Discrimination and Child free essay sample

How current and relevant legislation and policy affects work with children and young people. Children’s individual needs Quality of care Choice of service Management staffing Complaints protections Plan to support child, working in partnership with social worker and adhere to policies. Individual needs are met. To maximise the chance of positive outcomes for children. All of the policies and procedures by which I work are defined by The Childrens Act 1989 which legislates for England and Wales. All our Safeguarding measures, Health and Safety policies and Child protection procedures must follow the relevant legislations. As a children’s residential home we have to follow The National Minimum Standards too and it is these standards that we are inspected through Ofsted. SCMP3-1. 2 Describe the impact of social care standards and codes of practice on work with children and young people. SCMP3-1. 3 The importance of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). Children have the right to; Own Privacy, Dignity and Confidentiality. To be looked after and kept safe from harm. To be able to play and not to be used for cheap labour. To be with their birth family or extended family, in absence of, those who would look after and care for their needs best. Good health care. An adequate standard of living and enough food and water. Disabled children have the right to special care and training. SCMP3-2. 1 The responsibilities of a: Corporate parent. To work with professionals following guidelines set i. e. to put the needs of the child first, seek the same outcomes for the child as you would if the child was your own and safeguard and promote the welfare of the child. Professional carer. To train those who will be in contact with children i. e. foster carers, to ensure the child is best placed/matched with a carer that can attend to their needs, to provide the child with all services required, ie healthcare, dental etc. To ensure child has the best start in life and engage in ‘Every Child Matters’ 5 outcomes. SCMP3-2. 2 What is meant by a duty of care. To take reasonable precautions to safeguard a child in your care from harm or injury by making plans to minimize risk. Use ethics in making decisions with regards to other people’s differing cultural or religious beliefs. Allow the child to risk assess themselves and take reasonable risks as part of normal growing up. Protect a child’s right to dignity and independence. SCMP3-2. 3 The impact of professional relationships on children and young people. PROS Child receives holistic care, feels loved, wanted and safe. Children are never left unsupervised with non CRB checked adults. Risk assessment of equipment ensures safety of the child. Children’s past is kept confidential. Increased self esteem and confidence in child. Everyone works together put the child at the centre of focus, child therefore does not miss out on education and healthcare. CONS A looked after child cannot receive the same bodily contact i. e. no cuddles if child is ill in bed. Child cannot sleep with you when not feeling well or had nightmares. Child not to have bath with you or see you undressed. The child knows they are in care which has a negative impact, they feel neglected. SCMP3-2. 4 Examples of poor practice and unprofessional conduct that may impact on outcomes for children and young people. Not remaining confidential with children’s details/previous life experiences. Not teaching the child independence. Not teaching child self-hygiene. Calling their parents or extended family names in front of them. Having nothing positive to say to SW or in meetings at school etc. Drinking heavily or taking drugs. Not turning up to parent’s evenings and arranged meetings for the child. Not giving the child choices or allowing them to make their own decisions. SCMP3-2. 5 The actions to take where poor practice and unprofessional conduct are having a negative impact on outcomes for children and young people. Note concerns and date details of poor practice before reporting to Manager (unless complaint against Manager, report to their Manager). Use team meetings to openly discuss and any concerns or issues Whistle blow to head of Social Services, Head Teacher at school etc. , dependent on who the complaint is about. SCMP3-3. 1 The professional responsibility to maintain current and competent practice. Follow legislations and policies making sure they are clear, precise and up to date. Keep all children’s records confidential and all life story work up to date. Update CPD and follow all training. Attend reviews i. e. LAC; PEP; IPP etc. Attend support groups. Ensure child has regular dental checks and is referred to a specialist if required for other welfare issues. SCMP3-3. 2 Engage with professional supervision in order to improve practice. See attached supervision SCMP3-3. 3 Seek, and learn from, feedback on own practice from colleagues and children and young people SCMP3-3. 4 The importance of understanding the limits of personal competence and when to seek advice. Everyone has a limit of personal competence; training courses when offered should be taken where possible to ensure that you are competent to do the job and updated in new legislations etc. If we do not understand our own limit, we may take on a task that we are not comfortable with and can cause further harm to the child we may be dealing with, i. e. looking after a child that has been diagnosed ADHD and permanently chastising incorrectly as you have no knowledge of the condition and how best to deal with the child. SCMP3-4. 1 Respect and value the professional competence and contribution of colleagues. I respect and value the professional competence and contribution of colleagues and Managers. All Residential Child Care workers have been trained to do the job they do, putting the child’s interests first and providing support for Young people. Residential Child Care workers have a great knowledge of what children’s needs in care are and encourage/support carer’s to follow their lead in providing holistic care. SCMP3-4. 2 Rights and expectations as a professional and how to assert them. As a professional I have a right to challenge anything I am told or asked to do, if I do not agree with what is being asked or said with regards to the care of a child. I expect my feelings to be respected and my own knowledge to be taken in to account when decisions are made with regards to the welfare of a child. I expect full support from my Supervising Manager to help me carry out my job as a Residential Child Care Worker, using both professionalism and empathy. SCMP3-5. 1 How current equalities legislation affects work with children, young people and families. Child’s individual needs are met and supported. Increased self-esteem and confidence. Additional needs are supported both physical and mental. Introduced to your family allows children to feel part of the family and loved. SCMP3-5. 2 Examples of good practice in promoting equality and how they are effective. Equality and diversity should be a natural and embedded part of everyday work for those involved in health and social care work. With an increasingly diverse population it is vital that we should be continually looking at and developing our equality and diversity training. We should be able to recognise discrimination and identify risks of discrimination. Whether direct discrimination, indirect discrimination or harassment. Understand the potential consequences of discrimination and be able to identify and respond to the specific needs of diverse, children which arise from their personal, social or cultural background. We should be accountable for providing a service which demonstrates good equality and diversity practice to Support the empowerment of children so that they may be involved in their own care and health improvement. Good equality and diversity practice involves communicating with children in a way that is accessible to them making reasonable adjustments in the way we do our work and deliver our services to take account of the particular needs. Understanding the role that cultural and religious beliefs play in children’s services Ensuring that everyone gets care which takes account of their individual needs treating everyone with dignity and respect at all times. SCMP3-6. 1 What is meant by diversity. The diversity is all about acceptance and respect. It means understanding that each individual is unique, recognizing our individual differences. These can be race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, age, physical abilities, religious beliefs, political beliefs, etc. It is the exploration of these differences in a safe, positive, and nurturing environment. It is about understanding each other and moving beyond simple tolerance to embrace and celebrate the rich dimensions of diversity of each individual. SCMP3-6. 2 What is meant by anti-discriminatory practice and examples of how it is applied in practice with children, young people and families. Anti-discriminatory practice is the main strategy in combating discrimination. It is action taken to prevent discrimination on the grounds of race, class, gender, disability etc. and takes into account how we behave towards other individuals. All employees in a care setting should promote this practice in the workplace as it is key to combating prejudice, in doing so they are trying to eradicate discrimination and promote equality for service users, staff and children. Examples; children have the right to choose their own clothes, activities, food and religious beliefs. Their religious festivals should be celebrated and children treated with respect. SCMP3-6. 3 The effects of discrimination and explain the potential results for children and young people Children should not have your views and opinions forced upon them, they should be allowed to make up their own minds and make their own choices in life. If children are discriminated this can lead to poor self-esteem, the child feeling different and not fitting in at school and in society. Don’t discriminate others in front of children or this is a habit they will pick up and use against others; bullying other children etc. Rarely the effect of discrimination on the child can be positive, producing a strong willed, confident adult who was able to stand up to bullies in society and fight for what they believed to be right.