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Safeguarding Briefing - 17th October 2022
Dear Colleague
I'm sorry about last week's Safeguarding Briefing. I wrote the text and then forget to schedule it to be sent out! Thank you to those of you who emailed to let us know, and to Emma who clicked the button!
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (Sheffield Children Safeguarding Children Partnership and others)
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) refers to the range of neurodevelopmental problems caused by pre-natal exposure to alcohol. The effects are diverse and impact on the individual throughout their life course.
Government guidance document 'Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder: health needs assessment', says that FASD requires alcohol exposure during pregnancy to occur. As the fetus develops in the womb, it is particularly vulnerable when exposed to substances that can affect its development.
Alcohol can pass through the placenta and spread rapidly to the amniotic fluid surrounding the fetus. The alcohol is removed from the fluid far more slowly than the mother eliminates it from her own system, meaning that it accumulates. This creates a ‘reservoir’ of alcohol around the fetus, which will be swallowed and circulated in the fetus’ system. The fetus only has a limited ability to process, or metabolise, the alcohol compared to the mother, and so the effect is prolonged.
As example of the impact, the University of Salford's UK prevalence study [of FASD] found that between two and five percent of babies in Greater Manchester may have FASD meaning between 619 and 1,238 children start life impacted by the disorder.
Alcohol can have characteristic impacts on development that persist after birth and throughout life. These may include pervasive and long-standing central nervous system dysfunction in the following areas:
- motor skills
- neuroanatomy or neurophysiology
- cognition
- language
- academic achievement
- memory
- attention
- executive function, including impulse control and hyperactivity
- affect regulation
- adaptive behaviours, social skills or social communication
This government document should be seen as a starting point for those wishing to learn more about the issue, and the reference list should be a useful tool for further reading. (See here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fetal-alcohol-spectrum-disorder-health-needs-assessment/fetal-alcohol-spectrum-disorder-health-needs-assessment)
In September 2021, Sheffield Children Safeguarding Children Partnership hosted a FASD conference. This is a neurological condition that affects people throughout their life. The condition is entirely preventable. A clear message throughout the conference was that 'the safest approach is not to drink alcohol at all to keep risks to the baby to a minimum'.
The conference took attendees on the 'FASD journey, prevention, diagnosis, and support for those affected by FASD'.
Resources from the conference can be found here: https://www.safeguardingsheffieldchildren.org/scsp/campaigns/fasd-fetal-alcohol-spectrum-disorder-awareness
Further resources
The National Organisation for FASD
https://nationalfasd.org.uk/
Drymester (helping parents-to-be go alcohol free)
https://www.drymester.org.uk/
Why join Safeguarding.Pro
A Safeguarding.Pro account gives the following key benefits:
- Fast-tracked response to your questions
- Access to slide decks and resources to help you lead training sessions
- Join with other colleagues in the Safeguarding.Pro community
- View a growing catalogue of videos and online seminars on a range of topics
- Live monthly Member Calls to develop and share your safeguarding knowledge
Our next Member Call is this Wednesday 19th October 2022 at 4.15pm. Register here: https://www.safeguardinginschools.co.uk/products/safeguarding-pro-resources/categories/2149313100/posts/2162071174
Prevent Duty: Act Early Stories (LGfL/Counter Terrorism Policing)
LGfL and Counter Terrorism Policing have developed a new educational resource, 'Act Early Stories'. The toolkit is aimed at DSLs, PSHE/RSHE leads and youth leaders in secondary schools and out of school settings.
The activities and lessons aim to raise awareness of exploitation, spark discussion with young people around extremist narratives and promote critical thinking. This new resource hopes to help build staff confidence to promote dialogue to address this difficult subject with young people.
Based on real-life stories around radicalisation, the resource includes videos, ready to use session slides with activities and guidance notes so they can be used by experienced practitioners as well as those who may not have much knowledge of the issues raised.
Find the resources here: actearlystories.lgfl.net
Challenging victim blaming language and behaviours when dealing with the online experiences of children and young people (DfE)
Victim blaming is any language or action that implies (whether intentionally or unintentionally) that a person is partially or wholly responsible for abuse that has happened to them. It is harmful and can wrongfully place responsibility, shame or blame onto a victim, making them feel that they are complicit or responsible for the harm they have experienced.
This newly launched guidance helps professionals to understand that children can never be expected to predict, pre-empt or protect themselves from abuse, and irrespective of the content or circumstance, the responsibility always lies with the person who abused the child or young person. The guidance also offers practical steps to help professionals practice and advocate for an anti-victim blaming approach, in a constructive and supportive way.
Download the guidance here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/challenging-victim-blaming-language-and-behaviours-when-dealing-with-the-online-experiences-of-children-and-young-people
Mermaids link removed from DfE Mental Health guidance
The government has removed a reference to the Mermaids advice line from its list of mental health and wellbeing resources. The DfE told Schools Week that they removed the link as a precautionary measure following the ongoing investigation of Mermaids by The Charity Commission.
Forthcoming Courses
Implementing the role of the Senior Mental Health Lead (DfE Course Code SMHL105)
This is our DfE Quality Assured course for Senior Mental Health Leads. The course is self-paced learning using the resources in our SMHL.Pro Hub. The course cost £397+VAT, some schools are eligible for a grant to cover this cost.
For more details, go to: https://www.smhl.pro/course
Advanced Safeguarding for DSLs
This is a four-session course for DSLs over a full-day. The course is offered live and as a recorded replay. When the course is live, there are plenty of opportunities to contribute with observations, questions or answers. As a recording, the interactions from other people are included and feedback notes that this makes it feel like you are not on your own.
"I came to a session in Birmingham back in 2019 (the day after the GE I think) and it was superb. Today [online] was just as good, if not better. The use of video mixed with live speaking was excellent and goes way beyond what other safeguarding courses provide. You've been there and done it, and your openness with your own story is inspirational."
LIVE ONLINE Thursday 20th October 2022 BOOK NOW
...and available online 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for your convenience BOOK NOW
LIVE ON LOCATION remember that you can book Andrew to visit your school, cluster or MAT to share his DSL course. Please contact us for details and bookings.
Whole School Safeguarding CPD Online Session for 2022/2023
In this two and half hour online presentation aimed at staff in all roles, specialist safeguarding consultant, Andrew Hall, explores important aspects of safeguarding in schools including child protection, learning from case studies and the latest version of Keeping Children Safe in Education.
"In my excitement, I forgot to add our star rating to the Safeguarding training we have just watched. If we could, we would give it 10 stars! That was the best Safeguarding training we have ever had, thank you so much. Feedback from staff has, so far, been overwhelmingly positive…I can't thank you enough."
"I would like to extend my thanks to Andrew for his fantastic online training. It was filmed so well - almost as if he were here with us! We were kept engaged throughout and felt so well informed - a huge thank you. It was a real success, and we look forward to booking you again in the future - with the staff team saying it was the best safeguarding training they have ever had. We really appreciated Andrew's real-life storytelling and the way such sensitive information was shared - it was excellent training."
You book your online session here: https://cpd.safeguardinginschools.co.uk/product/whole-school-safeguarding-course-online/
Until next time, keep safe and thank you for all the work you're doing,
Andrew Hall
Specialist Safeguarding Consultant,
Success In Schools Ltd.
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