Establishing trust and child-centred practice in safeguarding

Cefnogi ymddiriedaeth ac ymarfer plentyn-ganolog ym maes diogelu

A child in therapy

Services for children and young people should be based on their individual needs. This is the child-centred approach.

When working to safeguard children and young people, a child-centred approach should be used which means that any procedures consider the rights, feelings and experience of the individual child. Article 12 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child states "Your right to say what you think should happen and be listened to".

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Childcare workers need to respond promptly to safeguarding concerns and be confident when making decisions which may be difficult, in order to uphold the rights of children and young people and ensure the best outcomes for them. Openness and honesty with parents/carers from the very beginning help to establish a good relationship. Being clear about the purpose of the support and how disclosures and concerns are dealt with helps to establish professional boundaries between the childcare worker and the parent/carer. In order to take a child-centred approach when safeguarding children you must:

  • ensure that you recognize the rights of the child set out in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child
  • focus on the child at all times giving prominence to their needs and interests
  • build a good relationship with children and their families/carers
  • listen to the child
  • respect and value every child.

Building trust and respect helps childcare workers to develop positive relationships with parents/carers. Childcare workers can develop and maintain positive relationships by demonstrating courtesy and warmth and being fair and consistent. It is important that childcare workers help parents/carers to understand their rights, the terminology and jargon, and actions in a non-patronising way. Providing information to parents/carers at an appropriate level helps childcare workers to ensure that parents/carers fully understand the information. Positive outcomes for children will be achieved by working in partnership effectively with families/carers and where there is a clear emphasis on the safety and welfare of the child. Sharing information with families/carers and being open is good practice, provided it does not undermine the child's safety.

Offering support and appropriate and clear advice is an essential part of effective partnership working. It should always be acknowledged that many families/carers regard intervention by professionals as something painful disrupting their lives, especially if they feel that the professionals doubt their ability to care for their children. Professionals and childcare workers can take care that the child protection process is less stressful for families/carers by approaching it carefully in partnership. Children and families/carers should always be informed that advocacy services are available to them. Family members should normally be entitled to know what is being said about them, and to contribute to important decisions about their lives and the lives of their children. Social services have a duty to ensure that children and adults receive all the information they need to help them to understand the child protection process.

Developing positive relationships with children and young people is an important factor when safeguarding children. Childcare workers must develop a relationship with children and young people over time in order for them to feel safe. It takes time to get to know children well enough to understand their experiences and their patterns of behaviour. By developing positive relationships the children feel safe and comfortable in sharing their feelings and concerns. A caring and supportive relationship fosters the trust of children and young people, gaining their confidence and increasing their resilience and self-esteem.

Child-centred practice is an important part of developing relationships with children and young people. Using language that is appropriate for an adult and understanding the child or young person and being flexible when responding to them leads to a good relationship and fosters trust. Childcare workers must demonstrate to children and young people that they take their preferences, needs and concerns seriously, and take action in accordance with their views.

Dylai gwasanaethau i blant a phobl ifanc fod yn seiliedig ar eu hanghenion unigol. Dyma ddull plentyn-ganolog o weithredu.

Wrth weithio i ddiogelu plant a phobl ifanc, dylid defnyddio dull plentyn-ganolog sy’n golygu bod unrhyw weithdrefnau yn ystyried hawliau, teimladau a phrofiadau'r plentyn unigol. Mae Erthygl 12 o’r Confensiwn y Cenhedloedd Unedig ar Hawliau’r Plentyn yn nodi “Eich hawl i ddweud beth ddylai ddigwydd ac i rywun wrando arnoch”.

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Mae angen i gweithwyr gofal plant ymateb yn brydlon i bryderon diogelu a bod yn hyderus wrth wneud penderfyniadau a all fod yn anodd, er mwyn cyflawni hawliau a chanlyniadau gorau i blant a phobl ifanc. Mae bod yn agored ac yn onest gyda rhieni/gofalwyr o'r cychwyn yn helpu i sefydlu perthynas dda. Mae bod yn glir ynghylch pwrpas y cymorth a sut y bydd datgeliadau neu bryderon yn cael eu trin yn helpu i sefydlu ffiniau proffesiynol rhwng yr ymarferwr a’r rhiant/gofalwr. Er mwyn gweithio mewn ffordd plentyn-ganolog wrth ddiogelu plant mae’n:

  • rhaid sicrhau eich bod yn cydnabod hawliau’r plentyn sydd wedi’u hamlinellu yng Nghonfensiwn y Cenhedloedd Unedig ar Hawliau’r Plentyn
  • rhaid canolbwyntio ar y plentyn bob amser gan roi ei anghenion a’i ddiddordebau yn flaenllaw
  • rhaid adeiladu perthynas dda gyda’r plant a’u teuluoedd/gofalwyr
  • rhaid gwrando ar y plentyn
  • rhaid parchu a gwerthfawrogi pob plentyn.

Mae meithrin ymddiriedaeth a pharch yn helpu gweithwyr gofal plant i feithrin perthnasoedd cadarnhaol â rhieni/gofalwyr. Gall gweithwyr gofal plant greu a chynnal perthnasoedd cadarnhaol drwy ddangos cwrteisi a chynhesrwydd a bod yn deg a chyson. Mae'n bwysig bod gweithwyr gofal plant yn helpu rhieni/gofalwyr i ddeall eu hawliau, y derminoleg a’r jargon, a’r camau gweithredu mewn ffordd nad yw'n nawddoglyd (patronising). Mae cyflwyno gwybodaeth i rieni/gofalwyr ar lefel briodol yn helpu gweithwyr gofal plant i sicrhau bod rhieni/gofalwyr yn deall y wybodaeth yn llawn. Bydd canlyniadau cadarnhaol ar gyfer plant yn cael eu cyflawni trwy weithio mewn partneriaethau effeithiol gyda theuluoedd/gofalwyr a lle mae pwyslais clir ar ddiogelwch a lles y plentyn. Mae rhannu gwybodaeth gyda theuluoedd/gofalwyr a gweithredu’n agored yn ymarfer da, ar yr amod nad yw hynny’n tanseilio diogelwch y plentyn.

Mae cynnig cefnogaeth a chyngor addas a chlir yn rhan hanfodol o weithio’n effeithiol mewn partneriaeth. Dylid cydnabod bob amser bod llawer o deuluoedd yn gweld ymyrraeth gan weithwyr proffesiynol fel rhywbeth poenus sy’n amharu ar eu bywydau, yn enwedig os ydyn nhw’n teimlo bod y gweithwyr yn amau eu gallu i ofalu am eu plant. Gall gweithwyr proffesiynol ac gweithwyr gofal plant ofalu bod y broses amddiffyn plant yn achosi llai o straen i deuluoedd/gofalwyr trwy fynd ati’n ofalus i weithio mewn partneriaeth. Dylai plant a’u teuluoedd/gofalwyr gael gwybod bob amser fod gwasanaethau eiriolaeth ar gael ar eu cyfer. Fel arfer, dylai aelodau o’r teulu/gofalwyr gael yr hawl i wybod yr hyn sy’n cael ei ddweud amdanynt, ac i gyfrannu at benderfyniadau pwysig am eu bywydau a bywydau eu plant. Mae dyletswydd ar y gwasanaethau cymdeithasol i ofalu bod plant ac oedolion yn cael yr holl wybodaeth y maen nhw ei hangen i’w helpu i ddeall y broses amddiffyn plant.

Mae meithrin perthnasoedd cadarnhaol gyda phlant a phobl ifanc yn ffactor pwysig wrth ddiogelu plant. Rhaid i gweithwyr gofal plant feithrin cydberthynas â phlant a phobl ifanc dros amser er mwyn iddynt deimlo'n ddiogel. Mae'n cymryd amser i ddod i adnabod plant yn ddigon da i ddeall eu profiadau a'u patrymau ymddygiad. Drwy feithrin perthnasoedd cadarnhaol bydd y plant yn teimlo'n ddiogel ac yn gyfforddus i rannu eu teimladau a'u pryderon. Bydd cydberthynas sy'n ofalgar ac yn gefnogol yn arwain at ymddiriedaeth plant a phobl ifanc, gan ennyn eu hyder, eu gwydnwch a'u hunan-barch.

Mae ymarfer plentyn-ganolog yn rhan bwysig o feithrin cyd-berthnasoedd â phlant a phobl ifanc. Mae defnyddio iaith sy'n briodol i oedran a dealltwriaeth y plentyn neu’r person ifanc a bod yn hyblyg wrth ymateb iddynt yn arwain at berthynas dda ac yn creu ymddiriedaeth. Rhaid i gweithwyr gofal plant ddangos i blant a phobl ifanc eu bod yn cymryd eu dymuniadau, eu hanghenion a'u pryderon o ddifri, ac yn gweithredu yn unol â'u barn.

Establishing trust and child-centred practice in safeguarding

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Cefnogi ymddiriedaeth ac ymarfer plentyn-ganolog ym maes diogelu

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