TDA22-1.
1 identify the current legislation, guidelines, policies and procedures
for safeguarding the welfare of children and young people, including e-safety.
There are policies, legislation, and statutory guidance documents that the governing
body for safeguarding children have created and updated over time. These apply to all
local authorities and organizations who are responsible for children’s safety.This
includes children in their home, childcare environment, schools, colleges, youth
groups and charities, and sports clubs. Simply put, safeguarding applies to anyone
who works with or around children.
The main pieces of legislation and guidance documents includes:
The Children Act 2004
The Childcare Act 2006
Working Together to Safeguard Children 2015.
The Children Act 2004
Integrated planning and delivery of services for children
Local children’s services more accountable
A Children's Commissioner for England
Local Safeguarding Children Boards
Legal basis for information sharing
A duty for agencies to promote the safeguarding and welfare of
children
Linked to ‘Every Child Matters: Change for Children’
it is reinforced in this Act that all people and organizations working with children
have a responsibility to help safeguard children and promote their welfare and know
how a child should be looked after in the eyes of the law.
This Act’s ultimate purpose is to make the UK a safer place for children and allowed
for the creation of a Children’s Commissioner, as well as each local authority needing
to appoint a director of children's services. It also allows the government to create
electronic records for every child in England which in turn makes it easier to trace
children across local authorities and government services.The principles;
Allow children to be healthy
Help children to be happy and enjoy life
Allowing children to remain safe in their environments
Help children to succeed
Help achieve economic stability for the future of children
Help make a positive contribution to children's lives
One of the main areas that the act focuses on is the wellbeing of children. The main
part of the Act that most people will know about is the maltreatment of a child and the
need to make their findings of maltreatment known to the relevant authorities.
The Act also deals with Children’s Trusts. These are bodies that have been
independently set up and are not necessarily affiliated with Health and Social Services
and other government agencies. It aims to provide co-operation and relationships
between these two as well as teachers, parents or guardians who might not always
welcome the intervention or outside sources.
All of these points fall under the Children Act 2004 but the main and most important
purpose is to ensure and provide the best levels of care and protection. The interests of
children are paramount in their welfare and safeguarding, and anyone working with
children has this responsibility.
Working together to safeguard children 2015
Protecting children from maltreatment
Preventing impairment of children's health or development
Ensuring that children grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision
of safe and effective care
Taking action to enable all children to have the best outcome
The Key principle of this Act
Safeguarding is everyone's responsibility.Everyone who works with children –
including teachers, general practitioners (GPs), nurses, midwives, health visitors,
early years practitioners, youth workers, police, Accident and Emergency staff,
pediatricians, voluntary and community workers and social workers – has a
responsibility for keeping them safe.
A child-centered approach is needed for services to be effective. They should be
based on a clear understanding of the needs and views of children. Children want to
be respected, their views to be heard, to have stable relationships with practitioners
built on trust and to have consistent support provided for their individual needs. This
should guide the behavior of practitioners. Anyone working with children should see
and speak to the child; listen to what they say; take their views seriously; and work
with them and their families collaboratively when deciding how to support their
needs.
The Childcare Act 2006
New duties for local authorities to:
Integrate services for children (Sure Start)
Ensure sufficient childcare for working parents, and a minimum amount of
free education and care for 3 and 4 year olds whose parents want it
Ensure parents can access all information they need until their child is 20
years old
introduce the Early Years Foundation Stage and the requirement to register
with Ofsted
