are adequately represented.
Everyone should feel at ease in their own homes, workplaces, institutions of higher learning, and other communal situations. In a vast society like ours, everyone has a role to play in safeguarding the welfare of their neighbours.
Taking Ownership of Your Part
Knowing and implementing the legislation surrounding the protection of children is essential in order to create a safe environment for the children under the care of your organisation, especially if your organization provides child care. With the aid of our Safeguarding and Protecting Children and Young People Courses, you can gain a deeper understanding of the steps that your organisation can take to protect all of the individuals in its care.
FAQs
The validity of an occupational first aid certification is two years, after which recertification training is necessary.
Giving tablets or medication is not addressed in first aid at work training, except utilising aspirin to treat a casualty with a suspected heart attack, which is covered in our one-day first aid at work course.
First aid is the treatment provided to an ill or injured person before trained medical assistance is available.
An emergency can be saved by qualified first aiders, who are not only required by law in the workplace. Additionally, it demonstrates that a business owner must be concerned about the company’s and its workers’ security.
All of these topics are covered in one of our Level 3 Award in Paediatric First Aid and Level 3 Award in Emergency Paediatric First Aid courses.
