Promoting and Safeguarding Promoting and Safeguarding the Welfare of Childrenthe Welfare of Children

Induction Induction

KEEPING KEEPING CHILDREN CHILDREN AND YOUNG AND YOUNG PEOPLE PEOPLE SAFESAFE

No one wants to hear about children being abused, neglected or unsafe and that sometimes makes it difficult to respondso………

• Children can be abused Children can be abused physically, sexually, emotionally or physically, sexually, emotionally or through neglect. The concerns that through neglect. The concerns that you have may make up part of a you have may make up part of a bigger picture which could help to bigger picture which could help to prevent serious harm to a child.prevent serious harm to a child.

• Giving families help at an early Giving families help at an early stage can prevent abuse and stage can prevent abuse and neglect.neglect.

REMEMBER….REMEMBER….

• All children have a right to be safe no matter All children have a right to be safe no matter who they are or what their circumstanceswho they are or what their circumstances

• Keeping children safe is everyone’s Keeping children safe is everyone’s responsibilityresponsibility

• We all need to listen to children even though We all need to listen to children even though we may not always be comfortable with what we may not always be comfortable with what we hear we hear

.

It doesn’t matter if you are a It doesn’t matter if you are a paid worker, a volunteer or a paid worker, a volunteer or a member of the community - member of the community - you have a responsibility to you have a responsibility to act if you are worried about a act if you are worried about a child.child.

Each agency will have Each agency will have someone who has a someone who has a responsibility for child responsibility for child protection and safeguarding protection and safeguarding issues, they have had training issues, they have had training to know what to do next.to know what to do next.

Ensure you Ensure you know who the know who the designated designated person or person or advocate is advocate is within your within your organisation organisation and how you and how you would contact would contact them.them.

It is not your responsibility to It is not your responsibility to investigate child abuse but investigate child abuse but you should tell the you should tell the appropriate person within appropriate person within your organisation. It will be your organisation. It will be this person’s job to decide this person’s job to decide whether to pass your whether to pass your concerns on. If necessary concerns on. If necessary they will speak to Children’s they will speak to Children’s Social Care or the police. The Social Care or the police. The police and social workers can police and social workers can then decide whether they then decide whether they need to investigate your need to investigate your concerns. concerns.

Contact InformationContact Information

• Single Referral Unit (Children’s Social Care):Single Referral Unit (Children’s Social Care): 0300 123 1116 0300 123 1116

• Children’s Social Care (Out of Hours):Children’s Social Care (Out of Hours): 01208 25130001208 251300

• Cornwall and Devon Police:Cornwall and Devon Police: 08452 77744408452 777444

• Emergency Services:Emergency Services: 999999

• Local Safeguarding Children’s Unit:Local Safeguarding Children’s Unit: 01872 25454901872 254549

• South West Child Protection Procedures: South West Child Protection Procedures: www.swcpp.org.ukwww.swcpp.org.uk

• Local Safeguarding Children’s Board:Local Safeguarding Children’s Board:

www.safechildren-cios.co.ukwww.safechildren-cios.co.uk

NEVER……NEVER……

Keep concerns about Keep concerns about children’s safety to children’s safety to

yourself.yourself.