SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN & VULNERABLE ADULTS

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CATHOLIC CHURCH ENGLAND AND WALES CICIAMS INTERNATIONAL CATHOLIC COMMITTEE OF NURSES AND MEDICO-SOCIAL ASSISTANTS
CATHOLIC MEDICAL ASSOCIATION VATICAN DOCUMENTS 1
DICASTERY OF INTEGRAL HUMAN DEVELOPMENT VATICAN DOCUMENTS 2

SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN AND  VULNERABLE ADULTS

ASSOCIATION OF CATHOLIC NURSES POLICY ON SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN & VULNERABLE ADULTS PRODUCED FOR SUBMISSION TO THE DICASTERY OF THE LAITY , FAMILY & LIFE , VATICAN CITY . ACCEPTED BY THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE ASSOCIATION OF CATHOLIC NURSES ENGLAND & WALES 14/03/2020

Elliott Report :Independent Review of Safeguarding Structures and Arrangements in the Catholic Church in England and Wales

10 November 2020 Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse :The Roman catholic Church led by Professor Alexis Jay

CATHOLIC BISHOP'S CONFERENCE ENGLAND & WALES SAFEGUARDING IN THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH

NSPCC REPORT 2017 HOW SAFE ARE OUR CHILDREN

WORKING TOGETHER TO SAFEGUARD CHILDREN 2018

SAFEGUARDING WITH CONFIDENCE - KEEPING CHILDREN AND VULNERABLE ADULTS SAFE IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH - REPORT  BY JULIA CUMBERLEGE FELLOW AND FORMER VICE PRESIDENT OF THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF NURSING -PRODUCED FOR THE BISHOPS' CONFERENCE OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH 

NOLAN REPORT 2001

 CONGREGATION OF THE DOCTRINE OF FAITH GUIDANCE ON ABUSE AGAINST MINORS    

 

GO TO SECTION FOR MORE ON SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN

  GO TO SECTION ON TEENAGE PREGNANCY

  GO TO SECTION ON ONLINE ABUSE

  GO TO SECTION ON MARRIAGE AND FAMILY LIFE AND SUPPORTING FAMILIES THROUGH FAMILY BREAKDOWN

  GO TO SECTION ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE / ABUSE AND SAFEGUARDING VULNERABLE ADULTS

 

SECTION ON SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN

 

SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN - RECENT LEGISLATION AND REPORTS

WAVE TRUST 2013 -70/30 STRATEGY FOR A 70% REDUCTION CHILD ABUSE, NEGLECT AND WITNESSING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE BY 2030

1001 CRITICAL DAYS - ANDREA LEADSOM ALL PARTY UK DOCUMENT 2014

 THE MUNRO REVIEW OF CHILD PROTECTION 2011-FINAL REPORT - A CHILD CENTRED SYSTEM

PHYSICAL PUNISHMENT -IMPROVING CONSISTENCY AND PROTECTION - SINGLETON REPORT 2010 RECOMMENDING AN  EXTENSION OF THE BAN ON THE ARGUMENT OF REASONABLE DEFENCE FOR PHYSICAL PUNISHMENT OF CHILDREN 

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF CLINICAL EXCELLENCE (NICE) GUIDELINES DECEMBER 2009 WHEN TO SUSPECT CHILD MALTREATMENT


NSPCC -GRADED CARE PROFILE ASSESSMENT TOOL FOR IDENTIFYING LEVELS OF NEGLECT IN CHILDREN

ASSESSMENT FRAMEWORKS

DH ASSESSMENT TRIANGLE

LEVELS OF NEED

THREE HOUSES

CHILDREN ACTS

CHILDREN ACT 1989

CHILDREN ACT 2004

CHILDCARE ACT 2006

CHILDREN AND FAMILIES ACT 2014

CHILDREN ACT 1989 Family Proceedings Section 8 Contact Order, Prohibited Steps Order,Residence Order,Specific Issue Order Section 12 Residence Orders and Parental Resonsibility

CHILDREN ACT 1989 Section 17 -Provision of services for children and their families Sections 18 and 19 Local Authoirities to provide day care for pre-school and older children as appropriate Section 20 voluntary care arrangements for parents unable to provide reasonable care for their child(ren)

CHILDREN ACT 1989 Sections 21-23 Local Authorities responsibilities to provide safe care for looked after children in foster care or in police protection or detention etc Section 27 co-operation between agencies 

WHAT TO DO IF YOU'RE WORRIED A CHILD IS BEING ABUSED

 

CHERISHING LIFE

'Child abuse may be physical, sexual, emotional or by neglect.  It causes harm that often lasts into adulthood.  If the abuser is a parent or if he or she is someone who is supposed to represent God and the Church the harm done can be even greater.  Many continue to bear the wounds in their personality, in their close relationships and in their future hopes.  Even so, survivors of the various forms of abuse witness to the capacity of the human person to overcome the pain and harm which has been perpetrated.  God, who came into the world as a child, can still be found in the process of healing, in those who help in this process and in those who work to protect children  '  CLICK HERE FOR FULL TEXT

GUIDELINES FOR HANDLING A DISCLOSURE OF ABUSE IN CATHOLIC CHURCH SETTINGS

Do

Take it seriously

Be honest with the child

Be clear that in order to help the child you cannot keep the information to yourself.

Explain to the child what will happen next and reassure that you will support them.

Reassure the child that he or she is right to tell.

Consult and get support.

Write down immediately what the child has said.

Record the time and date and your signature.

 

Report to the Diocesan Child Protection Co-ordinator and then either you or the Child Protection Co-ordinator must also ensure the incident is reported to the local Social Services or Police Dept . Make sure there is some clear agreement who is to perform the referral to the statutory agencies .

Don't

Show shock

Try to silence or ask leading questions

Keep the secret

Jump to conclusions

Alert the perpetrator

Make promises you cannot keep.

HOW TO RESPOND

Try to avoid asking what?  why? how? when? where? who? are you sure? why didn't you say that before ? or saying 'I can't believe it , I am shocked'.

DO TRY TO REASSURE THE CHILD THAT HE OR SHE WAS RIGHT TO TELL YOU.

 UNITED NATIONS CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD 1989

The State Parties......Recalling that, in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the United Nations has proclaimed that childhood is entitled to special care and assistance,

Convinced that the family, as the fundamental group of society and the natural environment for the growth and well-being of all its members and particularly children, should be afforded the necessary protection and assistance so that it can fully assume its responsibilities within the community,

Recognizing that the child, for the full and harmonious development of his or her personality, should grow up in a family environment, in an atmosphere of happiness, love and understanding,

Considering that the child should be fully prepared to live an individual life in society, and brought up in the spirit of the ideals proclaimed in the Charter of the United Nations, and in particular in the spirit of peace, dignity, tolerance, freedom, equality and solidarity....................Recognizing the importance of international co-operation for improving the living conditions of children in every country, in particular in the developing countries,

Have agreed as follows (54 Articles)

ARTICLE 1   For the purposes of the present Convention, a child means every human being below the age of eighteen years unless under the law applicable to the child, majority is attained earlier.

ARTICLE 2    1.. States Parties shall respect and ensure the rights set forth in the present Convention to each child within their jurisdiction without discrimination of any kind, irrespective of the child's or his or her parent's or legal guardian's race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national, ethnic or social origin, property, disability, birth or other status.        2. States Parties shall take all appropriate measures to ensure that the child is protected against all forms of discrimination or punishment on the basis of the status, activities, expressed opinions, or beliefs of the child's parents, legal guardians, or family members.

ARTICLE 3   In all actions concerning children, whether undertaken by public or private social welfare institutions, courts of law, administrative authorities or legislative bodies, the best interests of the child shall be a primary consideration.

UNITED NATIONS - HOW WE PROTECT CHILDREN'S RIGHTS

SECTION ON TEENAGE PREGNANCY

 

NSPCC PREVENTING CHILD SEXUAL EXPLOITATION

CHRIST AT THE CENTRE

BIRMINGHAM DIOCESAN SCHOOLS COMMISSION DOCUMENT -A SUMMARY OF WHY THE CHURCH PROVIDES CATHOLIC SCHOOLS

 SCHOOL NURSES AND CONTRACEPTION 

LORDS CONSULTATION ON SEX EDUCATION 2004

 TEENAGE PREGNANCY

  SPUC-TEENAGE PREGNANCIES-WHY WE ARE FAILING 

'In order to understand the factors that really contribute to teenage pregnancy, we need to ask: why is it that some youngsters decide to have sex and others don't? For some it may be peer pressure, for others the influence of drink or perhaps just curiosity. One of the biggest factors in the decision is the youngster's attitude to pregnancy. Some teenagers actively want to get pregnant, and providing family planning is unlikely to change anything for this group. Other youngsters are keen to avoid pregnancy. Providing family planning makes these youngsters believe they are less likely to get pregnant and, as a result, more of them are likely to have sex. We are sometimes told, "Young people are going to have sex anyway - nothing will change that". Well, think about the following scenario. Say 100 youngsters have decided to have sex. Now say we were to remove all access to any form of family planning. Would all 100 still decide to have sex? Of course not! Those who want to get pregnant will still have sex. Some of the others will too, perhaps due to ignorance or peer pressure.However,at least some of those who are really keen to avoid pregnancy will now decide to abstain from sex.                                                               

The bottom line is that providing family planning in schools is likely to have two effects. Those girls who would have had sex anyway are less likely to get pregnant because they have greater access to contraceptives. However, the number of pregnacies among those girls who start to have sex as a result of providing family planning is likely to increase, because if they weren't having sex at all they wouldn't get pregnant.

We can only judge the overall effect by looking at the evidence. In fact, my research, recently published in the Journal of Health Economics, shows that increasing access to family planning for youngsters simply has not reduced teenage pregnancy rates.2

Many other papers have come to a similar conclusion. In the case of the morning-after pill, a study published in the British Medical Journal found that youngsters who were prescribed the morning -after pill were more likely to go on to have abortions at a later stage.3 Rather worryingly, little or no research has examined the impact of these types of policies on rates of sexually transmitted diseases.

There are two possible ways to interpret the finding that family planning has not reduced teenage pregnancies. One is that access to family planning removes a restraint on those teenagers who would otherwise not engage in sex. The other interpretation is that access to family planning has no effect on youngsters' behaviour at all. Either way, it seems very unlikely that recent proposals to provide condoms and the morning-after pill to youngsters at school without their parents knowing will help in reducing teenage pregnancies.' 

click here for the full text on the SPUC website

GILLICK/FRASER COMPETENCE AND CHILD PROTECTION

 In the case of  Gillick v West Norfolk and Wisbech Area Health Authority in 1986,Victoria Gillick attempted to achieve legislation through which medical practitioners would not be able to give young people under the age of 16 treatment including family planning services  without parental consent. The House of Lords finally ruled that young people who are under 16 are competent to give valid consent to  treatment  if they have sufficient understanding and knowledge to enable them to understand fully what they are requesting. The ruling is also called Fraser Competence - Lord Fraser was the leading Law Lord for this review.The  Gillick ruling was further reinforced through the Children Act 1989 and Access to Medical Records Act 1990. Professionals are urged however to try to encourage the child under 16,where possible, to include parents in any decisions particularly about contraception or abortion. Under the Sexual Offences Act 2003 sexual activity with a girl under the age of 16 remains  illegal  . Depending on the circumstances and whether the girl was consensual   a male  can  be charged under the Sexual Offences Act  2003 if aged 18 or older engaging in sexual activity with a girl under 16  or if he is aged 16 or under and believed the girl to be under 16 years of age at the time but if the girl is 13 or under it is statutory rape even if she is consensual  .Teenage years can be difficult as children begin to assert themselves as young adults but problems can sometimes  occur because parents do not acknowledge that they do still have responsibilities in caring for their children during the teenage years .In order to know that the child is safe the parent should try to  provide some reasonable regulation of where the child goes and what the child does and where the child stays overnight . Unless there is an agreement with the parents for a child stay elsewhere overnight , in an environment where it is safe for the child to be  , the parent has some responsibility to ensure the child has access to or is provided with  transport  to enable the child to get back to the safety and security of his or her own home. Under criminal justice law and child protection law parents do have a duty to provide care and a safe environment  for  their children up to the age of 18 . Where pregnancy occurs an unborn child can be registered or placed subject to a child protection plan if the lifestyle of the mother ,at any age, places the future life of the child , once born , at risk of significant harm.  MCF2011

LIFE PREGNANCY CARE    

LEGAL DEFINTION OF FRASER/GILLICK COMPETENCE

SEXUAL OFFENCES ACT 2003

GUILD OF CATHOLIC DOCTORS ARTICLE BY VICTORIA GILLICK ON TEENAGE PREGNANCY

ANGELA WATKINSON -'PARENTS SHOULD BE HELPED TO PROTECT CHILDREN'

CATHOLIC SCHOOLS AND CONNEXIONS

 

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SECTION ON ONLINE ABUSE

 

NSPCC -WHAT IS CHILD ABUSE-ONLINE ABUSE

STOP ONLINE ABUSE

INTERNET WATCH FOUNDATION

HOME OFFICE ONLINE CHILD SEXUAL EXPLOITATION AND ABUSE

SECTION ON THE VALUES OF MARRIAGE AND FAMILY LIFE AND SUPPORTING FAMILIES THROUGH FAMILY BREAKDOWN

POPE FRANCIS 1 AMORIS LAETITIA AND CHANGING PATTERNS OF FAMILY LIFE APRIL 2016

 

'The family in the modern world, as much as and perhaps more than any other institution, has been beset by the many profound and rapid changes that have affected society and culture. Many families are living this situation in fidelity to those values that constitute the foundation of the institution of the family. Others have become uncertain and bewildered over their role or even doubtful and almost unaware of the ultimate meaning and truth of conjugal and family life. Finally, there are others who are hindered by various situations of injustice in the realization of their fundamental rights.

Knowing that marriage and the family constitute one of the most precious of human values, the Church wishes to speak and offer her help to those who are already aware of the value of marriage and the family and seek to live it faithfully, to those who are uncertain and anxious and searching for the truth, and to those who are unjustly impeded from living freely their family lives. Supporting the first, illuminating the second and assisting the others, the Church offers her services to every person who wonders about the destiny of marriage and the family' Familiaris Consortio ,Pope John Paul II,1981.

 
 
 
 
 
'marriage is a sacrament or sign of God’s love in which one man and one woman commit themselves to live together for a lifetime. It teaches also that marriage is the best foundation for a secure and happy family, and as such this should be recognised and have a special status in society' Catholic Marriage Resource Centre  .
 
 
 
THE CATHOLIC CHURCH ON DIVORCE
 
'A child is not something owed to one,but is a gift. The supreme gift of marriage .....If civil divorce remains the only possible way of ensuring certain legal rights, the care of the children, or the protection of inheritance, it can be tolerated and does not constitute a moral offence....... Divorce is a grave offence against the natural law. It claims to break the contract , to which the spouses freely consented, to live with each other till death........... it introduces disorder into the family and society. This disorder brings grave harm to the deserted spouse ,to children traumatized by the separation of their parents and often torn between them.'
Chapman(1994)The Catechism of the Catholic Church ,2378, 2383 -2385
 
If divorce rates and death rates remain unchanged ..... For 45% the marriage will end in divorce ...The chances of relationship breakdown are even greater for cohabiting couples who have chosen not to marry' Guardian.co.uk (2008) click here for full text

 

LINKS
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
  SECTION ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE / ABUSE AND SAFEGUARDING VULNERABLE ADULTS

 

WOMENS'  AID NATIONAL CONFIDENTIAL HELPLINE  TEL   0808 2000 247

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE /ABUSE

AN ESTIMATED 1 IN 4 WOMEN IN ENGLAND AND WALES HAVE EXPERIENCED SOME LEVEL OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE  . WOMEN MAY EXPERIENCE MANY BEATINGS OR LEVELS OF ABUSE BEFORE FINALLY SEEKING HELP BECAUSE IT IS OFTEN HARD TO BREAK FREE FROM THE FINANCIAL SECURITY AND EXTENDED FAMILY OR FRIENDS THEY HAVE KNOWN THEY HAVE KNOWN . CHILDREN ALSO BECOME VICTIMS IN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE EXPERIENCING SERIOUS EMOTIONAL AND SOMETIMES PHYSICAL ABUSE. 2 WOMEN ARE KILLED EVERY WEEK IN ENGLAND AND WALES AS A RESULT OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE BY A FORMER OR CURRENT PARTNER

TAKEN FROM 'REFUGE' -CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THE WEBSITE FOR MORE INFORMATION

WARNING SIGNS OF ABUSE AGAINST WOMEN

  • Is he jealous and possessive?
  • Does he cut her off from family and friends and try to isolate her?
  • Is he charming one minute and abusive the next, does he have sudden changes of mood  - like Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde?
  • Does he control her life - for example money, who she should see, what she should wear?
  • Does he monitor her movements?
  • Does he blame her for the abuse?
  • Does he humiliate or insult her in front of others?
  • Does he verbally abuse her?
  • Does he constantly criticise her?
  • Does he use anger and intimidation to frighten her and to make her comply with his demands?
  • Does he tell her she's useless and couldn't cope without him?
  • Has he threatened to hurt her or people close to her if she leaves?
  • Does she change her behaviour to avoid making him angry and triggering an attack?
  • Does he force her to have sex when she doesn’t want to?     

     click here for more on marital rape/sexual abuse ,emotional abuse and other forms of physical abuse within marriage from 'Hidden Hurt' domestic abuse information website

    A Home Office Research Study ‘Domestic Violence: Findings from a New British Crime Survey Self-Completion Questionnaire’1999 by by Catriona Mirrlees-Black identified that virtually all incidents reported were committed by men . 95% of of reported incidents were of violence by men against women 5% were committed by women against men. The assailant was said to be under the influence of alcohol in 32% of incidents, and of drugs in 5%.   Click on text for original document.   Recent evidence suggests that domestic violence against men has increased to around 17% reported cases - crime statistics of domestic violence still indicate  around 5% prosecutions against women perpetrators compared to 95% prosecutions for domestic assault being 

  • THE HOME OFFICE 2010 ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE  working in conjunction with the Dept Health currently states that Domestic violence 'Whether it occurs in public or in private, violence is unacceptable and we are determined to do all we can to prevent it...Domestic violence is any threatening behaviour, violence or abuse between adults who are or have been in a relationship, or between family members. It can affect anybody, regardless of their gender or sexuality.The violence can be psychological, physical, sexual or emotional. It can include honour based violence, female genital mutilation, and forced marriage.' Children witnessing abuse  become at risk of becoming emotionally abused themselves and may also become physically abused  through exposure to domestic violence sometimes leading to necessary child protection procedures to safeguard them   . Although there is increased awareness that domestic abuse can affect male victims domestic violence much more commonly affects women than men often impacting on their ability to care for their children . For more on violence against women and teenage girls click on HOME OFFICE 2010  ON  VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND GIRLS 

    HOME OFFICE DOCUMENT -TACKLING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE -THE ROLE OF HEALTH PROFESSIONALS

     
    'where social and cultural conditions so easily encourage a father to be less concerned with his family or at any rate less involved in the work of education, efforts must be made to restore socially the conviction that the place and task of the father in and for the family is of unique and irreplaceable importance.(72) As experience teaches, the absence of a father causes psychological and moral imbalance and notable difficulties in family relationships, as does, in contrary circumstances, the oppressive presence of a father, especially where there still prevails the phenomenon of "machismo," or a wrong superiority of male prerogatives which humiliates women and inhibits the development of healthy family relationships'  FAMILIARIS CONSORTIO, PART 1 ; 25, Pope John Paul II click here for full text
     
    'The person being assaulted needs to know that acting to end the abuse does not violate the marriage  promises. While violence can be directed  towards men, it tends to harm women and children more.' DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN ' US Catholic Bishops' Statement on Domestic Violence 'When I Call for Help' -click here for full text
     
    LINKS
     
    DOMESTIC VIOLENCE