Safeguarding disabled children guidance

It should be remembered that children with disabilities are children first and foremost, and have the same rights to protection as any other child. People caring for and working with disabled children need to be alert to the signs and symptoms of abuse. 

Where there are concerns about the safety and wellbeing of a child with disabilities a referral should be made in accordance with Gateshead procedures. 

Children with disabilities should not be left in situations where there is a high level of neglect or other forms of abuse. A practitioner may be of the view that the parent, carer or service "is doing their best" because the situation is complex. This is not a child centred or safe way of considering a situation. Parents, services and carers will need to be challenged in the same way as those of non-disabled children and offered support to bring about changes so as to create greater safety.  

There are likely to be greater number of services and practitioners involved than for a non-disabled child and therefore joined up communication and information sharing during an assessment of a child is essential. Continued communication amongst professionals should mean incidents don't get missed or explained away and everyone remains curious and open to looking at information from different perspectives.  

Particular attention should be paid to the communications needs of a child so as to gain as  clear of an understanding as possible of a child's perception of events and their views wishes and feelings. 

Safeguards for disabled children are essentially the same as all other children: 

• make it common practice to enable disabled children to make their wishes and feelings known in respect of their care and treatment
• ensure that disabled children receive appropriate personal, health and social education (including sex education)
• make sure that all disabled children know how to raise concerns and give them access to a range of adults with whom they can communicate. This could mean using interpreters and Speech and Language support using the child's preferred method of communication; it may mean visiting a number of times
• recognise and utilise key sources of support including staff in schools, friends and family members where appropriate
• develop the safe support services that families want, and a culture of openness and joint working with parents and carers on the part of services 

Ensure that guidance on good practice is in place and being followed in relation to: 

• intimate care
• working with children of the opposite sex
• managing behaviour that challenges families and services
• issues around consent to treatment
• anti-bullying and inclusion strategies sexuality and safe sexual behaviour among young people
• monitoring and challenging placement arrangements for young people living away from home.

Organisational culture and 'custom and practice' can contribute to institutional abuse or harm. Do not underestimate the power of tradition or how poor practice can become pervasive in influencing staff to behave inappropriately. 

Unreflective practice and risk aversive approaches from staff members can significantly reduce the quality of life for young people. Such cultures can also become ideal contexts for determined abusers to manipulate both children and adults. 

Good quality services readily seek the views of young people, parents and other professionals in reviewing their practice.  

Staff must refer any concerns about the behaviour of a staff member, volunteer, taxi driver, etc. which may constitute Significant Harm/gross misconduct towards a child in their care to their designated safeguarding lead.