# data[].attributes.body
The 1989 Children's Act sets out legal responsibilities for social workers. Under this Act, the welfare of the child is paramount and social workers are given adequate powers to protect children from significant harm.

Guidance from WTTSC 2018 states that Social workers have a duty to investigate and abide by legislation using their powers to enforce their investigations and inquiries

A child under 13 is not legally capable of consenting to sexual activity. Any offence under the Sexual Offences Act 2003 involving a child under 13 is very serious and should be taken to indicate significant harm to the child.

Cases involving under 13s should always be discussed with a designated child protection lead in the organisation. Under the Sexual Offences Act, penetrative sex with a child under 13 is classed as rape. Where a practitioner is concerned that a child is involved with penetrative sex, or other intimate sexual activity, there will always be reasonable cause to suspect that a child, whether girl or boy, is suffering or is likely to suffer Significant Harm.

Within this age range, the younger the child, the stronger the presumption must be that sexual activity will be a matter for concern. Practitioners should discuss their concerns with their designated safeguarding children professional and subsequently with other agencies as required. Where confidentiality needs to be preserved, a discussion can still take place without identifying the child.

# data[].attributes.headline
Threshold and timeline for Assessment under Section 47

# data[].attributes.subject
Threshold and timeline for Assessment under Section 47

# data[].attributes.body
Section 47 is initiated when information gathered during a contact, referral or an assessment results in the social worker suspecting that the child is suffering or likely to suffer significant harm, A strategy discussion meeting should be held to decide whether to initiate enquiries under section 47 of the children act 1989. As a minimum the strategy discussion should involve Police and Health colleagues within 1 working day of child protection concerns being identified.

Timeline of Section 47 enquiry:

-Assessment commences at the point of referral
-The single assessment must be completed within 45 working days
-The outcome of the enquiry under section 47 must be concluded and have manager signoff within 15 working days
-if an initial Child Protection Conference is required, the Section 47 document should be ready for sign off on the 10th working day as the conference must be held within 15 working days of the strategy meeting
-A report for the Initial Child protection conference must be shared with the family at least 48hrs prior to the conference

# data[].attributes.body
Here is our chronology of the family.

# data[].attributes.body
Here is our genogram of the family.

# data[].attributes.body
The Children Act 1989 states that a child's race and culture must be considered in planning social work intervention. However, there are no guidelines on how social workers should address the particular needs of Black children, or indeed what these needs are likely to be.
It is therefore important that as Social workers we familiarise ourselves with the child cultural heritage and adopt practices that consider these as we conduct assessments, direct work and interactions with chilldren.

# data[].attributes.body
(Vizard and Tranter, 1988; cited in Bentovim, Gray , Pizzey,2019)
Physical indicators:
- Physical abuse that is assicoated with patterns of bruising in the genital region, burns and serious injuries
- Pregnancy
- Urinary tract infections
- Sexually transmitted diseases

Psychosomatic indicators:
- Eating disorders
- Bedwetting
- Headaches, migraines

Behavioural indicators:
Preschool
- Clingy, delayed development
- Aggression
- Sexually explicit play
- Sleep disturbance
- Withdrawn
Middle years
- Sexualised play
- Sexually explicit drawing or sexual precocity
- Poor school performance
-  Having secrets
- Mute
- Anxiety, depression, anger
- Self- mutilation
Teenagers
- Anxiety, anger, depression
- Truancy, running away
- Suicide
- Solvent, alcohol, drug abuse
- Sexually precocious
- Self destructive behaviour

Social indicators:
- Concerns by parents or third party, sibling, relative or friend of abused child of known offender in close contact with child.

in Bentovim, Gray , Pizzey

# data[].attributes.headline
The stages of the process of safeguarding children where there are concerns about sexual abuse (Bentovim et al, 2017). 

# data[].attributes.subject
The stages of the process of safeguarding children where there are concerns about sexual abuse (Bentovim et al, 2017). 

# data[].attributes.body
Stage 1: Consider the referral and the aims of the assessment
Stage 2: Gather assessment information the child's developmental needs, parenting capacity and family and environmental factors.
Stage 3: Organise the information using the Assessment Framework and a chronology.
Stage 4: Analyse the patterns of strengths and difficulties.
Stage 5: Make judgements based on a systemic analysis
Stage 6: Make decisions and a develop a plan of intervention
Stage 7: Implement the plan of intervention, monitor and review progress.

# data[].attributes.headline
An outline of the emotional impact of the work and summary of response relating to practitioner self-care and well-being. 

# data[].attributes.subject
An outline of the emotional impact of the work and summary of response relating to practitioner self-care and well-being. 

# data[].attributes.body
A report conducted in2016 by the NSPCC  which interviewed social workers, managers, and safeguarding board chairs in six English councils – highlighted that a social worker’s confidence to deal with these issues is affected by their access to training, supervision, peer and managerial support, and previous experience of managing cases of child sexual abuse (CSA).

Emotional resilience is important for social workers given the high rates of burnout and stress leading to problems with staff retention and turnover (McFadden, Mallet, and Leiter, 2018; Ravalier and Boichat, 2018). Emotional resilience is thought to be common (Masten, 2001) and is not only observed in ‘rare and exceptionally healthy individuals’ (Bonanno, 2004). There is broad consensus that it involves positive adaptation to or coping with adversity. A popular metaphor for resilience is ‘bouncing back’ (Grant and Kinman, 2013; Rajan-Rankin, 2014). This suggests that resilience involves recovery from adverse situations; usual emotional functioning may be disrupted but recovery is quick and complete (Tugade and Frederickson, 2004). Conversely, others suggest that it is not about recovery but about the ‘ability to maintain a stable equilibrium’ (Bonanno, 2004). Yousef and Luthans combine the notions of recovery and stability somewhat in suggesting that resilience concerns ‘reactive recovery’ following an adverse event alongside ‘proactive learning and growth through conquering challenges’ (2007), which enables greater coping capacity in the future. Although post-traumatic stress can occur following an adverse event, so too can post-traumatic growth (Fletcher and Sarker, 2013).

# data[].attributes.headline
A summary of some of the key knowledge/research underpinning your decision-making. 

# data[].attributes.subject
A summary of some of the key knowledge/research underpinning your decision-making. 

# data[].attributes.body
Sexual abuse and exploitation of a child or young person involves an imbalance of power. An assessment should seek to identify possible power imbalances within a relationship. These can result from differences in size, age, material wealth and/or psychological, social and physical development. In addition gender, sexuality, race and levels of sexual knowledge can be used to exert power.

Some children display knowledge and interests that are inappropriate to their age e.g. wanting to engage school age playmates in sexual intercourse or oral-genital contact. Some children who have been victimized, especially adolescent boys, or even younger children, become sexually aggressive and victimize their peers or younger children (Finkelhor and Brown, 1985)

There is no single explanation or casual factor for sexual abuse of children within in the family context. There have been a variety of contruibutig factors that have  been put forward but the research is limited and often dependent on the accounts of the perpetrators. It is important to treat these accounts castiuosluy as preprators may use them to justify their actions rather than explaining their behaviour.

A chaotic family environment and a failure to maintain boundaries between parents, partners and children of different ages can all contribute to a context in which children are unprotected.

A family context of emotional abuse and neglect may create a situation where the emtional and physical needs of the child are not met, creating a vulnerability to being groomed and sexaully abused within the family or by a trusted member of the family.

# data[].attributes.headline
An outline of the issues, dilemmas and uncertainties influencing the actions that we took as a group

# data[].attributes.subject
An outline of the issues, dilemmas and uncertainties influencing the actions that we took as a group

# data[].attributes.body
-Whether we would be able to uncover enough information regarding any sexual abuse during the intial meeting
-Would the family be willing to engage with the social worker's?

# data[].attributes.headline
A summary of the skills and knowledge you utilized for communicating and engaging with the children;

# data[].attributes.subject
A summary of the skills and knowledge you utilized for communicating and engaging with the children;

# data[].attributes.body
-According to research, children may attempt to display signs to disclose CSA that they hope an adult (whom they have a relationship with) will react to
- Whenever a child reports that they are suffering or have suffered significant harm through abuse or neglect, or have caused or are causing physical or sexual harm to others, the initial response from all professionals should be limited to listening carefully to what the child says to:

Clarify the concerns;

Offer re-assurance about how the child will be kept safe;

Explain what action will be taken and within what timeframe.

- The child must not be pressed for information, led or cross-examined or given false assurances of absolute confidentiality, as this could prejudice police investigations, especially in cases of sexual abuse.

If the child can understand the significance and consequences of making a referral to LA children's social care, they should be asked their view.

However, it should be explained to the child that whilst their view will be taken into account, the professional has a responsibility to take whatever action is required to ensure the child's safety and the safety of other children.

A child centred approach - getting to know the child, building a relationship, conveying hope, understanding how children feel and setting goals - sets the scene for a detailed assessment.

Safety Planning with the children regarding Sexual Abuse

http://www.socialworkerstoolbox.com/sexual-safety-plan-child-carer/
http://www.socialworkerstoolbox.com/careageous-kids-keeping-your-body-safe-colouring-workbook/

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Free Social Work Tools and Resources: SocialWorkersToolbox.com

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
This agreement is designed to keep everyone safe in a child's family or facility. It lists the rules for living together safely in their family, for respecting the rights, boundaries, and comfort level of others, and for ensuring the personal safety of everyone.
Click here to view/download

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Sexual safety plan template - child & carer - Free Social Work Tools and Resources: SocialWorkersToolbox.com

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This agreement is designed to keep everyone safe in a child's family or facility. It lists the rules for living together safely in their family, for respecting the rights, boundaries, and comfort level of others, and for ensuring the personal safety of everyone. Click here...