Child Protection and Welfare Practice Handbook - Health Service ...

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78 Child Protection and Welfare Practice Handbook • Many disabled children are at an increased likelihood of being socially isolated, with fewer outside contacts than non-disabled children. They receive intimate personal care often from a number of • carers, which may increase the risk of exposure to abusive behaviour. It may be difficult for a child to distinguish between appropriate and non-appropriate touching and their right of choice about who carries out such care. They have an impaired capacity to recognise, resist or avoid abuse. • They are especially vulnerable to bullying and intimidation. • They may have speech, language and communication needs, • which may make it difficult for them to tell others what is happening. They often do not have access to someone they can trust to disclose that they have been abused. They may be inhibited from complaining through a fear of losing • services. Disabled children in care are not only vulnerable to the same • factors that exist for all children living away from home, but they are particularly susceptible to possible abuse because of their additional dependency on residential and hospital staff for day-to-day physical care needs. In addition to the risk factors that exist for all children, disabled • children are at risk of particular forms of abuse, e.g. over-medication, poor feeding and toileting arrangements, lack of stimulation and issues around control of challenging behaviour, lack of information, lack of emotional support, etc. Disabled children are often seen as having no sexual identity • and/or their sexual feelings are often not acknowledged. They may lack sex education and/or understanding, and this may increase their vulnerability. Sexualised and/or disturbed behaviour is frequently accepted as part of a child’s disability without further thought or questioning. Disabled children are accustomed to being directed. They are • rarely offered choices or provided with enough information to make a choice. This may mean they are less able to recognise abusive situations. There is a lack of recognition by many professionals and carers that • disabled children are abused. Signs or symptoms of abuse may be ‘explained away’ as part of their normal behaviour. For example, (continued)
Social Work Procedures and Practice bruising could be said to be caused by a child’s tendency to fall or sexualised behaviour may be put down to impairment. It is important, therefore, to check out all these explanations and not accept them at face value. It will be helpful to explore whether the child’s behaviour is consistent with all carers. Practice Note: Communicating with children who are disabled – keep the following in mind: • Planning for children and young people with disabilities should anticipate various eventualities that should be considered at the planning stage of any assessment and/or interview. Always take account of the level of cognitive, social and emotional • development and indicators of vulnerability of the child. Ensure, wherever possible, that the individual views, wishes and • feelings of the child are taken into account. Some children may develop their own means of communication, • the interpretation of which requires specialist knowledge of the child and, therefore, could limit those from whom the child can seek assistance. Assumptions must not be made about the inability of a child with • disabilities to give credible evidence or to withstand the rigours of the Court process. In planning an interview with a child with disabilities, workers need • to take account of how a child communicates. It will often be appropriate to involve other professionals with skills, in particular modes of communication. The onus is on the interviewer to understand and use the child’s own method or system of communication. 79
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Child Protection and Welfare Practi
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Equalities Statement Throughout the
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iv 2.7 Informal consultation 34 2.8
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vi 4 Support and Guidance for Pract
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viii I pay tribute to the dedicatio
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1 Introduction to Practice Handbook
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Introduction to the Practice Handbo
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Designated Person Introduction to t
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Allied professionals and all others
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Support and guidance for practition
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5 Resources 5.1 National contacts f
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National contacts for HSE Children
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National contacts for HSE Children
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WESTMEATH Social Work Department, A
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References Dearden, C. and Becker,
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References NESCPC (2011) Child Prot
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Index A abuse categories of, 10-14
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Children First Implementation Offic
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hazards, exposure of children to, 1
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Q qualified privilege, defence of,
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NOTES
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What is the Child Protection and We
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