Child protection level 3: emergency department professionals study day course

Child protection and safeguarding is everybody's responsibility. All health professionals and organisations have a statutory duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of all children 0-18 years.

This is defined as:

• protecting children 0-18 years from maltreatment
• preventing the impairment of children's health or development
• ensuring that children grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care
• undertaking that role so as to enable those children to have optimum life chances and to enter adulthood successfully.

This session offers a clear, effective way to achieve this aim, meet national workforce competencies and understand what safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children 0-18 years involves for all staff working in a healthcare setting.

Staff will learn what child abuse and neglect is. Signs, symptoms, early indicators and risk factors will be highlighted. The session covers the importance of maintaining a child focus, knowledge of normal child development and what to do in response to concerns.

The session goes on to discuss documentation and :

• current legislation and guidance,
• SUHT CP and safeguarding proforma,
• multi-agency partnership working, 
• framework for the assessment of children in need and their families
• group work with case scenarios.

In depth exploration of actual and potential abuse and neglect in the context of the four categories of abuse, understanding early indicators, risk factors, signs and symptoms.

Staff will learn the importance of:

• early identification
• preventative work
• interventions
• normal child development
• child centred approach
• how to action concerns.

Documentation and report writing for the health professional will be explored along with social context and factors which have influenced policy. Modules on sexual and physical abuse are included along with multi-agency working. Supplementary training on emergency department aspects of child protection. In depth exploration of child protection plan (register) checks, escalation process and actioning concerns on a multi-agency basis along with importance of viewing old notes and notes from other emergency departments.

By the end of the course you will:

• have an indepth knowlege of actual and potential abuse and neglect, early indicators, risk factors
• be able to identify the above early and act on concerns confidently and appropriately
• have a good knowledge of legislation, national guidance, policies and procedures, Framework for Assessment and multi-agency roles, responsibilities and working with a child centred focus and outcomes
• have a good knowledge of thresholds, Child Protection Plans (formerly Registers), working with complexity, communicating with children, documentation and information sharing, recognising the impact of parenting issues, i.e. domestic violence, mental health, disabilities, substance misuse, ensuring optimum outcomes for children and importance of reviewing and re-evaluating CP plans against outcomes and reforulating CP plans to maximise outcomes
• demonstrate in depth knowledge and implementation into practice in the context of the descriptors and objectives

Level 2 and 3: For all emergency department medical and nursing staff. 

Emergency department child protection trained staff.

Susan Barnes

023 8079 8409

susan.barnes@suht.swest.nhs.uk|