Gezabel Posted February 10, 2011 Share Posted February 10, 2011 Bit of a random question! I have been reading a few inspection reports and 'safeguarding' seems to be a high priority(and quite rightly so i think!) However a phrase I keep coming across in relation to staff's knowledge of safeguaring issues includes referring to the confidence of staff in relation to "working in partnership with other agencies to protect children." It got me thinking and wonder which outside agencies you consider we work in partnership with to safeguard the children in our care. I am 'off sick' at the moment and still don't feel 100% and wonder if my brain is not working. Right now I can only think of Social Care, Police, and CRB people but must be more and I just can't think!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panders Posted February 10, 2011 Share Posted February 10, 2011 If you open up the meaning of safeguarding to more than just child protection - I would add NSPCC and Health Visitors into your list, then we come into contact with many people to help safeguard children's health, mental health, or their educational needs etc. speech and communication. Do you think I've gone too far? I have always believed the term safeguarding was more than just child protection. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gezabel Posted February 10, 2011 Author Share Posted February 10, 2011 (edited) If you open up the meaning of safeguarding to more than just child protection - I would add NSPCC and Health Visitors into your list, then we come into contact with many people to help safeguard children's health, mental health, or their educational needs etc. speech and communication. Do you think I've gone too far? I have always believed the term safeguarding was more than just child protection. Doh! of course of course you are absolutely right!! See I knew I wasn't functioning properly!! I have worked quite hard to get away from the idea that 'safeguarding' is the new term for 'child protection' when as you say it is far, far more. No I don't think you have gone too far at all I just knew I wasn't thinking straight and there was more! Yet again, the beauty of this forum, THANK YOU Edited February 10, 2011 by Gezabel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 11, 2011 Share Posted February 11, 2011 Also your early years team, and ways that you work together with schools to support transition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 11, 2011 Share Posted February 11, 2011 Hi Gezabel Having moved out of early years into social care (family support) I could not believe how many other agencies I came into contact with on a daily basis in relation to providing the best support for children. If I was to begin to list them - you may never get to the bottom of the page ......lol' I was in regular contact with every agency who the family were involved with or who (together) we felt should be involved this ranged from midwives, health visitors, early years providers, through to services such as housing dept, debt management, Domestic abuse support, and the police. Although a bit daunting at first, I soon became aware that this was common practice in the job, and all are treated as equals. This is something which unfortunately I didn't experience in early years - often finding a hier-archal structure. Having had this experience I now see how 'Networking' should be high on all our agenda's so we are all singing from the same song sheet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 11, 2011 Share Posted February 11, 2011 Hi Gezabel Having moved out of early years into social care (family support) I could not believe how many other agencies I came into contact with on a daily basis in relation to providing the best support for children. If I was to begin to list them - you may never get to the bottom of the page ......lol' I was in regular contact with every agency who the family were involved with or who (together) we felt should be involved this ranged from midwives, health visitors, early years providers, through to services such as housing dept, debt management, Domestic abuse support, and the police. Although a bit daunting at first, I soon became aware that this was common practice in the job, and all are treated as equals. This is something which unfortunately I didn't experience in early years - often finding a hier-archal structure. Having had this experience I now see how 'Networking' should be high on all our agenda's so we are all singing from the same song sheet. Well done to you and congratulations on your carrer move. Would you say that when you were in early years you were treated with a lack of professional respect from 'certain' other agencies? I personally find SS a complete nightmare to deal with and have gone as far as making a formal complaint. It's reassuring to think that previous early years now working with SS will see things from both sides of the fence, maybe you could educate your colleagues on the impact and knowledge we can offer! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mundia Posted February 11, 2011 Share Posted February 11, 2011 It's reassuring to think that previous early years now working with SS will see things from both sides of the fence, maybe you could educate your colleagues on the impact and knowledge we can offer! We do this, we have regualar inter agency meetings in whcih we share the eyfs so that they get a better picture of what settings do, and likewise we gain a better understanding of how other agencies work. We have found this particularly helpful with SALT, physios and ed psychs, and now working more on health visitors and social care. I have found this a real eye opener, and I have learened a great deal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 11, 2011 Share Posted February 11, 2011 Well done to you and congratulations on your carrer move. Would you say that when you were in early years you were treated with a lack of professional respect from 'certain' other agencies? I personally find SS a complete nightmare to deal with and have gone as far as making a formal complaint. It's reassuring to think that previous early years now working with SS will see things from both sides of the fence, maybe you could educate your colleagues on the impact and knowledge we can offer! In answer to your question - when I was in early years we were treated with a lack of professional respect from most other agencies. It was very demoralising, we were often spoken to in patronising terminology from health and education professionals. So it was quite interesting when I changed career how those same professionals treated me completely different in my new role!! I was the same person, had the same knowledge and skills - but was doing a different job - yet almost overnight the transformation was remarkable - Headteachers, Social Workers and Speech therapists were asking for my views and I was treated on par with them, telephone conversations were on first name terms and nothing was ever too much trouble. Quite bizarre! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 11, 2011 Share Posted February 11, 2011 We do this, we have regualar inter agency meetings in whcih we share the eyfs so that they get a better picture of what settings do, and likewise we gain a better understanding of how other agencies work. We have found this particularly helpful with SALT, physios and ed psychs, and now working more on health visitors and social care. I have found this a real eye opener, and I have learened a great deal. How fantastic, I wish our LA were as forward thinking! I know that there are exceptional social work teams out there, I'm just not fortunate enough to have one!!! I have encountered so many issues this last couple of years it's soul destroying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gezabel Posted February 11, 2011 Author Share Posted February 11, 2011 How fantastic, I wish our LA were as forward thinking! I know that there are exceptional social work teams out there, I'm just not fortunate enough to have one!!! I have encountered so many issues this last couple of years it's soul destroying. HOw I empathise soul destroying it certainly is and soooooo frustrating at times. I live in hope of change Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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