Working with Schools and Young People

If your placement experience involves working with children and young people, or working with an organisation who works with these groups, you are required to complete this Safeguarding training. You will need to confirm you have completed this training as a part of getting your placement approved.

This training session will introduce you to safeguarding, and why it is important. It will outline your role and responsibilities, introduce the different types of abuse, and make you aware of the local reporting procedures for passing on safeguarding concerns. We will also introduce expectations of professional behaviours whilst working on your workplace experience project. Modelling professional behaviour is part of your own employability development.

You may need a DBS check as part of your placement too. If so, please contact us workexperience@shu.ac.uk and we can advise you of the next steps. This should also be picked up in your experience request which you will submit via Handshake after completion of the H&S Essentials training module

Note: Some individuals may find the content of this training upsetting. Sheffield Hallam University's Student Wellbeing team are available to you if you wish to speak about anything of a personal nature that may have arisen in light of the content of this training.

You can contact them on 0114 225 2136 or at hallamhelp@shu.ac.uk

If you would like to know more about the content of this training prior to starting, or would like an accessible version of the training, please contact workexperience@shu.ac.uk

Learning Outcomes

At the end of this training you will:

• • • Understand what safeguarding is, and why it is important

    • Have an awareness of the different types of abuse

    • Understand your role and responsibilities in relation to managing safeguarding concerns

    • Know how to report safeguarding concerns

    • Be aware of what is expected of you in a professional setting, and how to conduct yourself on your project

1.1 Introduction to Safeguarding

"Nothing is more important than children’s welfare. Children who need help and protection deserve high quality and effective support as soon as a need is identified"

-  Working Together to Safeguard Children (2018), Department for Education

Everyone who works with children has a responsibility for keeping them safe. No single practitioner can have a full picture of a child’s needs and circumstances and, if children and families are to receive the right help at the right time, everyone who comes into contact with them has a role to play in identifying concerns, sharing information and taking prompt action. This includes you. Although you are not a teacher or permanent member staff within a workplace or organisation, you have a part to play in reporting any safeguarding concerns to the relevant person.

1.2 What is Safeguarding?

Safeguarding is the action that is taken to promote the welfare of children, young people or vulnerable adults and protect them from harm

When thinking about safeguarding children specifically, we mean:

• 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 outcomes

Safeguarding can involve a range of potential issues such as: 

• bullying, including cyber bullying (by text message, on social networking sites, and so on) and prejudice-based bullying

• racist, disability, and homophobic or transphobic abuse

• radicalisation and extremist behaviour

• child sexual exploitation

• sexting

• substance misuse

• issues that may be specific to a local area or population, for example gang activity and youth violence

• particular issues affecting children including domestic violence, sexual exploitation, female genital mutilation and forced marriage.

Whilst it is parents and carers who have primary care for their children, local authorities, working with partner organisations and agencies, have specific duties to safeguard and promote the welfare of all children in their area. The Children Acts of 1989 and 2004 set out specific duties: section 17 of the Children Act 1989 puts a duty on the local authority to provide services to children in need in their area, regardless of where they are found; section 47 of the same Act requires local authorities to undertake enquiries if they believe a child has suffered or is likely to suffer significant harm.

Taken from Working Together to Safeguard Children (2018), Department for Education

1.3 Types of Abuse

As an emerging professional working with children and young people, you are expected to be aware of the signs of abuse and know what to do next in terms of reporting a concern.

Abuse is a form of maltreatment of a child. It is important for you to be aware that abuse isn't always physical it can take many forms.

There are four main types of abuse, but these are not the only types of abuse.

• physical abuse

• emotional abuse

• sexual abuse

• neglect

Abuse can be in many different forms. Bullying could be a type of physical or emotional abuse, and online abuse could be emotional or sexual

Below, you will a stack of cards, and each card provides a definition of the different types of abuse, provided by the NSPCC. Please click on the stack of cards to go through each one and read the definitions. 

It can be difficult even for the most experienced practitioners to pick up on signs of abuse, but if you have a concern or worry (no matter now small), the best thing to do is report it. When working with children in a face to face setting, such as a in the classroom or delivering a group workshop in another setting, it might be easier to pick up on signs of abuse than it would be if you were delivering a session online via a live stream.

We will look at how to report concerns in the next section.

Remember; open up, slow down and reflect back.

During your placement experience it is unlikely that a child will make a full disclosure of abuse to you, simply because of the limited time you will be spending with them and the type of interaction you are having, but they may say something that still gives you a cause for concern. You will likely be in a group situation with other children and adults, therefore it is unlikely you will receive a detailed full disclosure.

If you do however, the following are important points to remember:

• Always believe what you are being told

• Listen, but don’t press for further information or ask leading questions

• Stay calm and be reassuring. Avoid expressing your own views on the matter

• Never promise that you will keep a secret – you have a duty to pass on the information at the first available opportunity.

• If the disclosure is against a teacher or member of staff do not discuss it with them. You need to find another responsible adult.

• At the earliest opportunity, make a note of what you heard, in the words of the young person where possible

• Do not delay in reporting the abuse. Report as soon as possible

1.5 Reporting a concern

If you have a concern following something you have seen, heard or been told, your must inform an appropriate member of staff at the earliest opportunity. This is not something that should be put off sharing for another day, its needs to be reported as soon a possible.

You will most likely be directed to the organisations Designated Safeguarding Officer, also known as a DSO.

The role of the Designated Safeguarding Officer was specified in the Children Act 2004 and ensured the every organisation had a “named person” for safeguarding children and young people. The Designated Safeguarding Officer has a responsibility at both a strategic level within the organisation and on a day to day basis.

You may be asked to complete a form or paperwork, but your placement contact will advise you what to do should the need occur. The information you have passed on regarding the safeguarding concern must remain confidential. You should not discuss any details with your peers or share information on social media.

You will not be given any further details regarding if or when any action was to progress as a result of your disclosure. This isn't something that you need to worry about this is the normal procedure for safeguarding.

1.6 Roles and Responsibilities

Throughout the duration of your placement you are expected to act professionally at all times as a representative of Sheffield Hallam University. The placement gives you the opportunity to develop your professional practice in a real life setting. Your client, or the organisation you are working with, is extremely interested to see how you can contribute to the development of their work.

Although your project is a learning opportunity, you are working with real world clients who have a genuine, professional business need for your work. You are expected to model professional behaviour.

Other key points:

• You should always maintain a professional distance when working with children or young people, and avoid any contact that could be considered inappropriate.

• Think about where you are, and ensure you are never in a position where you are left alone with a child or young person. Always stay in sight of a teacher, academic or other member of staff as appropriate. 

• Think about the language you use. Make sure you talk clearly and professionally when working with your organisation.

• Dress professionally and appropriately for the setting you are working with. 

• Think about what kind of role model you would like to be and what example you would like to set.

• Children may be excited to hear about your life as a young adult, and what it is like to be a student at University. You are helping to raise the aspirations of these young children and may well inspire them to go to university themselves one day.

• When talking about university and student life, please remember the age of the children you are talking with. Whilst its appropriate to talk about lectures, seminars, societies, and what it's like to be living with your friends, it is not appropriate to talk about drinking or your big night out.

• Don’t discuss personal details or give out your contact details to children. This includes surnames, addresses, email addresses or social media information.