Safeguarding Children: Legislation, Abuse Signs, and Policy Settings

This assignment provides a comprehensive overview of safeguarding children in early years education, addressing key legislation such as The Children’s Act (1989 and 2004), The Children and Young Persons Act 2008, The Sexual Offences Act 2003, The Adoption and Children Act 2002, The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child 1989, The Education Act 2002 and The Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims act 2004. It details various forms of child abuse—physical, sexual, emotional, and neglect—and the signs indicative of each. The assignment further examines the importance of setting safeguarding policies in early year settings, emphasizing risk assessment and adherence to health and safety standards, including the EYFS requirements. Finally, it discusses the crucial role of advocacy in safeguarding children, including the challenges and limitations faced by advocates, and highlights the importance of professionals working in partnership to empower children and ensure their rights and welfare are protected.

Early year education 1
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Early year education 2
Quiz 1
Legislation and Children’s Rights In Relation To Safeguarding
The well-being of children and young adults is very important. UK organizations and
other organizations around the world, have created legislation and policies so as to ensure there
is a security structure for the protection of the rights of young children and adults. The structure
of security ensures that there are well-laid out policies which govern the safeguarding of children
and everyone in an educational environment. Different policies have been established. The
Children’s Act 1989 was designed with an aim of ensuring that all laws relating to young adults
and children are less complicated. In addition, the act brings together various authorities and
organizations for ensuring that the children are receiving the required assistance.
The Children’s Act 2004 was a developed update following the death of Victoria Climbie
whereby there was a viewing of the information by multiple services although they did not work
together which led to the suffering of the child and resulted to her death (Broad, 2004 p.213).
Following the incident, regulations and rules were put in place for authorizing services in sharing
of information accordingly to, make sure that there was assistance to anyone under the age of 19
years. Children and Young Persons Act 2008 has changed the care system structure which has
resulted to the act pushing the services so as to provide quick and best possible care for young
people and children (Foster & Norton, 2012 p.96). In addition, the act enables young adults and
children the chance and capability of achieving the same as one who is not in care.
According to Temkin and Ashworth (2004 p.333) the Sexual Offences Act, 2003 covers
vast scales of offenses although it is specifically designed to cover rape or sexual offenses in the
United Kingdom and overseas in some instances. The Adoption and Children Act 2002 was

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implemented to assure that homes which adopted children had the best intentions for them. In
addition, it gives an approach which is more reasonable to unmarried couples and single people
who wish to adopt the children and also provides evaluations for ensuring that the child goes to
their best home. More importantly, it ensures that parents adopt the child who is suited well to
their current home environment (Welbourne, 2002 p.272). The United Nations Convention on
the Rights of the Child 1989 provides the protection of children from abuse, exploitation and
violence and is an integral part in the protection of their rights to development, growth and
survival (Reynaert, Bouverne-de-Bie & Vandevelde, 2009 p.528).
Furthermore, the Education Act 2002 is a designed policy for the creation of a structure
for all people in the services of education and safeguarding them. Therefore, the aspect protects
young adults and children by providing them with a safe place to study. It also identifies young
people and children who could be at risk in a school environment or at home. The Domestic
Violence, Crime and Victims act 2004 protects crime victims by covering many diverse areas. In
addition, it covers new regulations and rules empowering bailiffs for forcible entry to property if
a vulnerable person or child is at the risk of death (Hester, 2011 p.840).
Quiz 2
Signs of Abuse
According to Louwers et al. (2014 p.1278) child abuse happens when the well-being,
development of emotional health and physical well-being is harmed by a person. Various types
of abuse may happen to a child including physical, sexual, emotional and neglect abuse. Physical
abuse is whereby a child‘s body is hurt or put at physical danger by a person. Physical abuse
does not matter whether it leaves a mark or gets seriously hurt since any harm is termed as abuse.

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Abuse includes when someone ties up the child, throws an object at the child, shakes or throws
the child, holds the child underwater, kicks, hits or bites or burns a child. On the other hand,
sexual abuse refers to all kinds of sexual acts with a child and does not refer to physical contact
alone. sexual abuse happens when someone tells “dirty” stories or jokes, shows pornography,
shows the child the genitals either their own or another person, sends emails or makes calls or
texts which are sexual in any way, has any kind of sexual contact with the child, either having
sex or kissing in a sexual way or forcing a child to take part in pornographic videos pictures
(Magalhães et al., 2009 p.456).
Emotional abuse of children is whereby there is a behavioral pattern that is harming the
development and well-being of a child. For example, emotional abuse may include when
someone teases, threatens, bullies, or yells, shames, belittles, criticizes, or embraces, ignores the
child and doesn’t give guidance and support, fails to show affection and love or abuses other
people when the child is around including pets, sister, brother or parent. Furthermore, neglect is
when a child’s caretaker denies the child basic protection and care including medical care,
housing with hygienic living conditions, and heat in cold weather, food or clothing. In addition,
neglect is when someone ignores the child and leaves them alone under dangerous conditions or
for long stretches of time.
Signals of Abuse
Although abuse can be hard to recognize, it is important for parents to be seen with their
children so as to detect any kind of prevalent with the child. The parent can talk to the child if
they look disturbed or distressed and try to inquire what might have happened. However, parents
can look out for other signs of abuse including medical or dental issues which go untreated,

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injuries which are at different healing stages, injury marks having a particular pattern like from a
belt, hand or other objects, unexplained burns especially from cigarettes, or welts, bruises which
don’t match the child’s story or which can’t be unexplained (Staal, 2013 p.479). Other signs may
include when the child withdraws from activities and friends, always seems to be on high alert,
be afraid to go home or avoids any kind of physical contact. In addition, a child may avoid a
certain person, contract sexually transmitted diseases, looks dirty and unkempt, or depression or
self-esteem (Zeuthen & Hagelskjær, 2013 p.758).
Question 4
Setting Safeguarding Policies
Children protection and safeguarding are very crucial in early year setting with agencies
and practitioners ensuring that children rights and welfares are well protected and governed by
different policies. Furthermore, all years providers have clear policies, which specify who is
responsible for approving outings, safety arrangements and risk assessment.
The risk assessment policy indicates that when creating a safe employment for children,
practitioners need to identify or eliminate risks. For example, the falling risk is very high in
children and through soft-landing Matts, adult supervision and turn-taking rules the risk can be
reduced significantly. The EYFS requirements ensures that essential health and safety standards
are practiced (Jones, 2014 p.255). In addition, the providers and practitioners are mandated to
carry out the risks assessments regularly for identification of environmental aspects that are
associated risks. According to Aneja, Isherwood and Morgan (2012 p.496) Health and safety law
expects all ‘reasonably precautions” to be taken and parents to be aware of their responsibilities
in order to create a conducive environment for children to develop, grow and play. The policy is

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linked to work together to safeguard children 2006 act that emphasizes that practitioners must
know their duties and responsibility in order to safeguard children’s welfare.
Early years outings and offsite policy is also in place to safeguard children. The policy
emphasizes that children must be kept safe once they are taken out and all practitioners should
identify hazards that might affect children. Once hazards are, identified sensible measures should
be taken. Furthermore, risk assessments must not be in writing as a senior executive should
review risks regularly and approve the outings to take place. The driver and vehicle transporting
children to outings must be insured with also routes well planned. Furthermore, during the
outings, children should be insured with the hi-visibility vest. The outing policy also upholds that
current pediatric first aid certificate must accompany children when going or on out.
Furthermore, the activities should also be planned on a daily basis in a situation where children
have no access to the outdoor play area. When children are going for out the permission should
also be sought from parents. Early year's outings and offsite policies are linked to children’s Act
2014’s statutory framework for the Early Year Foundation Stage.
Question 6
What is the role of advocacy when thinking about safeguarding children? What may be the
challenges, barriers, and limitation? How may professional work in partnership with other
professionals and agencies be advocates for children?
According to Mosley (2010 p.57) advocacy is an activity by a group or individuals with
an aim of influencing decisions within institutions, social systems and economic. Advocacy is
governed by several principles including accountability and complaints, equality, accessibility,
diversity, safeguarding, confidentiality, clarity of purpose and independence from services.

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In relation to safeguarding the children, an advocate plays a crucial role in obtaining
justice for children who have already been injured in some way and further prevents other
children from harm. Essentially, advocacy helps the children to understand their rights, voice
their opinions and concerns and assist them in making their choices. Furthermore, a child
advocate ensures children access services that benefit their lives like proper parenting, childcare,
and educations.
Advocates have faced many challenges in their efforts of safeguarding children. Lack of
support from the community is a major challenge. Despite the efforts of advocates in ending
child abuse, the community has lagged behind to support their programs. Furthermore, despite
many advocates investing their time and resources while providing community with effective
training and guidance towards a good parental care, some parents and community are still
practicing the act. Criticism from some members of the public has also been a challenge.
Despite, the independent being the principle-governing advocates and other professionals, the
some members of community have interfered with their activities.
Furthermore, some advocates agencies have been sued for the claims that they are not
compliant with UK policies and laws. Insufficient funds to carry out the activities has also been
another major challenge. According to Petrovits , Shakespeare and Shih (2011 p.375) an
organization with insufficient funds cannot run effective and therefore lack of financial support
from government and other human rights have been a reason to why some advocacies are failing
to carry out their operation effectively. Professionals work in partnership with other
professionals has been advocated children by empowering and guiding them to express their
choices, needs, and information. Furthermore, this type of services have been undertaken for
both short term and long-term basis

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