Types of abuse
4.1 As outlined above, all staff will be trained in indicators of abuse, exploitation and neglect and should be able to recognise signs of these. We recognise that abuse, exploitation, and neglect along with other safeguarding issues are complex and often multidimensional and therefore don’t fall solely under one category. Types of abuse or harm can take many forms including directly inflicting harm on a child or failing to protect a child from harm online as well as face to face both inside and outside of the service as well as the multi-faceted occurrence of factors causing emotional harm.
The four main types of abuse that staff are trained to recognise are:
- Physical
- Sexual abuse
- Emotional abuse
- Neglect
4.2 Types of abuse
|
Type of abuse |
Information |
|---|---|
|
Abuse |
A form of maltreatment of a child. Somebody may abuse or neglect a child by inflicting harm, or by failing to act to prevent harm. Harm can include ill treatment that is not physical as well as the impact of witnessing ill treatment of others. This can be particularly relevant, for example, in relation to the impact on children of all forms of domestic abuse. Children may be abused in a family or in an institutional or community setting by those known to them or, more rarely, by others. Abuse can take place wholly online, or technology may be used to facilitate offline abuse. Children may be abused by an adult or adults, or another child or children |
|
Physical abuse |
A form of abuse which may involve hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning, or scalding, drowning, suffocating or otherwise causing physical harm to a child. Physical harm may also be caused when a parent or carer fabricates the symptoms of, or deliberately induces, illness in a child |
|
Emotional abuse |
The persistent emotional maltreatment of a child such as to cause severe and persistent adverse effects on the child’s emotional development. It may involve conveying to a child that they are worthless or unloved, inadequate, or valued only insofar as they meet the needs of another person. It may include not giving the child opportunities to express their views, deliberately silencing them or ‘making fun’ of what they say or how they communicate. It may feature age or developmentally inappropriate expectations being imposed on children. These may include interactions that are beyond a child’s developmental capability, as well as overprotection and limitation of exploration and learning, or preventing the child participating in normal social interaction. It may involve seeing or hearing the ill-treatment of another. It may involve serious bullying (including cyber bullying), causing children frequently to feel frightened or in danger, or the exploitation or corruption of children. Some level of emotional abuse is involved in all types of maltreatment of a child, though it may occur alone |
|
Sexual abuse |
Involves forcing or enticing a child or young person to take part in sexual activities, not necessarily involving violence, whether or not the child is aware of what is happening. The activities may involve physical contact, including assault by penetration (for example, rape or oral sex) or non-penetrative acts such as masturbation, kissing, rubbing and touching outside of clothing. They may also include non-contact activities, such as involving children in looking at, or in the production of, sexual images, watching sexual activities, encouraging children to behave in sexually inappropriate ways, or grooming a child in preparation for abuse. Sexual abuse can take place online, and technology can be used to facilitate offline abuse. Sexual abuse is not solely perpetrated by adult males. Women can also commit acts of sexual abuse, as can other children The sexual abuse of children by other children is a specific safeguarding issue in education and all staff should be aware of this and of the Coventry Adult Education Service policy and procedures for dealing with this |
|
Neglect |
The persistent failure to meet a child’s basic physical and/or psychological needs, likely to result in the serious impairment of the child’s health or development. Neglect may occur during pregnancy, for example, as a result of maternal substance abuse. Once a child is born, neglect may involve a parent or carer failing to: provide adequate food, clothing and shelter (including exclusion from home or abandonment); protect a child from physical and emotional harm or danger; ensure adequate supervision (including the use of inadequate caregivers) or ensure access to appropriate medical care or treatment. It may also include neglect of, or unresponsiveness to, a child’s basic emotional needs |
4.3 Indicators of abuse can be found in Appendix B.
4.4 If a child is in immediate danger or at risk of harm, a referral will be made to children’s services (through the MASH) and any member of staff can make this referral. A Designated or Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead should be available at all times, but in exceptional circumstances the member of staff should speak to a member of the Senior Leadership Team or seek advice directly from Children’s Service and then take appropriate action. The Designated Safeguarding Lead should be made aware as soon as possible.
4.5 Staff, parents and the wider community should report any concerns that they have about the welfare of children, however minor or seemingly insignificant. Staff should not assume that someone else will report concerns.
4.6 Coventry Adult Education Service recognises that any child can be the victim of abuse and may benefit from early help. However, the service will be particularly vigilant to potential need for early help if a child -
- is disabled or has certain health conditions and has specific additional needs
- has special educational needs (whether or not they have a statutory education, health, and care plan)
- has a mental health need
- is a young carer
- is showing signs of being drawn in to anti-social or criminal behaviour, including gang involvement and association with organised crime groups or county lines
- is frequently missing/goes missing from care or from home
- is a risk of modern slavery, trafficking, sexual or criminal exploitation?
- is misusing drugs or alcohol themselves
- has a family member in prison, or is affected by parental offending
- is in a family circumstance presenting challenges for the child, such as substance abuse, adult mental health problems or domestic abuse
- has returned home to their family from care
- is showing early signs of abuse and/or neglect
- is at risk of being radicalised or exploited
- is at risk of ‘honour-based’ abuse such as Female Genital Mutilation or Forced Marriage
- is persistently absent from education, including persistent absences for part of the service day
- is a privately fostered child
4.7 Coventry Adult Education Service recognises that abuse can take many different forms. Staff will also receive training on the following issues and action will be taken if the Service believes that a child is at risk of or is the victim of -
- bullying, including cyber- or online-bullying
- child criminal exploitation (including involvement in county lines)
- child sexual exploitation
- domestic abuse
- emotional abuse
- fabricated or induced illness
- faith-based abuse
- female genital mutilation
- forced marriage
- gangs or youth violence
- gender-based violence
- hate
- mental health
- neglect
- peer on peer abuse
- physical abuse
- radicalisation
- relationship abuse
- serious violence and harassment
- sexual abuse
- sexual violence or sexual harassment (including peer on peer abuse)
- sharing of consensual or non-consensual nude and semi-nude images/videos
- So-called ‘honour-based’ abuse
- trafficking and modern slavery
4.8 Coventry Adult Education Service will also take action to protect:
- Children missing education
- Children missing from home or care
4.8.1 There are other familial issues that can have a detrimental impact on children
We work with other agencies in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education (2022) to support children and families in the following circumstances -
- Children facing the court procedures and/or children in the court system
- Children with family members in prison
- Children who are homeless
- Children who need a social worker
4.9 Children potentially at greater risk of harm
4.9.1 Coventry Adult Education Service recognises that some children need a social worker due to abuse, neglect or complex family circumstances and that abuse and trauma can leave children vulnerable to further harm, as well as educational disadvantage
4.9.2 The Designated Safeguarding Lead will liaise with the CAES Link Manager for Study Programmes (link to DSL - for Looked After and Previously Looked-After Children) who attends monthly meetings with Through Care Team at CCC who hold information relating to social workers working with children in the service.
4.9.3 This information will inform decisions about safeguarding and promoting welfare (including the provision of pastoral and/or academic support)
4.10 Children missing from Education
4.10.1 Coventry Adult Education Service understands that children missing from education can be a vital warning sign to a variety of safeguarding concerns including neglect, child sexual and criminal exploitation.
4.10.2 Coventry Adult Education Service will report information to the CCC - SEND / MASH teams, the family of the young person, or allocated social worker and Police (where applicable) when problems are first emerging and develop contingency plans to prevent the removal of a child from the educational programme
4.11 Elective Home Education
4.11.1 Coventry Adult Education Service recognises that many home educated children have a positive learning experience and the decision is one with the child’s best interests at heart.
4.11.2 Since 2017, Coventry Adult Education Service has a statutory duty to inform the Local Authority of all intended deletions from roll, contacting Prospects to work with young people who are at risk of becoming NEET, through an immediate ‘home visit’
4.12 Mental Health
4.12.1 Coventry Adult Education service recognise that safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and a young person includes preventing the impairment of children’s / person's mental health or development
4.12.2 All staff will be aware that mental health problems may be an indicator that a child or young person is suffering or is at risk of suffering abuse, neglect, or exploitation
4.12.3 Staff will not attempt to make a diagnosis of a mental health problem unless they are appropriately trained
4.12.4 We recognise that staff are well-placed to observe behaviour that may indicate that a child or young person is experiencing a mental health problem or is at risk of developing one. There are clear systems and processes in place for identifying possible mental health problems. If staff are concerned that a child or young person is suffering a mental health crisis, and is already within the CAMHS referral process with Coventry Council the Study Programme manager will liaise directly with the nominated Doctor and (or) referral to the young person’s GP, instigating telephone consultation, face-to-face meetings, or attendance straight to A&E for a mental health assessment, as required, keeping the DSL informed throughout
4.12.5 If staff are concerned that a child or young person is experiencing a mental health problem that is also a safeguarding concern, they must report this to the Designated Safeguarding Lead (or deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead) immediately
4.12.6 All managers within the Service are required to complete Mental Health Awareness training organised through the Councils Learning and Development department. The Service operates in-line with the Councils Wellbeing programme, supported by a nominated Wellbeing champion, providing guidance for both learners and staff. Help and Wellbeing sessions are delivered within the Study Programme for our 16-18-year-old learners, and 19–24-year-olds with an EHCP to ensure sessions are adapted to meet the changing needs of learners.
All staff who deliver and support on the Study Programme are encouraged to:
- Develop and implement policies for wellbeing in line with DfE priorities for staff and student mental health
- Promote wellbeing, its importance, and the value that it brings to learners
- Have a good understanding of how wellbeing should be monitored and the impact it has on learner achievement
- Use this understanding to feed into the staff development plan for the Study Programme staff
- Promoting and supporting mental health and wellbeing in schools and colleges - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
4.12.7 Further information, guidance and advice regarding mental health can be found on page 44 of Keeping Children Safe in Education 2022
4.13 Children and young people who are Lesbian, Gay, Bi or Trans (LGBT+)
The fact that a child or a young person may be LGBT is not in itself an inherent risk factor for harm. However, children who are LGBT can be targeted by other children. In some cases, a child who is perceived by other children to be LGBT (whether they are or not) can be just as vulnerable as children who identify as LGBT.
Risks can be compounded where children who are LGBT lack a trusted adult with whom they can be open. It is therefore vital that staff endeavour to reduce the additional barriers faced and provide a safe space for them to speak out or share their concerns with members of staff.
LGBT inclusion is part of the statutory Relationships Education, Relationship and Sex Education and Health Education curriculum and there is a range of support available to help schools counter homophobic, bi-phobic and transphobic bullying and abuse.