Social Work and Data Protection

CYP3. 3: Understand how to safeguard the well being of children and young people 1. 2 Explain child protection within the wider concept of safeguarding children and young people Child protection is much more than safeguarding or protecting children from direct abuse. The ‘Safe action plan’ is a piece of legislation that is very similar to the outcome of the 10 year strategies which we have here in Northern Ireland. It shows an understanding that children need protected in a wider view of safeguarding and has recognised a number of aspects in areas of protection . Keeping children safe. . Crime and bullying . Forced marriage Missing children . Actively promoting their welfare in a healthy and safe environment. This action plan is designed to work in a more holistic nature and be more ‘child centred’ promoting a happy safe environment for the child, supporting the child in areas of social and emotional wellbeing, healthy eating e. g. Healthy eating vouchers, n o tolerance to bullying. 1. 3 Analyse how national and local guidelines, policies and procedures for safeguarding affect ‘day to day work with children and young people. As it is the responsibility that anyone who comes into the contact of children directly or indirectly have a duty to keep children safe. And have the ability to recognise if a child is at risk of harm or abuse the local guidelines, policies and procedures have some clear guideline responsibility exist to ensure children are protected. The table below shows the English equivalent to the ‘Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety’(DHSPSS) which issues guidance for or four local health and social service boards in Northern Ireland. THE LINE OF RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE CHILDREN OR PROTECTED There is a multitude of services and people who work directly with children and are guided by regional policies such as professional nurses, doctors, social workers. Teachers, classroom assistants and education officers. Also those who offer leisure activities such as football coaches, piano teachers, drama club leaders etc. all of which will need to be familiar with their settings/ organisations policy and procedures. The policy and procedures in my setting is also based on the guidance of the DHSPSS. It is made available for all in the setting to be made aware of and to know how to follow. Each setting including my own has a flow chart of steps to follow in the case of suspected abuse. ( please see copy of flow chart attached. The guidance in my setting are clear and if I had to report an incident of suspected abuse I would know who and how to report this. By following the flow chart guidelines I would be able to do the above in a professional manor keeping the child’s best interest foremost. 1. 5 Explain how the processes used by own work setting or service comply with legislation that cover data protection, information handling and sha ring. My organisation and myself understand that data protection is a legal legislation where the information held on service users must be kept safe, must be accurate, kept up to date and used only as needed. In my work setting data protection is held very highly as the information held in the setting about service users may be of a very sensitive nature and not for public knowledge. Staff are required to complete mandatory training on confidentiality, and are aware of the consequences if they breach the policies and procedures of the organisation regarding data protection and confidentiality. As all information on a service user is covered by the data protection/ confidentiality policies there are times when this information can not be kept secret e. g. when abuse is suspected. There is procedures set up to pass this information on but keeping it to a need to know bases. E. g. designated child protection officer who will then pass it on to the appropriate organisations. Social worker, police etc. CYP3. 3 LO 1. 1-5 Department of Education- overall responsibility for safeguarding and child protection in England Issue statutory and non statutory guidance to local authorities Local authorities – use guidance to produce procedures for services and practitioners Services use basis for their own polices and procedures.