Unit reference

M/506/8362

Unit level

5

Credit value

8

Guided Learning (hours)

55

Unit aim

This unit provides the knowledge and skills required to lead practice that supports the safeguarding and protection of children and young people in residential childcare settings.

Learner name:

Centre no:

PIN:

ULN:

Learning outcomes

The learner will:

Assessment criteria

The learner can:

Evidence record

e.g. page number & method

Assessor judgement achieved

Initial and date

1. Understand the impact of current legislation for the safeguarding of children and young people.

1.1. Explain the current legislative framework that underpins the safeguarding of children and young people.

1.2. Analyse how current national and local guidelines, policies and procedures for safeguarding affect working practices with children and young people.

1.3. Review how processes used in the work setting comply with current legislation.

1.4. Explain the relationship between safeguarding and child protection.

2. Be able to participate in local networks to safeguard children and young people.

2.1 Identify the range of agencies and organisations involved in local networks for safeguarding of children and young people.

Learning outcomes

The learner will:

Assessment criteria

The learner can:

Evidence record

e.g. page number & method

Assessor judgement achieved

Initial and date

2.2. Assess the importance of developing and implementing information sharing protocols across agencies in relation to suspected harm or abuse.

2.3. Work with other agencies and organisations in local networks using agreed protocols.

3. Be able to lead practice that minimises the risk of potential, actual and alleged harm by team members.

3.1. Implement policies and legal requirements that support safe recruitment of team members.

3.2. Support team members to recognise the power inherent in their role and the potential for this to be abused.

3.3. Support team members to understand how following policies and procedures protects them from allegations and complaints as well as protecting children and young people from harm.

4. Be able to lead practice that minimises the risk of harm and abuse in the care setting.

4.1. Lead a culture where the needs of children or young people are paramount.

4.2. Support team members to develop positive, trusting and consistent relationships in which children or young people are listened to and heard.

4.3. Implement systems to ensure that children or young people are able to raise concerns and complaints and have them promptly addressed.

Learning outcomes

The learner will:

Assessment criteria

The learner can:

Evidence record

e.g. page number & method

Assessor judgement achieved

Initial and date

4.4. Analyse the roles of advocates and independent visitors in relation to safeguarding children and young people in care.

5. Be able to implement policies and procedures for safeguarding children and young people.

5.1. Identify policies and procedures needed for comprehensive safeguarding in a residential childcare setting.

5.2. Lead the implementation of policies and procedures for safeguarding children or young people.

5.3. Manage training for team members about harm and abuse, warning signs and actions they must take if harm or abuse is alleged or suspected.

5.4. Provide information and mentoring to team members about safeguarding.

5.5. Evaluate own role in ensuring prompt response to suspicions of harm or abuse.

5.6. Challenge poor practice and attitudes in relation to safeguarding.

5.7. Support continuous improvement to practice and attitudes in relation to safeguarding.

Learning outcomes

The learner will:

Assessment criteria

The learner can:

Evidence record

e.g. page number & method

Assessor judgement achieved

Initial and date

6. Understand situations that present high risk of harm for children and young people.

6.1. Identify situations and circumstances that present high risk of harm or abuse for children and young people.

6.2. Analyse known characteristics of perpetrators and their behaviours that make it difficult for children and young people to report harm or abuse or for others to recognise and address abusive activity.

6.3. Explain why children and young people in care can become involved with groups and gangs and why this presents additional risks of harm and abuse.

7. Understand approaches that address child sexual exploitation.

7.1. Analyse research and official inquiries to identify key features of child sexual exploitation.

7.2. Analyse trends in child sexual exploitation in the context of human trafficking.

7.3. Analyse ways in which children and young people in care are particularly vulnerable to harm from child sexual exploitation and grooming.

7.4. Explain the roles of key partners involved in local networks to address sexual exploitation of children and young people.

7.5. Explain the purpose and key features of problem profiling.

Learning outcomes

The learner will:

Assessment criteria

The learner can:

Evidence record

e.g. page number & method

Assessor judgement achieved

Initial and date

7.6. Describe ways to contribute to local strategies to combat child sexual exploitation.

8. Be able to review policies and procedures for safeguarding children and young people in residential childcare.

8.1. Develop a plan to review the policies and procedures for safeguarding children or young people.

8.2. Implement a review of policies and procedures for safeguarding children or young people.

8.3. Analyse findings from a review of policies and procedures.

8.4. Work with others to implement an action plan to improve policies and procedures.

Additional information about the unit:

Relationship to occupational standards

SCDHSC0044 SCDMCB1

Additional unit assessment requirements

Units need to be assessed in line with the Skills for Care & Development Assessment Principles.

Guidance for developing assessment arrangements for the unit:

Guidance for developing unit assessment arrangements – provided with the unit

Learning outcomes 2, 3, 4, 5 and 8 must be assessed in a real work environment.

Unit assessment guidance – provided by the sector

Working practices, e.g.:

• childcare practice
• child protection
• risk assessment
• ensuring the voice of the child or young person is heard (e.g. providing advocacy services)
• supporting children and young people and others who may be expressing concerns
• working practices that protect practitioners and children / young people.

Agencies and organisations may include:

• Social services
• NSPCC 
• Health visitors
• GP
• Probation
• Police
• School
• Psychology service

Policies and procedures required for safeguarding, e.g.:

• listening to children and young people
• sharing concerns and recording/ reporting incidents
• dealing with allegations
• duty of care
• whistleblowing
• propriety and behaviour
• physical contact / intimate personal care
• off site visits
• photography and video
• bullying
• use of the internet and mobile phones
• missing from care
• visitors
• timely and accurate information sharing
• partnership working
• safer recruitment.

Poor practice and attitudes, e.g.:

• denial of the issue
• blaming the victim
• not listening to and hearing children and young people
• being inconsistent or untrustworthy
• not placing the child or young person’s needs first
• becoming desensitised to issues of harm and abuse
• being overprotective
• failing to report suspicions at an early stage
• failing to share information
• failing to work in partnership with key agencies.

• position of power in the organisation
• position of power in the community (e.g. through business, political or faith groups)
• celebrity status
• fellow resident / peer
• grooming (of the child or young person and those around them)
• threats of reprisals
• promises of rewards
• denial of behaviour as abusive
• targeting boys and young men (in relation to sexual abuse).

Key features include:

• common patterns of child sexual exploitation both within and outside the setting
• myths about those who sexually exploit
• profiles of those who sexually exploit
• distinguishing features of abusive and non- abusive sexual activity.

Key Partners include:

• Sexual Health Services
• Police, Crown Prosecution Service
• Youth Offending Services
• Probation Services
• Housing Services
• Drug and Alcohol Services
• Mental Health Services, including Child and Adolescent Mental Health (CAMHS)
• Community Health Services, including GPs
• Hospital Trusts
• Education Services
• Voluntary and Community sector
• family and carers

Problem Profiling, i.e. building a picture:

• of gangs, groups, individuals, businesses and neighbourhoods which increase the risk of child sexual exploitation
• of the potential victims who are vulnerable to sexual exploitation and grooming.

Local strategies may involve:

• local authorities
• Children Safeguarding Practice Reviews (CSPRs)
• Multi Agency Safeguarding Hubs (MASH).

A plan to review should include:

• the views of children and young people
• current guidance arising from inquiries and child safeguarding practice reviews
• liaison with different organisations.