Child Safeguarding Policies in Selected Primary Schools in Lagos
Chapter One
Objective of the study
The objectives of the study are;
- To ensure that children are effectively safeguarded from the potential risk of harm at school and that the safety and well-being of the children is of the highest priority in all aspects of the school’s day.
- To help the school maintain its ethos whereby staff, pupils, parents and Board of Management feel able to articulate any concerns comfortably, safe in the knowledge that effective action will be taken as appropriate.
- To support pupils who may have been abused by encouraging self-esteem through programme and through use of online resources
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
safeguarding
Safeguarding means protecting peoples’ health, well-being and human rights and enabling them to live free from harm, abuse and neglect. It means protecting people, including children and vulnerable adults, from harm that may arise from coming into contact with our staff, associated personnel or programmes. Safeguarding puts beneficiaries and affected persons at the centre of all 3ie does. We explicitly use a gender lens when identifying and protecting people from harm. Due to the effects of gendered inequality on women and girls, the harms to women and girls may be different from and compared to how harm impacts men and boys. We explicitly use a diversity lens to ensure that our identification and protection uses an equality lens. With this lens, we identify and offer protection from harm based on sexuality, sexual orientation, ethnicity, caste, age, disability or other social or structural determinant of exclusion or marginalisation that increases risks of harm This definition draws from our values and principles and shapes our institutional culture. It pays specific attention to preventing and responding to harm from any potential, actual or attempted abuse of power, trust, or vulnerability, especially protection from exploitation or abuse for sexual purposes. See also our Prevention of Exploitation and Sexual Abuse Policy.
ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Safeguarding children, a process of providing safe and effective care for children and young persons who are exposed to or are at danger of significant harm, is everyone’s responsibility. This is best achieved when professionals are trained in its recognition and are clear about their roles and responsibilities. Those involved in child protection work may range from teachers, medical/nursing professionals, police and social service (child protection agency) workers. These professionals must acquire basic competencies which encompass not only a variety of diagnostic/clinical capabilities but also self-assurance, empowerment, appropriate attitudes /feelings and ability to overcome the obstacles to effective safeguarding. It is of paramount importance that those professionals who are exposed to children and involved in looking after children in the health sector have an understanding of the referral process when child abuse is suspected. Paediatricians have a key role in this process and have a responsibility to safeguard children if/when they suspect child abuse. Appropriately trained professionals should be in a position to recognise child abuse when children are brought by their carers for various ailments. They should also be aware of key National legislations pertaining to child protection. At the same time, it is important to acknowledge the limit of one’s competence and be prepared to seek advice from more experienced colleagues. In UK, the Children Act 1989 necessitates all professionals to consider the child’s welfare as of paramount importance. They are expected to always 9 act in the best interests of children. Health professionals have a vital role in assessing children when child abuse is suspected. They contribute to formal child protection medical examination, arranging appropriate medical investigations (such as blood tests, neuroimaging, ophthalmology assessment and skeletal survey) and/or direct/indirect professional observations to determine how the child’ s developmental progress, physical well-being and mental health may have been impaired as a result of abuse or neglect. They are also required to produce a formal child protection medical report which encompasses all the findings and summary/conclusion. In order to achieve the above mentioned required standards, appropriate training, supervision and support for staff is of utmost significance. The first step in the whole process is to undertake an appropriate level of safeguarding training. This is followed by maintaining their skills by regular refresher sessions. It is not just the hospitals and health authorities but other organisations (such as nurseries/schools, madrasas, residential hostels and leisure/sports clubs) should also have an accountability to guarantee that their staff has all the necessary training and competencies in fulfilling their obligation to protect, safeguard and promote the well-being of children. All of these organisations should ensure that they create a supportive atmosphere where staff is empowered to raise concerns when fulfilling their safeguarding role. Hence, all such staff must attend a compulsory induction at the start of their employment, which should include recognition as well as understanding the child protection policies and processes locally and nationally. All staff involved with children should have regular meetings with their safeguarding supervisors on a regular basis. During these meetings, an open discussion and review of their safeguarding practices should be undertaken. If needed, appropriate support and further training should be arranged to enhance their competencies and to overcome any barriers to safeguarding children. The importance of professional collaboration and appropriate information sharing should be advocated and implemented via child safeguarding legislation in the Country.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
INTRODUCTION
In this chapter, we described the research procedure for this study. A research methodology is a research process adopted or employed to systematically and scientifically present the results of a study to the research audience viz. a vis, the study beneficiaries.
RESEARCH DESIGN
Research designs are perceived to be an overall strategy adopted by the researcher whereby different components of the study are integrated in a logical manner to effectively address a research problem. In this study, the researcher employed the survey research design. This is due to the nature of the study whereby the opinion and views of people are sampled. According to Singleton & Straits, (2009), Survey research can use quantitative research strategies (e.g., using questionnaires with numerically rated items), qualitative research strategies (e.g., using open-ended questions), or both strategies (i.e., mixed methods). As it is often used to describe and explore human behaviour, surveys are therefore frequently used in social and psychological research.
POPULATION OF THE STUDY
According to Udoyen (2019), a study population is a group of elements or individuals as the case may be, who share similar characteristics. These similar features can include location, gender, age, sex or specific interest. The emphasis on study population is that it constitutes of individuals or elements that are homogeneous in description.
This study was carried to examine child safeguarding policies in primary school. Selected primary schools in Lagos state form the population of the study.
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
INTRODUCTION
This chapter presents the analysis of data derived through the questionnaire and key informant interview administered on the respondents in the study area. The analysis and interpretation were derived from the findings of the study. The data analysis depicts the simple frequency and percentage of the respondents as well as interpretation of the information gathered. A total of eighty (80) questionnaires were administered to respondents of which only seventy-seven (77) were returned and validated. This was due to irregular, incomplete and inappropriate responses to some questionnaire. For this study a total of 77 was validated for the analysis.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
Introduction
It is important to ascertain that the objective of this study was to ascertain child safeguarding policies in primary schools. In the preceding chapter, the relevant data collected for this study were presented, critically analyzed and appropriate interpretation given. In this chapter, certain recommendations made which in the opinion of the researcher will be of benefits in addressing the challenges of child safeguarding policies in primary schools
Summary
This study was on child safeguarding policies in primary schools. Three objectives were raised which included: To ensure that children are effectively safeguarded from the potential risk of harm at school and that the safety and well-being of the children is of the highest priority in all aspects of the school’s day, to help the school maintain its ethos whereby staff, pupils, parents and Board of Management feel able to articulate any concerns comfortably, safe in the knowledge that effective action will be taken as appropriate and to support pupils who may have been abused by encouraging self-esteem through programme and through use of online resources. A total of 77 responses were received and validated from the enrolled participants where all respondents were drawn from selected primary schools in Lagos State. Hypothesis was tested using Chi-Square statistical tool (SPSS).
Conclusion
School need to ensure that children are effectively safeguarded from the potential risk of harm at school and that the safety and well-being of the children is of the highest priority in all aspects of the school’s day.
Recommendation
Care must be taken to ensure that information contained in records is relevant and accurate and is sufficient to meet legislative responsibilities and the requirements of these procedures.
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