Child Protection and Child Abuse

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Child Protection and Child Abuse

• Protocols for
• School Division Staff
• 2004

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SCHOOLS SUPPORTING CHILDREN IN NEED OF PROTECTION

• Responsibility to report
• Definitions
• Record keeping
• Reporting
• Talking to Children about Child Abuse
• Indicators of Child Abuse and Assault
• Child Abuse Prevention

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RESPONSIBILITY TO REPORT

• Opening the Window of Opportunity

• Reasonable suspicion of current or past abuse, or
  that child needs protection or might be in need
  of protection, is sufficient for reporting

• Every school division staff must report, or cause
  to to be reported, any case of suspected child
  abuse relating to a child attending the school
  (Section 17, CFS Act 1999)

• Benefits of Reporting
• Shows you care about the child -- to the child,
  to the parent

• Early intervention opportunity to reduce
  potential harm

• Helps parent get assistance/support/education in
  parenting and positive relationship-building

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DEFINITIONS

• A Child in Need of Protection
• is without adequate care, supervision, or control
• is in the care, custody, control or charge of a
  person
• -unable/unwilling to provide adequate care,
  supervision, or control
• -whose conduct endangers or may endanger the
  well-being of the child
• -who neglects or refuses recommended medical or
  remedial care
• is abused or is in danger of being abused
• is likely to suffer harm or injury due to their
  environment

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DEFINITIONS

• A Child in Need of Protection (contd)
• is likely to suffer harm or injury in the home
  environment
• is subject to aggression of sexual harassment
• being under the age of 12, is left unattended and
  without reasonable provision for supervision and
  safety
• is subject, or is about to become subject to an
  unlawful adoption

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DEFINITIONS
Child Abuse is an act or omission by any person
where the act or omission results in any of a)
physical injury to the child (physical abuse) b)
emotional disability of a permanent nature in the
child or is likely to result in such a disability
(emotional abuse) c) sexual exploitation of the
child with or without the childs consent (sexual
abuse)
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RECORD-KEEPING

• Date and time of entry
• Full name and birth date of child referred to in
  entry
• Signature of person making entry
• Any of the following objective data

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RECORD-KEEPING

• Description of injury
• Drastic changes or chronic problems with childs
  health or behaviour
• Direct quotes from child/parent/adult
• Acting out, direct quotes, explicit drawings
  concerning protection or abuse issue

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RECORD-KEEPING
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REPORTING

• 1. Place a call to CFS.

2. Ask for the worker for child protection
investigations. Record the name of the worker,
the time of your call and the date.
3. Give the information recorded on your Child
Protection/Suspicion of Abuse Report
4. Indicate your opinion on the urgency of the
situation in terms of the childs safety.
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REPORTING

• 5. Indicate the expected time of dismissal from
  school and whether a parent is expected to pick
  up the child.

6. Provide your name, professional address and
its phone number, and your professional duties in
relation to the child.
7. Submit your Written Report based on school
division protocol.
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REPORTING

• WHEN YOURE NOT SURE whether a report is needed.

Trust your instincts. Your hesitation suggests
there may be a safety concern.
Consult CFS to discuss your concerns. Based on
their experience, they can advise you about the
need to report and to whom.
Record the date, time and name of the worker with
whom you consulted if the decision is made to not
report.
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REPORTING

• RESULTS OF FAILURE TO REPORT when a report is
  required.

The child may not receive the protection required
and/or may sustain further abuse
The family situation may continue to deteriorate,
putting the child (and any siblings) at further
risk
The educator (or other adult in a position of
authority) could face both legal and professional
penalties
The educator (or other adult in a position of
authority) could face issues related to
self-reproach
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REPORTING

• REMEMBER

Not all adults in the school building may have
had training in the signs and symptoms of child
assault or child abuse. If training has not yet
occurred Custodians, office support staff,
educational assistants, librarians, lunch
supervisors and many other adults may need your
guidance and support in reporting suspected
assaults or abuse.
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TALKING TO A CHILD ABOUT ABUSE AND PROTECTION
NEEDS

• Generally, children display their situations
  through play, artwork, or disclosure at school
  because they feel safe.

• During a disclosure, follow these guidelines
• listen
• convey a sense of support and belief
• do not take sides
• report the disclosure

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TALKING TO A CHILD ABOUT ABUSE AND PROTECTION
NEEDS

• Following a disclosure

• Clarify the childs communication

• Reassure the child that you believe him/her

• Inform the child that you will help

• Remember CFS, the police and medical child
  abuse units are trained in interviewing about
  alleged or possible abuse or assault.

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INDICATORS OF CHILD ABUSE AND ASSAULT

• Caveat No single list applies to all types of
  abuse or to all responses to abuse. Indicators
  should be used as guidelines only.

Activity (ten minutes) In small groups,
brainstorm and list signs and symptoms that you
believe are effective indicators of abuse or
assault.
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INDICATORS OF CHILD ABUSE AND ASSAULT

• Caveat No single list applies to all types of
  abuse or to all responses to abuse. Indicators
  should be used as guidelines only.

Activity Feedback (ten minutes) large group
sharing of common indicators See distributed
sheets from the Child Protection and Child Abuse
Manual(s) to confirm common indicators
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CHILD ABUSE and ASSAULT PREVENTION

• School climate
• Classroom/school rules
• Relationship building
• Programs
• Counselling
• Team planning
• Open communication

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CHILD ABUSE and ASSAULT PREVENTION

• The principles that guide prevention and early
  prevention initiatives are

• Build capacities of individuals, families and
  communities to promote healthy relationships

• Enable people to take control of their health and
  social well-being

• Focus on underlying factors and conditions that
  affect health and social well-being

• Develop policies and practices that support
  well-being and safety of all children

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CHILD ABUSE and ASSAULT PREVENTION

• The principles that guide prevention and early
  prevention initiatives are based on

• Problem-solving at the most immediate levels of
  intervention through consultation, collaboration
  and confidential information-sharing

• Increased awareness often brings increased
  advocacy, involvement and responsibility-taking

• The school is one part of a larger community
  effective preventive programs exist beyond the
  school

• Cultural and linguistic heritage must be
  respected in all interventions

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DIVISION PROTOCOL

• Table discussion

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Because we care...
We work with children. It is not easy. We often
work with hurt, untrusting, wary children with
equally hurt, untrusting parent(s). As
professionals, we need to recognize our reactions
and feelings associated with our personal stories
and separate them from our professional duty to
report a suspected child abuse or child
protection concern.

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Because we care...

• We are more inclined to dismiss our own feelings.

REMEMBER When we have feelings disproportionate
to the event (sadness, anger, frustration,
helplessness, unworthiness), our own childhood
memories and fears may be reawakened -- seek the
support of colleagues. As a colleague, provide
support unconditionally.

• We worry that by reporting, the situation may
  worsen.

REMEMBER No one can predict the future. We must
focus on improving the present situation.
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RESOURCES for children

• Crary, E. My name is not dummy. Seattle, WA
  Parenting Press.
• Daigle, M. You are not the boss of me. Ontario
  Outreach Child Abuse Prevention.
• Jessie. Please Tell! A childs story about sexual
  abuse. Early Steps.
• Kehoe, P. Something happened and Im scared to
  tell. Seattle, WA Parenting Press.
• Satulla, J. It happens to boys tooRape Crisis
  Centre of Bershire County, Inc.

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RESOURCES for children

• Booklets
• National Clearing House on Family Violence,
  Health Canada
• Sexual Abuse Counselling A guide for parents and
  children
• When Children Act Out Sexually A guide for
  parents and teachers
• When Boys Have Been Sexually Abused A guide for
  young boys
• When Teenage Boys Have Been Sexually Abused A
  guide for teenagers
• Sexual Abuse - What Happens When You Tell A
  guide for children

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CONTACTS
School Support Unit
Coordinator of SSU Joanna Blais 945-7922 /
jblais_at_edu.gov.mb.ca
Help for Student Services Administrators Allan
Hawkins 945-2757 ahawkins_at_gov.mb.ca Socia
l Workers School Psychologists Donna Martin
945-5294 Connie Boutet 945-6761 donmartin_at_edu.go
v.mb.ca cboutet_at_edu.gov.mb.ca School
Counsellors Resource Teachers Lorna Martin
945-7964 Roland Marion 945-5563 lormartin_at_edu.go
v.mb.ca romarion_at_edu.gov.mb.ca