The responsibilities of early years and childcare workers in safeguarding

Cyfrifoldebau gweithwyr y blynyddoedd cynnar a gofal plant ym maes diogelu

Doctor and child

According to the All Wales Child Protection Procedures 2008 every individual who comes into contact with children, young people and their families/carers or who works with them or with adults who may pose a danger to children, or those responsible for arranging services for children and/or adults should:

  • understand their role and responsibilities in terms of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children
  • be familiar with and adhere to their organisation's guidelines and protocols on safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and know who to contact within their organisation to report concerns about the welfare of a child
  • be alert to the indicators of abuse and neglect
  • be able to access the All Wales Child Protection Procedures easily and comply with them
  • understand the principles and work practices in 'Safeguarding Children: Working Together Under the Children Act 2004’
  • be trained in the area of child protection to a standard consistent with the job and its responsibilities
  • know when and how to refer any concerns about child abuse and neglect to social services or the police
  • know that a child, parent/carer, carer, relative or member of the public expressing concern about the welfare of a child to a professional should not be advised to refer themselves to social services or the police. The professional and/or those working for an agency must make the referral.

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Early years and childcare workers have a responsibility to know about the relevant agencies in safeguarding in order to be able to refer successfully. Agencies and professionals have specific roles and responsibilities in safeguarding.

Agencies

Social services have statutory (legal) duties and responsibilities to provide services for vulnerable children and their families/carers. This may be because parents/carers are having difficulty caring for their children. Social services work closely with children, their parents/carers, relatives and other carers to find the best solution. The goal is to keep families together wherever possible. Local authorities have a legal responsibility to look after children who are unable to live with their close family/carers for reasons such as illness, neglect or abuse. In such situations, they arrange for children and young people to live with family/carers, friends or foster carers.

Teachers and early years and childcare childcare workers have a responsibility for the education and welfare of children and young people. They can observe children and young people closely and act on any concerns about their health, safety, or welfare. All staff working with children and young people should be trained to safeguard and protect children.

Local authorities should ensure that a senior officer in the local authority's education department has responsibility for safeguarding in education, with particular attention on child protection.

The police have a legal responsibility to work with other agencies, such as the local authority, health care professionals and schools to safeguard children. This includes sharing information kept by the police which is relevant to protecting children from harm. The police will investigate offences such as physical assaults, sexual assaults and child neglect.

Health visitors are responsible for the health and development of children under five years old. Health visitors have an important role in working with other organisations to safeguard and protect children. They are trained to recognise the risk factors and signs of abuse and neglect. Health visitors are often the first to identify children who are suffering neglect and harm or who are at risk of harm, and know if appropriate action needs to be taken to safeguard them.

A GP may note concerns about the safety of a child during surgery appointments. GPs are responsible for the general health of their patients and are often the first people to identify possible abuse. Doctors should work with parents/carers and families/carers to ensure that children and young people have the care and support they need. Therefore it is essential that all doctors are confident to take the appropriate action if they believe a child or young person may be suffering abuse or neglect.

A child psychology service can support children who have been abused. The Education Psychology Service can work with children and young people to support their development, welfare, resilience, learning and achievement. They can provide support with counselling sessions where the psychologist and the child speak together to discuss problems. The psychologist can use techniques including learning materials or visual aids to try and encourage a response from the child.

The Youth Justice Service is a partnership between agencies (police, health service and probation service) and the council. It is responsible for providing a youth justice service for children and young people between the ages of 10 and 18 years old. It works with young people and their families/carers who have been referred by the police and who are undergoing a court process, under supervision as part of the sentence, because of antisocial behaviour or because they have been identified as those who might offend. The Youth Justice Service aims to ensure that the needs of victims are met, that young people take responsibility for their behaviour and that parents/carers take responsibility for their children. It also aims to ensure that it takes advantage of opportunities to prevent youth offending.

The probation service is responsible for the supervision of offenders and informing social services if there is a concern about the safety of a child living in the same house as an offender. By working with offenders to challenge their offending behaviour and improve their lifestyle, and by providing relevant information to agencies, Probation Officers endeavour to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.

Flying Start is a Welsh Government project working with young children in order to improve their skills and prepare them for school, as well as preparing them for life in general. Flying Start also provides additional support to parents/carers to help them as their child grows and develops. Flying Start Health Visitors provide an intensive health visiting service to all qualifying families/carers, and with the support of Health Visiting Support Workers they can visit families/carers more often and provide one-to-one support in the home. Parents/carers who live in Flying Start areas are supported further by being given the opportunity to attend parenting programmes, with the aim of giving them the skills to bring up their children effectively.

The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) is the organisation which protects children and young people and prevents abuse. It offers a service which listens to the voice of children and also supports families/carers. The goal of the NSPCC is to prevent abuse by working with vulnerable children and their families/carers.

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Yn ôl Canllawiau Amddiffyn Plant Cymru Gyfan 2008 fe ddylai pob unigolyn sy’n dod i gysylltiad â phlant, pobl ifanc a’u teuluoedd/gofalwyr neu sy’n gweithio gyda nhw neu gydag oedolion a allai achosi perygl i blant, neu rai sy’n gyfrifol am drefnu gwasanaethau ar gyfer plant a/neu oedolion:

  • ddeall ei rôl a’i gyfrifoldebau o ran diogelu a hybu lles plant
  • ymgyfarwyddo â chanllawiau a phrotocolau eu sefydliad o ran diogelu a hybu lles plant, eu dilyn, a gwybod â phwy yn eu sefydliad sydd angen cysylltu â nhw er mwyn adrodd pryderon am les plentyn
  • bod yn effro i ddangosyddion camdriniaeth ac esgeulustod
  • allu mynd yn rhwydd at Ganllawiau Amddiffyn Plant Cymru Gyfan, a chydymffurfio â nhw
  • ddeall yr egwyddorion a’r arferion gwaith sydd yn ‘Diogelu Plant: Gweithio gyda’n Gilydd dan Ddeddf Plant 2004’
  • wedi cael ei hyfforddi ym maes amddiffyn plant i safon sy’n gyson i’r swydd a’i gyfrifoldebau
  • wybod pryd a sut i gyfeirio unrhyw bryderon ynglŷn â cham-drin plant ac esgeulustod at y gwasanaethau cymdeithasol neu’r heddlu
  • wybod na ddylai plentyn, rhiant/gofalwr, un sy’n rhoi gofal, perthynas neu aelod o’r cyhoedd sy’n mynegi pryder am les plentyn wrth weithiwr proffesiynol gael ei gynghori i atgyfeirio’i hun at y gwasanaethau cymdeithasol neu’r heddlu. Rhaid i’r gweithiwr proffesiynol a/neu’r sawl sy’n gweithio i asiantaeth wneud yr atgyfeiriad.

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Mae cyfrifoldeb gan weithwyr y blynyddoedd cynnar a gofal plant i wybod am asiantaethau perthnasol ym maes diogelu er mwyn gallu atgyfeirio’n llwyddiannus. Mae gan asiantaethau a gweithwyr proffesiynol rolau a chyfrifoldebau penodol o ran diogelu plant.

Asiantaethau

Mae gan wasanaethau cymdeithasol ddyletswyddau a chyfrifoldebau statudol (cyfreithiol) i ddarparu gwasanaethau ar gyfer plant bregus a’u teuluoedd/gofalwyr. Gall hyn fod oherwydd bod rhieni/gofalwyr yn cael trafferth i ofalu am eu plant. Mae gwasanaethau cymdeithasol yn gweithio'n agos gyda phlant, eu rhieni/gofalwyr, perthnasau a gofalwyr eraill er mwyn darganfod yr ateb gorau. Y nod yw cadw teuluoedd/gofalwyr gyda'i gilydd pan fo hynny'n bosib. Mae gan awdurdodau lleol gyfrifoldeb cyfreithiol i edrych ar ôl plant nad ydynt yn gallu byw gyda'u teulu/gofalwyr agosaf am resymau megis salwch, esgeulustod neu gamdriniaeth. Mewn sefyllfaoedd fel hyn, maent yn trefnu i blant a phobl ifanc fyw gyda theulu, ffrindiau neu ofalwyr maeth.

Mae gan athrawon ac gweithwyr gofal plant y blynyddoedd cynnar a gofal plant gyfrifoldeb am addysg a lles plant a phobl ifanc. Gallant arsylwi plant a phobl ifanc yn agos a gweithredu ar unrhyw bryderon am eu hiechyd, diogelwch, neu les. Dylai'r holl staff sy'n gweithio gyda phlant a phobl ifanc gael eu hyfforddi er mwyn gallu diogelu ac amddiffyn plant.

Dylai awdurdodau lleol sicrhau bod uwch swyddog yn adran addysg yr awdurdod sydd â chyfrifoldeb dros ddiogelu mewn addysg, gyda sylw penodol i amddiffyn plant.

Mae gan yr heddlu gyfrifoldeb cyfreithiol i weithio gydag asiantaethau eraill, fel yr awdurdod lleol, gweithwyr gofal iechyd proffesiynol ac ysgolion i ddiogelu plant. Mae hyn yn cynnwys rhannu gwybodaeth a gedwir gan yr heddlu sy'n berthnasol i amddiffyn plant rhag niwed. Bydd yr heddlu yn ymchwilio i droseddau megis ymosodiadau corfforol, ymosodiadau rhywiol ac esgeuluso plant.

Mae ymwelwyr iechyd yn gyfrifol am iechyd a datblygiad plant dan bump oed. Mae gan ymwelwyr iechyd rôl bwysig wrth weithio gyda sefydliadau eraill i ddiogelu ac amddiffyn plant. Maent wedi'u hyfforddi i adnabod y ffactorau risg ac arwyddion o gamdriniaeth ac esgeulustod. Yn aml, ymwelwyr iechyd yw'r cyntaf i adnabod plant sy’n cael eu hesgeuluso a’u niweidio neu sydd mewn perygl o gael eu niweidio, a gwybod os oes angen cymryd camau priodol er mwyn eu diogelu.

Gall meddyg teulu/gofalwyr nodi pryderon ynglŷn â diogelwch plentyn yn ystod apwyntiadau yn y feddygfa. Mae gan y meddyg teulu/gofalwyr gyfrifoldeb am iechyd cyffredinol eu cleifion ac yn aml dyma'r bobl gyntaf i nodi camdriniaeth posib. Dylai meddygon weithio gyda rhieni/gofalwyr a theuluoedd/gofalwyr er mwyn sicrhau bod plant a phobl ifanc yn cael y gofal a’r cymorth y maent ei angen. Mae’n hanfodol felly bod gan bob meddyg yr hyder i gymryd y camau priodol os byddant yn credu y gallai plentyn neu berson ifanc fod yn cael eu cam-drin neu’n cael eu hesgeuluso.

Gall gwasanaeth seicoleg plant gefnogi plentyn sydd wedi cael ei gam-drin. Gall y Gwasanaeth Seicoleg Addysg weithio gyda phlant a phobl ifainc er mwyn cefnogi eu datblygiad, lles, gwydnwch, dysgu a chyflawniad. Maent yn darparu cefnogaeth gyda sesiynau cwnsela lle bydd y seicolegydd a'r plentyn yn siarad er mwyn trafod y problemau. Gall y seicolegydd ddefnyddio technegau sy'n cynnwys deunyddiau dysgu neu gymhorthion gweledol i geisio hyrwyddo ymateb gan y plentyn.

Partneriaeth rhwng asiantaethau (yr heddlu, y gwasanaeth iechyd a’r gwasanaeth prawf) a’r cyngor yw’r Gwasanaeth Cyfiawnder Ieuenctid. Mae’n gyfrifol am ddarparu gwasanaeth cyfiawnder ieuenctid ar gyfer plant a phobl ifanc 10 - 18 oed. Maent yn gweithio gyda phobl ifanc a’u teuluoedd/gofalwyr sydd wedi'u cyfeirio atynt gan yr heddlu ac sydd yn mynd trwy broses llys, dan oruchwyliaeth fel rhan o ddedfryd, wedi'u cyfeirio oherwydd ymddygiad gwrthgymdeithasol neu wedi'u hadnabod fel rhai a allai droseddu. Mae’r Gwasanaeth Cyfiawnder Ieuenctid yn ceisio sicrhau bod anghenion dioddefwyr yn cael eu hateb, bod pobl ifanc yn cymryd cyfrifoldeb am eu hymddygiad a bod rhieni/gofalwyr yn cymryd cyfrifoldeb am eu plant. Maent hefyd yn ceisio sicrhau eu bod yn manteisio ar gyfleoedd i atal troseddu gan ieuenctid.

Mae gan y gwasanaeth prawf gyfrifoldeb i oruchwylio troseddwyr a hysbysu gwasanaethau cymdeithasol os oes ganddynt unrhyw bryder am ddiogelwch plentyn sy’n byw yn yr un tŷ a throseddwr. Trwy weithio gyda throseddwyr i herio eu hymddygiad troseddol a gwella eu ffordd o fyw, ynghyd â darparu gwybodaeth berthnasol i asiantaethau, mae Swyddogion Prawf yn ymdrechu i ddiogelu a hyrwyddo lles plant.

Mae Dechrau’n Deg yn brosiect gan Lywodraeth Cymru sy’n gweithio gyda phlant ifanc er mwyn gwella eu sgiliau a’u paratoi ar gyfer yr ysgol, yn ogystal â’u paratoi ar gyfer bywyd yn gyffredinol. Mae Dechrau’n Deg hefyd yn cynnig cymorth ychwanegol i rieni/gofalwyr i’w cynorthwyo wrth i’w plant dyfu a datblygu. Mae Ymwelwyr Iechyd Dechrau’n Deg yn darparu gwasanaeth ymweliadau iechyd dwys i bob teulu/gofalwyr dilys, a gyda chymorth Gweithwyr Cymorth Ymweliadau Iechyd mae ganddynt y gallu i ymweld â theuluoedd/gofalwyr yn fwy aml a darparu cymorth un i un yn y cartref. Mae rhieni/gofalwyr sy’n byw mewn ardaloedd Dechrau’n Deg yn cael eu cefnogi ymhellach trwy gael y cyfle i fynychu rhaglenni magu plant, gyda’r nod o roi’r sgiliau iddynt fagu plant yn effeithiol.

Y Gymdeithas Genedlaethol er Atal Creulondeb i Blant (National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children - NSPCC) yw’r sefydliad sy’n diogelu plant a phobl ifanc ac yn atal camdriniaeth. Cynigir gwasanaeth sydd yn gwrando ar lais y plentyn a hefyd yn cynnig cefnogaeth i deuluoedd/gofalwyr. Nod yr NSPCC yw atal camdriniaeth drwy weithio gyda phlant sy’n agored i niwed a’u teuluoedd/gofalwyr.

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The responsibilities of early years and childcare workers in safeguarding

Drag the service or professional to the correct responsibilities.

Cyfrifoldebau gweithwyr y blynyddoedd cynnar a gofal plant ym maes diogelu

Llusgwch y gwasanaeth neu berson proffesiynol i’r cyfrifoldebau cywir.

Service or professional

Gwasanaeth neu berson proffesiynol

Responsibilities

Cyfrifoldebau

Correct answers

Atebion cywir