Supporting Children’s Rights and Entitlements (Higher)
OUTCOME 2
Explain issues relating to child protection
Performance Criteria
a) Describe categories of abuse which require child protection intervention
according to current policy and national and local guidelines
b) Describe the physical signs and behavioural indicators of the categories of abuse
in relation to the development of the child and family/cultural context
c) Give alternative explanations for apparent physical signs and behavioural
indicators of abuse which may not require child protection intervention
d)
Describe appropriate ways of responding to possible abuse according to national
and local guidelines
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Outcome 2
Session One
1. Introduction to outcome – performance criteria.
2. Ground rules for discussing sensitive subjects, class discussion. It is
important to advise students of the appropriate support available if any of them
need to discuss the issues raised in this outcome in more detail. The
organisations listed in the resources section may be helpful.
3. What is child protection? What is child abuse?
4. Class debate – Smacking.
5. True / False Quiz – students should complete this individually and then have a
group or class discussion on the issues raised. This is intended to set the
scene for more in depth look at these areas, to challenge some myths and for
tutors to assess the students’ previous knowledge of the topic.
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In Confidence …
What does confidentiality mean to you?
In this class we will be discussing sensitive and perhaps upsetting subjects so it’s
important that you and your class are clear about what you expect of each other.
Here are some ground rules you might like to consider for your discussions
Everyone has the right to an opinion
Everyone has the right to get upset
Everyone has the right to ask for help
Everyone has the right to share his or her feelings
Everyone has the right to ask the group to keep their confidence unless they or someone
else is at risk of harm
You have the right to agree to disagree
What responsibilities do you have in the group?
To listen without interrupting
Not to judge others
To keep others’ confidence
What other ground rules can you think of?
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Who do you think children might need protection from?
What types of things should children be protected from?
Now sort as many of these as you can under the following headings
Physical Abuse
Emotional Abuse
Sexual Abuse
Neglect
Non-Organic Failure To Thrive
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Class Debate: Smacking
Split the class into two groups – one that are in favour of smacking as a means of
disciplining children and one that are opposed to it. The Children In Scotland, NSPCC
websites mentioned in the resources section provide useful information on this topic. It
might also be helpful to provide students with a copy of the Scottish Office Document
Children, Physical Punishment and The Law and information on the Children are
Unbeatable Campaign.
The groups must examine the case for and against smacking children and debate the
issue as a class.
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Child Protection – True/False Quiz
1. Child abuse doesn’t happen in well off families.
True
False
Don’t Know
2. I think adults can always tell if a child is being abused.
True
False
Don’t Know
3. Child abuse is on the increase.
True
False
Don’t Know
4. Boys are more at risk of abuse than girls.
True
False
Don’t Know
5. Children are more likely to experience abuse from someone they know and trust than
a stranger.
True
False
Don’t Know
6. Some children bring abuse on themselves.
True
False
Don’t Know
7. The most common type of abuse is physical abuse.
True
False
Don’t Know
8. Children make up stories about abuse.
True
False
Don’t Know
9. Children are more often abused by men than by women.
True
False
Don’t Know
10. Children with additional support needs are more likely to experience abuse than
children without additional support needs.
True
False
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Outcome 2
Session Two
1. PowerPoint: Categories of abuse
2. The media and child protection
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Student Task
Issue students with a range of newspapers and magazines and ask them to cut out any
articles relating to child protection. Ask them to sort the articles into ones that are of a
similar type. Ask the students to identify examples of …
Physical Abuse
Emotional Abuse
Sexual Abuse
Neglect
Non-Organic Failure To Thrive
… and to glue the articles under headings to make a poster showing the range of
children’s experiences.
It might be useful to ask the following questions:




What type of abuse is featured most often in these articles?
Why might this be?
What type of abuse is rarely (if at all) featured in the press?
Why might this be?
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Outcome 2
Session Three
PowerPoint: Indicators of Child Abuse: this presentation should be supported by reading
from key textbooks and a case study generated by the Centre that is appropriate to the
candidate’s experience.
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Types of Child Abuse
Physical Abuse:
 is when a child is physically injured
by any person caring for them
 it is also when a person caring for
the child knowingly fails to prevent
an injury.
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Physical signs of Physical Abuse




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

Unexplained bruising in places where an
injury cannot easily be explained
Facial bruising
Hand or finger marks or pressure bruising
Bite marks
Burns (particularly cigarette burns),
scalds
Unexplained fractures
Lacerations
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Emotional signs of Physical Abuse
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






Afraid or anxious
Unable to trust others a lot of the
time
Poor self-esteem
Lacking in confidence
Emotionally withdrawn
Depressed
Sleep disturbance
Feeling angry and frustrated
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Behavioural Indicators of Physical
Abuse





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Withdrawn or aggressive behaviour
Vandalism
Unresponsive to others
Self harming behaviours
Inability to take initiative
Sudden changes in behaviour, eg.
from extrovert to introvert
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Cognitive Signs of Physical Abuse
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



Speech or language delay
Doesn’t talk at all even though able
to
Unable to concentrate
Lack of problem solving ability
Poor achievement at school
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Types of Child Abuse
Sexual Abuse:
 is when a person involves a child
under the age of consent in any
activity that leads to the sexual
gratification of that adult
 this often includes physical contact
such as rape but can also include
taking pornographic photographs.
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Physical Indicators of Sexual
Abuse







Marks or bruising around genital area
Pain or itching in the genital area
Urinary tract infections
Not meeting developmental
milestones
Torn, stained or bloody underclothes
Bedwetting, sleep disturbances
Loss of appetite
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Behavioural and Emotional
Indicators of Sexual Abuse







Hints of sexual activity through words,
play, drawings, etc.
Informed knowledge of sexual behaviour
Excessive crying
Feeding problems
Anxious or fretful about things
Intense fear of the dark
Poor self-esteem
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Types of Child Abuse
Emotional Abuse:
 is when a child’s basic emotional
needs are not being met and this
has an effect on their behaviour and
development
 this can include being constantly
ridiculed, criticised or threatened.
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Behavioural and Emotional Signs
of Emotional Abuse






Attention

seeking
Withdrawn
Telling lies

Inability to have
fun

Low self-esteem

Unable to trust
people
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Tantrums past age
of normal
development
Constantly trying to
please
Inability to play
Poor bonding with
parents/carers
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Physical and Cognitive Signs of
Emotional Abuse






Poor physical development
Illness
Signs of physical abuse
Language delay
Poor concentration span
Difficulties in problem solving
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Types of Child Abuse
Physical Neglect:
 is when someone caring for a child persistently
exposes that child to danger or persistently
fails to fulfil the child’s basic needs and results
in health or developmental problems
 neglect also includes non-organic failure to
thrive. This is a medical diagnosis of lack of
development in a child where there is no
physical or organic cause, such as illness, to
account for it.
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Physical Indicators of Physical
Neglect




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Poor hygiene
Inadequately clothed
Untreated medical problems
Poor nourishment/always hungry
Regular infections
Poor motor skills and co-ordination
Delay in growth
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Behavioural and Emotional Signs
of Physical Neglect




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
Listless and inactive
Poor play skills
Doesn’t show excitement
Excessively seeks adult approval
Depressed
Anxious
Feels inferior to peers
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Cognitive Indicators of Physical
Neglect




Language and speech delay
Poor concentration skills
Lack of basic problem solving skills
Delay in development
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Outcome 2
Session Four
1.
Alternative Explanations for Abuse.
2.
Worksheet – individual research from textbooks.
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‘Dot Voting’
Write a range of alternative explanations for abuse on a flipchart. Read out possible
reasons for injury/behaviour and the class vote for the one they think is ‘right’ by putting a
coloured sticker beside the most likely reason.
Fall in playground
Parent pulling child
by arm
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Give possible explanations – other than abuse – for the following physical signs or
behavioural indicators:

bruises to arms

broken bones

child’s reluctance to say how they were hurt

reluctance to change for gym in front of other children/adults

a pattern of accidents

weight loss

unclean

touching self or others inappropriately

reluctance to go home

inappropriate language

self-harming

thrush.
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Outcome 2
Session Five
Workshop session based on local Child Protection Guidelines and work placement
policies. Centres should have a selection of these relating to all parts of the sector and
their local area.
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Look at the selection of workplace child protection policies your group has collected from
early years settings. Your tutor will provide you with local authority guidelines and the
National Care Standards.
Answer the following questions about the policy for your workplace setting:

Who according to the policy has responsibility to protect children?

Is there a clear definition of child abuse? Write it here in your own words.

Who should concerns be reported to? When?

Does the policy tell you what will happen if there are concerns over the welfare of a
child?

Is there anything in your opinion that is not clear or missing in the policy?
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Outcome 2
Session Six
1. What makes a good listener? A skills audit.
2. Why don’t children tell?
3. PowerPoint – Disclosure.
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Listening Skills Audit
When was the last time you trusted a friend with something really important that you
didn’t want anyone else to know?
What type of person would you choose to talk to if you were worried about something?
How would you feel if you had to go back and swear at your primary school teacher or tell
a secondary teacher about your first sexual experience in front of a class?
What do you think makes a good listener?
It is a compliment to us if children choose to share their worries with us and so we must
be aware of how we respond to them. A lot of the listening and observation skills you
have already and you can practise to improve on these whilst on placement.
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What makes a good listener?
Who can you share any worries or problems with?
What personal qualities does this person have that makes them a good choice?
Tick any that apply to the person you are thinking of and add in any others.









the same age as me?
understands me?
doesn’t judge me?
tells me what to do?
is a good listener?
takes over and tells me what happened to them?
is easily shocked?
cares about my welfare?
is a gossip?
Where would you take this person if you wanted to tell them something that was going to
upset you?




a busy café
in the middle of a lecture
somewhere quiet with just the two of us
somewhere noisy with lots of other people around.
Remember you must follow your centre’s child protection policy – make some notes here
about how you should respond to a child who wants to tell you a ‘secret’.
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Take this mind map and write a paragraph to explain why children and young people
might find it difficult to tell an adult that they are experiencing abuse – remember that
there are different types of abuse.
If you can, make your own mind map adding in your own ideas.
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Supporting Children’s Rights and
Supporting Children’s Rights and
Entitlements
Entitlements
Outcome 2
Outcome 3
PCd
PC4
Describe appropriate ways of responding
Describe appropriate ways of responding
to possible abuse
to possible abuse
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Responses
To be believed
To be reassured that it wasn’t their fault
To be told they had done the right thing
Acknowledgement that it is
embarrassing to talk about
For the adult not to get angry
To get a sympathetic response
To be listened to
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Responses
 Communicate at child’s level of
understanding
 Use open-ended questions but avoid overquestioning
 Do not be judgmental or appear shocked
 Give appropriate reassurance
 Empathise
 Act promptly
 Ensure confidentiality
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Confidentiality
Nobody else has a right to know
someone’s business except those
professionally involved
It shows respect for the person
The person is likely to trust you if you
guard their information
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Confidentiality
A child or adult is more likely to talk to
you if they know you will not gossip
about them
Breaking confidentiality leads to gossip
and misunderstandings
If other people get access to information
they shouldn’t have, then it can mean
the person concerned gets treated
badly by others
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Outcome 2
Session seven
Listening to children
Case Studies: What should happen next?
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Case Studies: What should happen next?
Case Study One
You are working in a busy after-school service which takes place in the hall of a local
Primary School. You do the pick-ups from the other local Primary Schools and have
noticed a change in Jamie’s behaviour over the last few weeks.
What should you do at this point?
One day when you pick up Jamie from school the other children have been teasing
each other on the bus and when one of them throws a packet of crisps to Jamie on
the bus she is very angry and becomes abusive shouting and swearing at the other
children and threatening them.
What should you do now?
On arrival at the after-school group the children separate and go off to join in with
different activities. Jamie sits at the computer and refuses to move when her turn is
over and the other children avoid her. When you sit beside Jamie to try to discuss
the incident on the bus she is rude and offhand.
Later when you are washing snack dishes you ask Jamie to help. While putting the
dishes away Jamie says that everyone hates her and she has no friends. She says
she is not worth bothering about and that she always causes trouble in her house.
She starts crying and won’t say any more.
What do you do next?
What type of abuse do you think Jamie might have been experiencing?
Who might this have been from?
What laws and policies would be relevant?
What should the person that Jamie decides to share her worries with try to do while
Jamie is talking?
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Case Study Two
You are a new member of staff in a busy nursery school. You have been given a
group of pre-school children to be responsible for as a keyworker. This means that
each week you compile your own observations and notes from other staff in the
child’s profile which is shared regularly with parents. While looking at your most
recent notes and comments from staff you notice that one child, Hana has been
coming in later and later to nursery. Staff have all noted changes in her behaviour –
she is quiet and needs more encouragement than usual to join in singing and group
games.
What should you do next?
While trying to chat with mum about Hana’s routine at home she says that Hana is
having trouble sleeping and is also wetting the bed. Mum seems harassed but tells
you not to worry about Hana and that she won’t go to bed before her big brother does
and that’s why she is tired and listless.
What should you do next?
Two weeks later Hana is still unsettled and at snack time tries to grab biscuits from
the other children. When you talk to her about sharing with the other children she
tells you she didn’t have any breakfast. Hana talks about not being able to get to
sleep because of the parties in her house and that she had to put the gas fire off
herself because her mum had fallen asleep on the floor. She says there are always
people round at her house and that they drink a lot are very loud and she doesn’t like
them. Hana asks you not to tell anyone because her brother Sam who is nine has
told her not to tell anyone as their mum will get into trouble and they will get taken
away.
What should you say to Hana?
What should you do next?
Who else has to know about this?
Should you write anything down?
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Case Study Three
A group of three-year-old children have been playing in the house corner when one
of them, James comes to tell you that he doesn’t want to play with Mark. He says
Mark is too bossy and he has been hitting the other children and telling them what to.
You observe the rest of the children in the house corner and notice that they are
avoiding playing with Mark. When he is left alone in the house corner Mark is playing
with the dolls instead and is very rough with them. You see him using one doll to hit
the other and swearing under his breath.
What should you do next?
A few days later when playing outside Mark seems to be getting over-excited in his
play and is being rough in his play with the other children. When he tries to take a
bike from another child and is stopped by a member of staff he bites her and calls her
abusive names. When you take him inside to the playroom and talk to him about not
hitting people he won’t listen to you, swears at you and runs off to sit by himself.
What should you do next?
Later that day when mum comes to pick Mark up you and another member of staff
talk to her about Mark’s behaviour. Mum tells you both that things have been difficult
at home between her and her partner but that they are working things out. Mum
promises you that her partner hasn’t hit Mark but says that he might have heard the
arguments next door. Mark has started to hit his mum if he can’t get his own way too
and she is finding it very difficult to cope.
What should you do next?
Supporting Children’s Rights and Entitlements (Higher)
Revision Questions
Outcome 2
1. Describe what is meant by the term child protection, and why it is important
for Early Years Workers to have an understanding of Child Protection?
2. State the five different categories of abuse.
3. Taking each category name two examples under each.
4. Describe the effects on at least 2 areas of a child’s development of
experiencing the following:





at 6 months being left in a cot in the same soiled nappy all day
at age 4 being deprived of adequate food
at age 8 being shown sexually explicit material
at age 10 constantly being told they are worthless and no good
at age 12 witnessing the abuse of their mother.
5. Give an alternative explanation for the following possible signs of abuse:
 a bruise on a child’s arm
 a child being tearful and withdrawn
 a child using age-inappropriate sexual language when playing with dolls.
6. Discuss the importance of a clear and consistent child protection policy:
 for the children
 for the parents
 for the staff.
7. Assess the role of the early years and childcare worker in responding to
concerns he/she might have about a child.
8. What points should a member of staff remember if a child discloses to them?
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Rights Quiz
At what age can you?
Buy Cigarettes
Drive a moped or a tractor
Choose your own doctor
Marry without parents’ consent
Place a bet in a betting shop
Enter a betting shop
Drive a car
Buy a pet without your parents being present
Stand in a general or local election
Be convicted of a criminal offence
Draw cash out of your bank
Must receive full time education
Bank account opened in your name
Can own premium bonds
Own an airgun
Apply for benefits
Join the armed forces with parents’ consent (male)
Drive a lorry or a bus
Go into a bar with an adult but not consume
alcohol
Join the armed forces with parents’ consent
(female)
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OUTCOME 3
Evaluate ways of equipping children to assert their right to protection from abuse and
exploitation.
Performance Criteria
a) Investigate agencies, individuals and programmes that equip children to
assert their right to protection from abuse and exploitation.
b) Evaluate agencies, individuals and programmes that equip children to assert
their right to protection from abuse and exploitation.
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Outcome 3
Investigation
For this outcome you will be working independently to investigate an agency,
individual or programme which aims to protect children from abuse.
It is important that you share with your lecturer your research as you work through
this project so planning and managing your time will be very important.
As well as gathering lots of information you will be expected to evaluate the work of
this agency, individual or programme so it is helpful to think of some questions about
how effective they are in safeguarding children. It is important that you base your
project on the facts and not just on your own opinion.
It’s up to you the area you choose to investigate so make sure you pick an area you
are interested in and that you can easily access the information you need.
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Examples of agencies – think about some mentioned in your studies so far…
Who would you choose?
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Examples of individuals studied so far …
Social Workers
Children’s Commissioner for Scotland
Police
Doctors
Children’s Reporter
Voluntary Workers
Others …
Who would you choose?
Programmes that equip children, for example …
What programmes are used in your area?
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Take some time to plan your investigation.
I have chosen an
Programme
Agency
Individual
I have to complete my project by _________________. It must be between 500-750
words long.
I will meet with my tutor on _______________.
What sources can you think of to use in your research?
Talk to people, visit an agency, information packs, telephone organisations,
television, newspapers.
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Step One
Think about the resources you can use and plan time to research
Step Two
You must evaluate them as to how effective they are in protecting
children from abuse. What questions will you ask while you are researching?
What do they do? How do they protect children? What evidence is there that they
protect children? Does the service work with all children? Are there any areas where
they are unable to protect children?
Step Three
When you are writing up your project, think about how you present your
information. It’s a good idea to have an introduction, a summary of the work of the
chosen agency, individual or description of the programme. Keep a record of books,
websites used and submit these with your project.
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