Seen and Heard Training PDF

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Seen and Heard Training Summary for Social Workers and students...

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Seen and Heard Training Many young people reported wanting to tell someone what was happening but didn’t feel like they could for a variety of reasons.

Why are so many opportunities to stop child abuse missed? Key research has raised continuing concerns that organisations and agencies miss opportunities to stop child abuse and exploitation because they are not able to make sure that young people are seen and heard. Young people who do make disclosures often choose someone in their family or a friend. But it is estimated that many, perhaps a quarter, choose a professional to talk to about what is going on.

Child abuse, in all its forms including neglect, affects 500,000 children in the UK every year according to the latest estimates. Child abuse is when somebody does something that causes significant harm to a child. The abuse could be physical, sexual, emotional, or neglect. 1 in 20 children in the UK have been sexually abused. Often children who are abused suffer more than one type of abuse, and often it’s not just a one off event – it happens over a longer period of time. Children can either be abused in person, or online. And those children might have lots of other problems as well. Across nearly every measure, and across all age groups, females reported higher rates of sexual abuse than males. The difficulties for boys and girls disclosing or seeking support are different, but equally difficult. Sexual abuse by a parent or carer towards a child or young person is relatively rare. Parents or guardians were the abusers in just 1.7% of sexual abuse cases. Of the data that are available, it is hard to draw many generalised conclusions about the individual characteristics of perpetrators. What all perpetrators have in common – regardless of the differences in age, ethnicity, or social background – was their abuse of power in relation to their victims, and that the vast majority of them were male. In most cases (70%) the abuse was not reported to the police. Almost 90% of survivors have not seen their abusers brought to justice. Child sexual exploitation is just one of the many forms that child abuse can take. Children are manipulated or forced into different types of sexual activity in exchange for something they either want or need. Four of the most common reasons that prompt young people to make a disclosure are: 1) 2) 3) 4)

To stop the abuse To protect others To seek justice To receive emotional support

Research has suggested that sexual abuse is unlikely to be disclosed – and yet 38 of the 44 young people (86 per cent) who suffered from sexual abuse did disclose during childhood; 66 per cent attempted to disclose when the abuse was happening. However, just like many high profile cases, not all of these disclosures were ‘heard’ or acted upon. Young people generally made more than one disclosure. Alarmingly, 20 per cent of respondents continued to be abused at least one year or more after making disclosures. For this group, abuse continued for an average of almost 6 years after the first disclosure. Over 30 per cent of those who had continued to be abused after making disclosures had disclosed to a statutory service such as GP, social worker, doctor or teacher. Source: No one noticed, no one heard: A study of disclosures of childhood abuse – NSPCC 2013 Source: Hear Me. Believe Me. Respect Me. University Campus Suffolk / Survivors in transition 

Young people with ‘something to tell’ can feel a range of difficult emotions when attending appointments or using services

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Professionals need to hear what young people have said helps them to talk

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Young people often feel unable to disclose sexual abuse or exploitation

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Professionals need to have their ‘radar’ on to make sure young people are seen – by looking out for signs of abuse and exploitation

Four ways you can help 1) ‘Make time to listen – and it’s ok to ask direct questions’ 2) ‘When we do talk – take us seriously…we want to be believed...’ 3) ‘Some of us might have learning difficulties ’ 4) ‘Make sure you tell us what is going to happen next...’ Three of the most common reasons that help young people feel positive are: 1) The young person felt believed 2) Some action was taken to protect the young person 3) The young person received some kind of emotional support to help them through the proces

What to do if a young person makes a disclosure.  

Follow your organisation’s safeguarding procedures – keeping young people informed. If you are unsure about whether you should pass information to your named safeguarding professional in that procedure – then pass it on!

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Withholding information that you ought to have passed on might mean that a child continues to be abused. Passing information on where it turns out there aren’t any concerns does not result in a child continuing to be abused. Discussing the issue with colleagues can help you to make this decision. If you are not clear about what safeguarding procedure you should be following, speak to someone in your line management chain. If you can't speak to a line manager – contact Social Care and/or Police directly. Don’t forget to continue supporting the young person.

Keep your RADAR on Respect - Value all young people – remember how hard it can be for them to disclose abuse or exploitation Approach - Show warmth from the start – give young people a chance to build a relationship with you Discover - Be pro-active – stay alert and on the look out for potential signs of abuse Ask - Be ‘professionally curious’ – ask questions and take young people's answers seriously Respond - Follow safeguarding procedures – keep the young person informed and supported...