Child Abuse Indicator, Protecting Children's Rights, Recording and Reporting, Exchanging Information

Part 1: Child Abuse Indicator

Task 1

Part 1: Child Abuse Indicator

a.Identify 2 long term effects on children or young people who have been abused.

b.In the table below, identify 3 indicators for each type of abuse to a child or young person. Do not write the same indicator twice in the table.

Part 2: Protecting Children’s Rights

a.What does ‘duty of care’ mean?

b.Provide 2 examples outlining how you can ensure the safety of children in your service and safeguard their rights.

c.Why is it important to maintain confidentiality when dealing with possible child abuse?

d.Why is it important that professionals in Children’s Services share their concerns regarding significant risk of harm with someone in the service (e.g. notify their supervisor), rather than dealing with the situation on their own?  

e.Define ‘safeguarding’ in regards to identifying and responding to children and young people at risk.

f.Identify 1 strategy you could use to help a new staff member incorporate the practice of safeguarding children into your centre. 

g.As Educators and child-related professionals, we use ‘child-focused’ practices. For example:

i.Positive communication skills

ii.Engaging children and young people

iii.Awareness and sensitivity 

Identify 1 child-focused practice/experience you would use to inform children of their right to be safe and involve them in decision making (e.g. help them identify when they are not safe and strategies to stay safe). 

Part 3: Recording and Reporting

1.Reporting 

a.What does the term ‘mandatory reporter’ mean?

b.Give 2 examples of non-leading questions you could ask a child, who you believe is at risk of harm.  

c.Who can be a mandatory reporter in your state or territory?

d.Please list all types of abuse are reportable in your state or territory. Please note these will vary depending on where you live. E.g.: NSW includes Education.

2.Recording

a.Why should you accurately record the circumstances surrounding a possible risk of harm incident (in accordance with relevant legislation, service policies and ethics)?

b.Please identify whether the following statements in the table below are ‘objective’ or ‘subjective’ and why:

c.In 1 paragraph, please write a hypothetical, anecdotal record about an incident that may have occurred in regards to a child or young person at significant risk of harm. Please note that this is a hypothetical situation and all names, ages and events should be fictitious. 

Part 4: Exchanging Information and Collaborating with Services 

a.Identify at least two examples of people or organisations with whom would you:

Part 2: Protecting Children’s Rights

I.Exchange information with about a child or young person at significant risk of harm, in addition to your Director/Supervisor (Consider prescribed bodies e.g. police)

II.Not exchange information with about a child or young person at risk of harm. 

b.What is the phone number and name of the organisation you would call if you suspected child abuse in your state or territory? 

c.Identify two relevant agencies that you could exchange information with to ensure maximum effectiveness of the report.

Part 5: Ethical Dilemmas

Ali 3.5 years and Han 2.3 years and their family have just enrolled at your service. They have been in Australia for 4 months.  On orientation, Ali and Han’s father, Raj, reports that “You may hit Ali if she does not do the right thing, but you are not to touch my son Han, he is the male and should be honoured”.

a.Read the scenario above and identify in 1 paragraph the ethical dilemmas that may occur for you as a professional.

b.What would you say to Raj in regards to the ethical concerns that he has mentioned (in accordance with your centre’s policies and procedures)?

c.In regards to these ethical concerns above, who would you seek for support in your centre and why would you do this? 

d.List 3 possible ethical concerns when working with children and young people and their families (e.g. child rearing practices, some cultures avoid eye contact).

e.How would you respond to unethical behaviour of others in your service?

Part 6: Disclosures

I.Read the following scenario and answer the related questions:

Ashlee aged 4.2 years attends your child care centre 3 times per week. You have noticed that she has been very withdrawn lately and is very conscious of her body when she goes to the toilet. You notice that when she goes to the toilet she sometimes cries that it hurts when wiping her bottom. When you are supervising the bathroom, you notice Ashlee has large bruises on her bottom. When you help her wash her hands and push her sleeves up, you notice she has bruises and scratches on her arm. Ashlee looks at you with a worried face and says “Don’t tell mummy, I’m scared because she might hit me with the broom again”.

a.What would you say immediately in response to Ashlee’s comments?

b.What are your legal obligations? Identify exactly what you would do.

II.Read the following scenario and answer the related questions:

Eric, aged 7, is in your Out of School Hours Care. He walks past you, he kicks the door and says “I hate this place, it sucks”. You notice he is upset and you go and sit down beside him. You ask him what is wrong and he replies, “I hate it here”. You say “If you tell me why, I can see if I can fix the problem”. Eric replies that “Marcy said I can’t tell you”. You tell him he can tell you anything. He says, “She keeps touching my penis and she wants me to put it on her”. You are best friends with Marcy and have worked with her for the past 4 years.

a.What would you say immediately in response to Eric’s comments?

b.What are your legal obligations? Identify exactly what would you do.

c.What ethical concerns may arise for you within this situation?