Level 2
Core competencies for safeguarding children and young people & children and young people in care – Level 2
Expectation – Response
Building on level 1, training at this level should incorporate level 1 competencies outlined earlier.
Job roles – all health care professionals and staff who encounter children and young people, but do not provide clinical care to children and young people.
Introduction
Individual staff undertaking level 2 training may not all need the same knowledge to safely practise day to day duties. Training this staff group as a single audience should provide all the knowledge needed to meet the level 2 competencies for all health care staff. All staff at this level will need adequate and appropriate knowledge and skill to be aware of issues related to safeguarding children and children in care and how to respond to concerns.
Examples of staff
Groups of staff included in level 2 – allied healthcare practitioners, clinical support and assistant staff, maternity support staff, reception staff, healthcare, allied health care, nursing and medical students, patient advocates, phlebotomists, technicians, clinical scientists and clinical technologists, perioperative care pathway staff and operating department practitioners (ODPs). Areas of work include – adult learning disability, non-registrant ambulance staff, audiology, optician services, pharmacy, all other adult orientated acute secondary care healthcare professionals not directly caring for children or young people.
Groups of staff whose role may span levels 2 and 3 depending on area of work, site and duties include – optician services, dental services, anaesthetic staff, radiologists and diagnostic radiographers, ambulance/paramedics, pharmacists, abortion services, hospice staff and continuing care in community staff.
TBC
Competency at this level is about individuals being able to:
- use knowledge and understanding of safeguarding children and young people and what it means to be a children and young person in care, or care leaver, to consider their additional vulnerabilities and needs and how to respond to them
- know their role in working with other staff to meet the needs of vulnerable children and young people
- apply professional curiosity and proactively respond to safeguarding concerns or undertake additional intervention as needed for children and young people in care
- recognise and respond to a wide range of vulnerability factors and indicators of possible harm and report concerns in a timely way and seek advice from appropriate personnel, and/or escalating concerns.
Health care staff at this level should:
- understand that the presentations of different forms of child abuse and/or different forms of child sexual abuse can be complex as they often involve multiple individuals, generations, networks, and potential criminality that surrounds the baby/child/young person/family; staff should recognise that these complexities can change across time and place, and are often influenced by broader issues present in society
- recognise the potential impact of previous adverse childhood experiences and their effects, including possible speech, language and communication needs and that adjustments may need to be made
- understand that adverse childhood experiences can have immediate, medium, and lifelong impacts on all areas of a baby’s, child’s, young person’s and adult’s physical and emotional development, health, ability to learn, work and thrive as well as often resulting in a shortened life expectancy; staff should recognise that responding to the needs of individuals and families at the earliest opportunity can support resilience and recovery from trauma
- understand why vulnerable children, including but not limited to a child or young person seeking asylum or refuge (CYPSAR), and children and young people in care , have increased vulnerabilities that may continue to affect their physical and mental health throughout their lives, recognising health care issues indicating signs of child abuse, child sexual abuse or neglect that may relate to previous maltreatment or life experience should be proactively assessed
- understand that children and young people in care’s experiences are likely to influence how they engage with and respond to staff and health care settings, and the need to provide trauma-informed practice
- have an awareness and familiarity with the flagging/coding system used by local agencies for children at risk; several systems are in place across the UK and staff must be able to recognise the ways of identifying a child or young person at increased risk, sharing this information, and ensuring the accuracy of these ‘flags’
- recognise the potential impact of a parent’s/carer’s physical and mental health on the wellbeing and development of a child or young person (including the unborn child), and therefore, document, seek advice or refer for support when working within adult services is particularly important, as well as escalating and seeking support and advice if the situation is urgent e.g. child or young person at immediate risk, evidence of current abuse
- identify and refer a child or young person at risk (including children and young person in care) or suspected to be a victim of exploitation
- identify and refer a child or young person at risk of female genital mutilation (FGM) (where there is an intention for an adult to arrange travel aboard for the procedure) or having been a victim of FGM.
- understand parental rights and responsibilities and who can give consent for a child including a children and young person in care
- recognise and practise the careful balance required to protect a child whilst maintaining confidentiality, acting as an advocate, and protecting the child’s rights; all staff are expected to adhere to professional responsibility/accountability to report, respond, and act on suspicions of all forms of child abuse and child sexual abuse
- document care concerns as well as safeguarding and child protection concerns to be able to inform the relevant staff and agencies as necessary while maintaining appropriate record keeping with differentiation between fact and opinion
- understand the need for a multi-agency approach to respond to complex cases and that this can require internal advice and escalation and external referrals and decision making
- recognise and act when the threshold is met for a referral to social care when a concern is identified; staff should be able to refer, if needed, and to discuss with senior colleagues and appropriate safeguarding or children and young people in care colleagues
- share relevant information, with accurate documentation of facts, opinions and action/plan
- share information appropriately considering consent and confidentiality issues related to safeguarding, children in care, and care leavers
- confidently resolve disagreements and, if unable, ensure the child’s needs are met and appropriate agencies and staff are involved
- recognise that, despite enhanced recruitment processes, there are individuals working within health care systems/settings who seek to abuse, coerce, and control babies, children and young people
- recognise that, whilst it is understood that these individuals are responsible and accountable for their own actions, all those working in health care settings are required to remain aware of the reality of the risk and feel enabled to seek further support and advice where concerns arise
- utilise clinical and/or professional knowledge to ensure that babies, children and young person in care, receive effective and timely health care, including statutory health assessments and recommendations, and ensuring that that babies, children and young person in care do not lose out if they move area as part of the local authority/council plan.