Protection and Safeguarding in Health and Social Care Adults and Children and Young People, Early Years and Childcare

Know about protection and safeguarding in health and social care (adults and children and young people), early years and childcare.

Indicative Content

Safeguarding involves keeping children and vulnerable adults safe from abuse and maltreatment. This ensures that they have the best outcomes and are provided with safe and effective care, and that they can grow and develop happily and healthily.

It is important to be able to spot signs that abuse is taking place to report concerns to enable the protection on children and vulnerable adults.

Examples of abuse and signs and symptoms should include:-

• Physical abuse – physical harm to an individual e.g. untreated or unexplained injuries
• Domestic abuse – threats, violence and abuse between family members or people in an intimate relationship
• Sexual abuse – sexual relationships or activities that an individual does not or cannot consent to e.g. unexplained pregnancy
• Emotional abuse – threats, humiliation, controlling behaviour, harassment e.g. lack of sleep poor self confidence
• Financial abuse – using an individual’s money or possessions without consent, theft, fraud e.g. missing money/possessions, not having enough money for bills or food
• Modern Slavery – Individuals being forced into a life of slavery such as domestic servitude or forced labour e.g. always in the company of others with no or very few personal possessions, unable to interact with others
• Neglect/self-neglect – not attending to own needs or needs not being met by others e.g. malnutrition, dehydration, dirty clothes, poor hygiene.

Harm can be the result of a responsible person ( such as care worker or family member) doing something incorrectly or not doing something they should. This can be deliberate or unintentional.

The following factors might make someone more vulnerable to harm and abuse, e.g. physical disability, learning disability, mental illness, family conflict, dependency, poorly trained staff.

Assessment Criteria

• 1.1

  State why it is important to protect or safeguard adults and children who use health and social care, early years or childcare services.

• 1.2

  Give examples of the sorts of harm, abuse or neglect that a service user could experience.

• 1.3

  Give examples of the key indicators of harm, abuse and neglect.

• 1.4

  State why someone might be more vulnerable to abuse.

Know how to report concerns about protection and safeguarding.

Indicative Content

Workers need to know how to always follow their organisation’s procedures and they should know to report concerns to a manager or nominated person. They should also know to report an emergency situation to the relevant agency and if medical attention needed to call 999.

A worker must take notice of any signs or symptoms they see and report them. They must also report others if they see them causing harm or abuse.

A worker must attend training.

A worker must know their role and responsibilities.

Assessment Criteria

• 2.1

  State what you should do if you suspect harm, abuse or neglect in a health and social care, early years or childcare setting.

• 2.2

  Give examples of how a worker can safeguard service users.

Know how staff and organisations can protect and safeguard individuals.

Indicative Content

The organisation must have policies and procedures in place and they must recruit staff safely (DBS checks), train all staff to understand safeguarding and protection. These would include risk assessments, care plans.

Information sources could include: -

Social Services, NHS, NSPCC, useful websites:

www.nspcc.org.uk, www.gov.uk, local authority website.

Assessment Criteria

• 3.1

  Give examples of key actions organisations can take to make sure that they protect or safeguard adults and children using health and social care early years or childcare services.

• 3.2

  Give examples of where to find information and support in relation to protection and safeguarding.