Importance Of Safeguarding Assignment 2022

NU4220: Safeguarding
Assignment: 4000 Words
Female Genital Mutilation: Prevalence in African
Countries and UK with safeguarding and protection
Introduction: -
According to NHS (2015), Safeguarding is not only to protect the children from
intentional harm. It includes a wide range of issues relating to people’s welfare,
health, and safety. Female Genital Mutilation is a new word for me and as learning
through it I found it is a complex issue for various reasons. The rationale for
choosing this topic is to know what FGM is and how it affects the girls and to know
how to safeguard the victims of FGM as a nurse. In African and Middle East
countries Female genital mutilation (FGM) is one of the significant public health
problems with immediate and late complications including sepsis, shock, urinary
retention, infertility, childbirth complications, and new-born deaths. FGM is also
known as "Female circumcision" and "Cutting" (Relph, Inamdar, Singh, & Yoong,
2013). The practice of FGM is common in northeastern and western Africa.
Whereas, it is becoming common in western countries due to migration from these
countries either with economic reasons or civil disorder (Relph et al., 2013).
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According to World Health Organization (WHO), FGM contains the practice of
deliberate removal of the external female genitalia or causes injury to the female
organs for non-medical reasons (WHO, 2016 pg. no. 1). WHO held research during
2003-2004 at a pediatric and gynecological hospital outdoor clinic in Khartoum,
Sudan with the girls aged 4-9 years and with the women aged 17-35 years were
found with genital cutting. The report from the earlier study in the African countries
revealed the women who underwent FGM were unknown what was done to them. A
large number of women went through the so-called "Sunna Circumcision" that is
mutilation of all parts of the clitoris that were found to be possessed FGM (Relph et
al., 2013). This was imposed on 10 out of 23 girls and 20 out of 45 women evidence
by WHO in 2008. Reasons of practicing of FGM are stated as retaining virginity,
cultural values, favouritism and reasons related to religion (Dr. Ashenafi Moges,
Tradition behind the FGM) The prevalence of FGM is more than 90%in Somalia and
the second largest African country is Ethiopia with 23.8 million mutated girls and
women beside Egypt. According to studies, 95% of the circumcisions were practicing
before the age of 15 years (Gajaa, Wakgari, Kebede, & Derseh, 2016). FGM is still
anticipated in some areas in the UK even it has been illegal to perform since the
Prohibition of Female Circumcision Act 1985. According to the Foundation for
Women’s Health and Research Development (FORWARD) in partnership with UK
Government 2006, an estimation of nearly 66,000 women are the victims of genital
mutilation in England and Wales (Relph et al., 2013). An estimation of 137000 young
women and women exists with FGM (von Rege & Campion, 2017). Southwark in
London has the highest prevalence rate with 4.7% (Macfarlane and Dorkenoo,
2015). My analysis of these statistics defines illiteracy, poverty, women's belief of
FGM, stern social custom, lack of just about the reality of FGM among women. The
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religion and custom along with the superstition and the culture are liable in
comprising FGM among women (Geneva: World Health Organization.Gray, 1998).
Policy development concerning safeguarding and protection: -
FGM (Female Genital Mutilation) is a dangerous practice that involves child abuse
and violence against women. Protection and safeguarding are required to save the
girls from the risk of FGM. Every NHS organization should have a set of rules and
procedures of safeguarding to help the children and women from the risk of abuse.
These procedures should include the policies and rules developed with the Local
Safeguarding Board (Gibeau, 1998). FMG should ensure the sharing of information
with the agency partners to respond to the child's FGM though out the childhood.
The changes in the child must be identified as the risk of FGM and required to take
action of safeguarding (Creighton et al., 2016). The fear of being "racist" or "biased"
has to be avoided and it must not decline the protection that the professional
provides to protect the women and girl child.
The FGM protection professionals have a legal obligation under the national
safeguarding protocols that are Working Together to Safeguard Children from 2015
to save the girls and women from the FGM risk (Griffiths, 2011). According to a
source, the professionals are teaching a legal duty to dial the police 101 to report of
the cases of FGM if a girl under 18 is observed to be an FGM victim from the
physical sign. The NHS professional should identify the potential risk of the mother
with FGM in the time of the girl born. In the UK the risk of the girl born is identified at
the birth time and measures the safeguarding of FGM (Hodes & Creighton, 2017).
FGM can transmit at any age throughout the childhood that can be identified at the
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birth time and the safeguarding may be placed more than 15 years over the girl's
childhood. This different approach should be identified at the application of the
procedure against FGM. There is a risk of the girls in the family and custom of the
community for FGM (Kimani et al., 2018). The professionals should be careful about
the fact and identify the girls' risk of FGM to provide them safeguard.
History on the legal guidance of safeguarding
FGM is considered as a legal crime in the UK since 1985. The FGM acts declared in
the year 2003 as maximum imprisonment of 14 years for any UK nationals and
permanent resident if bears the FGM practice (Kingsley Primary School; Child
Protection Policy, 2017).
The Serious Crime Act 2015 declared to make the parents responsible for not
preventing their child from the FGM practice which permitted the victim lifelong
anonymity. This duty was applied to the teachers and health and social care
professionals in England and Wales (London Child Protection Procedure, 5th Edition,
2017).
Impact of legal aspects of policy development in relation to safeguarding: -
This study is designed to provide guidance of FGM to apply every day which is not
an alternative for multi-agency practice guidelines (Lee & Deblonde, 2004).
Multi-agency statutory guidance on FGM
This was launched in 2016 to provide the information of the FGM with the strategic
guidance by the professionals. It is difficult for a single agency to work on the
identification of FGM so the multi-agency guidance works together to protect and
support the FGM risk (Magoha & Magoha, 2000).
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