What is Confidentiality in Childcare?

Confidentiality refers to keeping sensitive, personal information private and secure. This means not disclosing personal information to people who don’t need to know it, preventing unauthorised access to private information and not using, sharing or disclosing someone’s information without their consent.

In terms of confidentiality in childcare, confidentiality is an agreement between members of staff, health and social care professionals, children and their families. We all have personal information – even children – and we all have a right to privacy. Therefore, you have an important role to play in keeping sensitive information private and only sharing it when absolutely necessary.

In childcare settings, confidential personal information is anything about a child or their family that could be considered ‘sensitive’. Legally, personal information is anything that relates to an identifiable person, isn’t common knowledge, and that would cause the person damage, harm or distress if it was disclosed without consent.

For children and families examples of personal information that you should keep confidential include:

• The child’s name, address and contact details.
• Registration forms or contracts.
• The parents’ or carers’ names and contact information.
• Parental consent forms.
• Information about a child’s health, disabilities or wellbeing.
• Details about a child’s development or educational needs.
• Notes containing child protection or welfare concerns.
• Accident and incident records.
• A child’s medical history.
• Photographs of the child.

Why is Confidentiality Important in Childcare?

Confidentiality is important in childcare because not only do you have a duty of care towards the children you look after, but you are also responsible for legal compliance. We all have a legal right to privacy under Article 8 of the Human Rights Act 1988 which establishes ‘the right to respect for your private and family life’. To help uphold this right, you must keep children’s information confidential and only share it when absolutely necessary.

You also have a legal duty to keep a child’s information confidential under the Data Protection Act 2018. This law requires all settings to:

• Keep personal information safe and secure.
• Protect personal information from misuse.
• Process personal information securely and confidentially.
• Give people control over the use of their personal data (ask for consent).

Alongside legal reasons, confidentiality in childcare is essential because it establishes trust between parents, children and childcare workers. If parents and carers can trust that their child’s information will be kept secure, then they’re more likely to trust you and your setting with important information and less likely to withhold details from you.

How to Maintain Confidentiality in Childcare

To maintain confidentiality in childcare, you must take into account the following:

• Only share personal information with third parties when you have the consent and formal permission from the child’s parents or carers or, where appropriate, the child. Information can only be shared without consent in emergency situations.
• When keeping records about a child, whether digital or on paper, the personal information recorded must be accurate and factual. Avoid vague language, judgmental comments or opinions.
• Ensure parents and carers are informed about which personal information you need about them and their children, what you’ll be using it for and how you’ll keep it safe and confidential.
• Personal information should only be shared on a ‘need to know’ basis, i.e. only with people directly involved in the child’s care.
• When talking to a parent, carer, child or adult involved in the child’s care about sensitive topics, or when requesting personal information verbally, hold the discussion in a private space where you cannot be overheard.
• Parents have a legal right to see what has been written about their child and make an access request to see their files. However, if the child’s files contain confidential information about other people, then these people must be asked for consent before you can share the file.
• Your setting must have robust data protection and GDPR policies and procedures in place for all types of confidential information, whether digital or paper. This includes clear guidance on obtaining, storing, sharing and deleting personal information,
• All members of staff in your childcare setting need to be trained in confidentiality, your setting’s policies and procedures and their responsibilities. Everyone must understand how to handle confidential information and how to keep it secure.

Looking to Learn More?

Everyone working in a childcare setting should understand the importance of confidentiality, data security and how to handle personal information about the children and families they work with. Our online GDPR Training, Data Protection Training, Cyber Security and Information Governance courses will ensure you and your staff members have all the necessary knowledge to act responsibly and legally.

When Can Child Confidentiality be Breached?

The law states that personal information must be kept confidential and, for childcare practitioners, confidentiality in childcare is an essential part of the role. However, there are certain situations when confidentiality can be breached and parental consent is not needed to disclose information.

The Children Act 2004 says that childcare professionals must share information about a child if:

• There are immediate concerns about a child’s physical or mental health.
• The child is being exposed to harm or is at risk of harm.
• Parental needs mean that the child cannot be looked after properly.

Confidentiality should always be set aside if there is an immediate risk of harm to the child, yourself or someone else. This is also the case if the child is at risk of being involved in criminal activity. In these situations, consent to share personal information is not required as the child’s immediate welfare is more important.

Confidentiality Policy in Childcare

A confidentiality policy in childcare is used to clearly outline the procedure for collecting, storing and sharing personal information. It should be communicated to all members of staff, parents and carers, so that everyone understands what their responsibilities are.

Your childcare setting should also have a separate data protection policy and safeguarding policy that reference confidentiality and information sharing.

A confidentiality policy in childcare should cover:

• What types of personal information your setting holds.
• Where you will store personal information and how you will keep it secure, e.g. a locked cabinet, password protection, etc.
• Who the personal information will be shared with.
• How parents can access information about their child held by the setting.
• The procedure for unauthorised breaches of confidentiality.
• An explanation of when personal information will be shared in case of emergency.
• Who has overall responsibility for data protection in the setting.
• How staff members will be trained in confidentiality procedures.

Confidentiality in childcare is essential for upholding legal rights, data protection compliance and child wellbeing. All personal information that’s shared with your setting must be kept private and secure, and this can be done by following a robust confidentiality policy. Everyone must understand their responsibilities and recognise what they should be doing to maintain and respect the confidentiality of the children and families they work with.

Further Resources:

• Information Governance Training
• Whistleblowing in Schools: Policy and Procedure
• Creating a Safeguarding Policy – Example Template for Schools
• Keeping Children Safe in Education: Key Changes

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Medical Conditions at School

Many children have long-term medical conditions that they need to manage on a daily basis. Some of these children will have highly complex care and intimate treatment needs, whilst others will have short-term medical conditions that they need to take prescription medication for. No matter their needs, all of these children will require support with administering medication during the school day, and this is where teaching staff play an important role.

The Children and Families Act 2014 states that all schools must have arrangements in place to support pupils with medical conditions. The Department for Education also has statutory guidance to help schools comply with this requirement.

It’s important that all schools should have an understanding of:

• Each child’s named medical condition.
• The symptoms, triggers and treatment for the medical condition.
• The child’s specific needs as a result of their medical condition.
• The level of support needed and who will provide it.
• Special arrangements needed for activities outside of the normal school curriculum.
• Any additional special educational needs (SEN) the child has.

Guidelines on Administering Medication in School

It’s essential that all schools recognise that medical conditions can not only be life-threatening for a child, but can also have a significant impact on their ability to learn and achieve their potential in the classroom. This is why children with medical conditions must be supported fully.

The following guidelines on administering medication in school will help you to fulfill your duty of care towards children with medical needs:

• Medicines should only be administered during schooltime when it would be detrimental to a child’s health not to do so.
• Children under the age of 16 should never be given medicine at school, whether prescription or not, without their parents’ consent.
• Children who take medicines or use medical devices, such as inhalers, insulin or auto-injectors, should know where their medicines are kept at school and always be able to access them.
• No child should be forced to take their medicine if they are refusing to do so. In these instances, the child’s parents should be informed and any procedures named in the child’s healthcare plan should be followed.
• Members of staff have the right to refuse to administer medication to a child if they’re not trained to do so, don’t feel comfortable doing so or it’s outside of their job role.
• The school should keep a written record of all medicines administered, including who it was given to, when, how much and by whom.
• If a child falls ill at school, whether because of a medical condition or otherwise, their parents or carers should always be informed.

Who Can Administer Medication in Schools?

Any member of staff within your school can be trained and supported to administer medication to students who need it. All schools already have access to a school nurse and this person is well-suited to supporting children with medical needs, implementing healthcare plans and providing advice.

Assisting and supporting a child with a medical condition should not just be the responsibility of one person, so it’s important that multiple staff members are given appropriate training.

Your medication in schools policy should identify the roles and responsibilities of everyone involved in the administration of medication and include input from parents, healthcare professionals, pupils, etc. where appropriate. There should also be a list of medical tasks that members of staff must never do, i.e. those that should only be carried out by a registered healthcare professional.

No member of staff should give out prescription medication or perform healthcare procedures without appropriate specialist training in how to administer medication and provide support to children who need it. A basic first-aid certificate is not sufficient in these situations.

The school’s headteacher has overall responsibility for ensuring the appropriate number of staff members are trained, that there is enough contingency cover and that staff know what to do in emergency situations. In some cases, additional members of staff may need to be recruited to fulfil these needs. Furthermore, headteachers must ensure that teachers are appropriately insured in order to provide care to students with medical conditions.

Looking to Learn More?

All members of staff in education should have a good understanding of children’s health needs and how to support basic first aid situations. Our online Paediatric First Aid and Allergy & Anaphylaxis for Schools courses are great starting points, or view our full range of Courses for Teaching and Education.

Medication in Schools Policy

It’s important that all schools develop a robust medication in schools policy in order to si[port their students with medical conditions. The policy should be reviewed and updated regularly and be easily accessible by all school staff, parents and pupils.

Key details that should be included in a medication in schools policy are:

• The roles and responsibilities of everyone involved in supporting medical conditions, including  the named member of staff who has overall responsibility for implementing the policy, the names of who is responsible for administering medicines and whose role it is to ensure the necessary medical equipment is available in school. 
• Contingency arrangements in case of staff absence or for when responsible people leave the school for any reason.
• The name of who has responsibility for ensuring staff receive suitable training, plus details of how training needs are assessed, who provides training and when.
• The procedure that should be followed whenever the school is notified that a pupil has a medical condition.
• The procedure that should be followed for managing students’ prescription medicines at school, including the arrangements for children who are able to administer their own medicines or manage their own health needs.
• The risk assessment process to follow for activities outside of the normal school curriculum where staff must ensure that pupils with medical needs can participate safely, such as school trips and sports days. It’s best practice to carry out a school trip risk assessment in consultation with parents and students.

• Details of who has responsibility for writing individual healthcare plans (IHPs) for students who need them. An IHP provides the school with clarity on the child’s medical condition and what support they need. It should be created in partnership with parents, healthcare professionals and, if appropriate, the child.
• Medication is usually prescribed and sometimes a controlled substance, so there needs to be a misuse of drugs procedure to handle any inappropriate situations.
• Details on the emergency procedure to follow should a child’s medical condition require hospitalisation whilst at school. In these instances, staff should call for an ambulance immediately and not take students to hospital unsupervised in their own private cars.
• Explicit information on what constitutes unacceptable practice in regards to medication in schools. For example, preventing a child from having access to their medication, ignoring the child’s needs, penalising children for low attendance as a result of a medical condition, making parents attend school to administer treatment to their own child or preventing children with medical needs from taking part in activities.
• Details on how complaints can be raised and how they will be handled. Complaints about how a child’s medical needs are handled can be made by anyone, including members of staff, parents, carers and students.

Administering Medication and Safeguarding

Sometimes, administering medication or assisting with treatment can be invasive for the child and may require intimate physical contact by a member of staff. As a result, the risk of physical and/or sexual abuse is increased.

For this reason, staff should always work in pairs and never administer intimate care or procedures alone.

Your school should have a clear intimate care policy that specifically explains how to provide medical support that involves contact with, or exposure of, a student’s body appropriately and with safeguarding in mind. Our further guidance on Child Sexual Abuse in Schools and Signs of Abuse in Children, as well as our free Child Abuse Resource Pack for Schools, will help to support your knowledge in this area further.

For children with medical conditions at school, teachers can often be an important lifeline. Members of staff with responsibility for administering medication to pupils at school must have a thorough understanding of each individual child’s medical needs so that they can be fully supported and their health, wellbeing and education continually safeguarded. A robust medication in schools policy will help education staff to fulfill this important responsibility.

Further Resources:

• Safeguarding Courses
• What is an Individual Healthcare Plan?
• Guidance on Adrenaline Auto-Injectors

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What is the Children and Families Act 2014?

The Children and Families Act 2014 is a combination of previous child welfare legislation and guidance – along with a number of important updates – that aims to improve the way services are received by vulnerable children, young people and their families.

Under the Act, universal services such as healthcare, social care and education are required to work together more closely to ensure children, parents and families receive the support they need at the right time.

Alongside other key safeguarding children legislation, the Act gives specific protection to more vulnerable children, such as those in foster care, those being adopted and children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

Want to Learn More?

If you work with children of any age and in any capacity, then having up-to-date child protection and safeguarding knowledge is essential. Our range of online Safeguarding Courses is suitable for professionals at all levels and covers topics including SEND in the Classroom, Designated Safeguarding Lead Training and Safeguarding Children with Disabilities

The Parts of the Children and Families Act 2014

There are nine key parts of the Children and Families Act 2014. Below is a summary of each part:

Part 1: Adoption

The first part of the Act is designed to make adoptions easier with the child’s welfare at the centre of all actions taken. Key points are:

• Children can move in with their adoptive families sooner.
• The ‘foster to adopt’ principle means that people who are already approved to foster can take the child into their home whilst waiting for the legal adoption process to go through.
• The process for prospective parents to find the right child for them to adopt is easier.
• Potential adoptive parents can access the adoption register, allowing them to search the database themselves and remove delays.
• There no longer needs to be any sort of ‘ethnic match’ between potential adopters and their adopted children.
• Families have more choice over who helps them after the adoption with a ‘personal budget’ for support.
• The contact that adopted children have with their birth families after they’ve been taken into care or adopted shouldn’t cause the child any problems.

Part 2: Family Justice

The second part of the Children and Families Act is designed to make court processes more effective, quicker and better in regards to child welfare. Key points are:

• The time it takes the family court to decide a child’s future is shortened.
• The court will always consider the welfare of the child first and ensure parents do what is right for the child, not what they want themselves.
• If the parents split up, they will be supported to sort things out and stay involved with their children’s lives without needing to involve the court.
• Child Arrangement Orders can be issued by the court to regulate a child’s living arrangements and how they spend time with others.

Part 3: Children and Young People in England with Special Educational Needs or Disabilities (SEND)

This part of the Act is designed to give parents more control over the welfare of their children with special educational needs or disabilities. Key points are:

• Parents, children and young people will be told what they need to know about their child’s SEND and how they can access help and support.
• Organisations and services must work together to help children with SEND and should involve families in discussions and decisions relating to their care and education.
• Children with SEND and their families have more say about the type of help they receive.
• Children with SEND will receive one assessment to determine their needs and one support plan that runs from birth to age 25, known as an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHC).

Part 4: Childcare

This part of the Act is designed to increase the provision and quality of childcare outside of school across the UK. Key points are:

• More people are able to establish, register and train as childminders.
• Individual childminders no longer have to register with, or be inspected by, Ofsted.
• Schools and other providers have more flexibility to offer childcare before and after school.
• Parents have more choice of care for their very young children.

Part 5: Welfare of Children

This part of the Act is designed to improve the law so that children are treated better and looked after in more situations and are given better support at school and in foster care. Key points are:

• More help is provided for young carers by their local authority.
• More help is provided for parents with disabled children.
• Foster children can continue to live with their former foster carers until they are 21.
• Schools are given more help to support children with medical needs.
• Local authorities must appoint a ‘Virtual School Head’ to ensure looked-after children are reaching their potential in school.
• The quality of care provided by children’s homes is improved.
• Free school meals are given to all young pupils in reception, year 1 and year 2.
• In order to protect children from addiction, tobacco and nicotine advertising must not appeal to children, and both smoking in a car with children and buying tobacco for children under 18 are now offences.

Part 6: The Children’s Commissioner

This part of the Act is designed to outline changes to the Children’s Commissioner’s role, which was originally set up in 2004. Key points are:

• The Children’s Commissioner should promote and protect the rights of all children in the UK, including England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
• The Commissioner is independent but explains to everyone, including children, what they are doing and how they are taking children’s views on board.
• The Commissioner must pay special attention to the rights of children in care, children living away from home and children who leave care.
• Children now have a say in who is chosen to be the Children’s Commissioner.

Part 7: Statutory Rights to Leave and Pay

This part of the Act is designed to ensure all parents are entitled to the same rights in terms of looking after their child, beginning from when the child is born or adopted. Key points are:

• Both parents are entitled to share time off after a baby is born or child is adopted. Shared parental leave is up to 50 weeks of leave and 37 weeks of paid leave and applies to parents of any gender.
• Parents who are adopting a child are given the same time off and pay rights as birth parents.

Part 8: Time Off Work

This part of the Children and Families Act is designed to help parents with a new child take time off work to look after them. Key points are:

• Both parents are allowed time off to go together to medical appointments before a baby is born. The mother’s partner is allowed unpaid leave for two antenatal appointments.
• Both parents are allowed time off work to care for a new baby.
• People who are adopting a child are allowed unpaid time off work to go to adoption meetings and to see the child prior to their adoption.

Part 9: Right to Request Flexible Working

This last part of the Act is designed to help parents and carers apply for flexible working hours in order to look after a child or family. Key points are:

• Parents or carers in any job role in any industry can apply for flexible working hours.
• People can request to change work times or work locations to help them balance work and family time better.

Children and Families Act Summary

The Children and Families Act 2014 is a comprehensive piece of legislation that covers various topics relating to child welfare. The main points covered by the Act are:

1. Adoption has been made quicker and easier and has more focus on the child’s welfare.
2. Family court processes put children at the centre of all decisions and aim to support families if the parents split up.
3. Children with SEND have access to more help, have more say about the support they receive and will only be given one Education, Health and Care Plan (EHC) that lasts until they are 25.
4. Parents and schools have more choice and flexibility in terms of before and after school childcare.
5. The welfare of children should be the priority in all situations, including at school, in residential homes and in foster care. 
6. The Children’s Commissioner is chosen by children, promotes the rights of children and puts the views of children at the centre of all decisions.
7. All parents are entitled to the same leave and pay, whether they are birth parents or adopting a child.
8. Parents with a new child, whether by birth or adoption, have the right to time off work to attend appointments and look after their new child.
9. All parents and carers are able to request flexible working hours and locations to help them better manage work and family life.

The Children and Families Act 2014 gives more support and protection to vulnerable children, young people and their families in all aspects of the child’s life. If you work with children, whether in education, healthcare or social care, then having an understanding of the law and how it applies to those you work with, is an essential part of your safeguarding responsibility.

Further Resources:

• Safeguarding Online Courses
• Guidance on the Levels of Need in Safeguarding
• Safeguarding Children Legislation: Guidance for Schools

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In this article, we’ll look more at the mobile phones in schools debate, outlining a few of the advantages of mobile phones in the classroom as well as some of the disadvantages, particularly from a safeguarding children perspective.

Mobile Phones in Schools

Safeguarding children and young people in schools is an essential responsibility of all adults, not just teachers and parents. The use of mobile phones in schools is a hot topic and one that’s closely linked to safeguarding, which is why the UK government has recently issued guidance for secondary schools on how and why they should prohibit the use of mobile phones in school.

The guidance doesn’t call for an outright ban of mobile phones in schools, but it does recommend that they are discouraged. Many schools already have rules in place that prevent students from using mobile phones during school hours, as they can prevent an unnecessary distraction from education, so this guidance won’t come as a surprise.

Consider the following statistics about the use of mobile phones in schools:

• Ofcom found that 97% of children own a mobile phone by the age of 12.
• Ofcom also discovered that 63% of 8-11-year-olds and 93% of 12-15-year-olds use social media and messaging apps.
• The National Behaviour Survey found that 29% of secondary school pupils say that mobile phones are used without permission in most of their lessons.
• The ONS tells us that one in five children have experienced online bullying.
• The RCPCH found that screen time displaces activities which have a positive impact on wellbeing, such as socialising, sleep and exercise.
• Mobile phones have already been prohibited or restricted in one in four countries worldwide.

Should Phones Be Allowed in School?

Despite the concerns, there are some real advantages of children having their mobile phones in the classroom. This side of the debate isn’t the most popular one, but here are five positive reasons why phones should be allowed in school:

1. For digital learning – mobile phones can be used to enhance a child’s education if they’re used in the right way. For example, certain apps and games can all be used to teach topics and encourage creative thinking. These methods are particularly beneficial for those with special educational needs.
2. For research in lessons – mobile phones offer students access to the internet and therefore a wealth of information. Phones can be used in the classroom to support learning by using them as a research tool when doing projects or coursework.
3. For medical reasons – some children need access to their mobile phone to support their health, such as to keep track of their medicine schedule or monitor their diabetes.
4. For internal communication – mobile phones enable a quick and easy way for the school to communicate information to students, whether it’s about changes to schedules, health and safety information or weekly notices. This information can be emailed or texted to each child and reduces the need for paper letters.
5. For caring responsibilities – young carers are likely to need regular contact with the family member they care for in case of emergency, so having a mobile phone in the classroom enables them to be contactable at all times.

Should Mobile Phones Be Banned in Schools?

The disadvantages of children having phones in school are numerous and this is why the UK Government has issued guidance that suggests schools prohibit the use of mobile phones in the classroom. Here are five reasons why mobile phones should be banned in schools:

1. Phones are distracting – social media notifications, apps and games all distract children from their education and can cause endless disruptions to lessons. In turn, this can mean students struggle to focus, teachers become distracted and academic performance is reduced.
2. Phones can lead to bullying – bullying carried out via social media or the internet is known as cyberbullying and it can have devastating effects on a child’s mental health. Using a mobile phone at school may make cyberbullying more prevalent, as students are always online and therefore always vulnerable to online harassment by other students.
3. Phones make children vulnerable to abuse – the exploitation and abuse of children via the internet and social media is a serious problem, as it gives abusers direct, 24/7 access to children away from adults. All children should be educated in internet safety and the associated risks to help keep them safe from harm.
4. Phones cause health problems – excessive mobile phone use can cause various health issues, from eye strain and neck problems to disrupted sleep and anxiety. If students use their mobile phones during break times, it’s also likely to lead to reduced physical activity.
5. Phones impact wellbeing – spending more time on a mobile phone means spending less time socialising face-to-face with classmates, which has an adverse effect on overall wellbeing. Students should be encouraged to play, exercise and socialise during breaks instead of scrolling on their phones.

Looking to Learn More?

Whilst mobile phones can be highly beneficial for children, they can also contribute towards poor mental health and wellbeing. Understanding children’s mental health is essential for all teachers: High Speed Training’s online Child Mental Health course will help you learn more and understand how to better support the pupils in your classroom.

Tips for Managing Mobile Phones in the Classroom

If your school has chosen to prohibit or minimise the use of mobile phones in the classroom, the following tips will help you to manage and enforce a no-phone zone:

• Highlight the benefits of reducing screen time with posters, educational activities and awareness days. If children can recognise why screen-free time is important and how it will benefit them, then they’re more likely to agree to put their phone away.
• Educate students on online safety, including how to use social media safely, setting strong passwords, using privacy settings, taking care when gaming online and how to report inappropriate or offensive content. Making children aware of the dangers will not only help safeguard them from harm but also discourage phone use.
• Promote the use of mobile phones as educational tools, rather than for socialising or gaming which are more likely to be disruptive distractions. Mobile phones can become a positive part of the learning experience if they’re used within the curriculum.
• Create designated ‘no-phone-zones’ where mobile phones must never be used, such as in the classroom, in the lunch hall and in the playground. Make tech-free zones a normal part of the school day.
• Ensure your school has a mobile phone policy that clearly states when and where mobile phones can and can’t be used by students. Make sure the policy is communicated to all pupils and actively enforced, or else its demands will be ignored.
• Work with parents to set mobile phone boundaries at home as well as in school. Parents also need to be educated in online safety and the risks associated with the internet and social media if mobile phone use is to be reduced. Teach parents about the benefits of phone-free time and why managing mobile phone use is important for safeguarding their children from harm.

The mobile phones in schools debate is an ongoing conversation that needs to involve everyone affected, including teachers, students and their parents. Whilst there are many advantages to being able to use a mobile phone at school, there are also many disadvantages, particularly when it comes to child protection concerns. Prohibiting mobile phones in schools may not be the answer but it’s clear that there are many benefits to reducing children’s screen time.

Further Resources:

• Online Safety & Harms
• Screen Time for Children: Advice for Parents
• Internet Safety Posters for Schools
• Why is Cyberbullying Harmful and What Actions Can You Take?
• How to Explain Internet Safety to a Child
• Online Safety and Harms Quiz
• The Importance of Teaching Social Media Safety in Schools

The post Mobile Phones in Schools Debate: Advantages and Disadvantages appeared first on The Hub | High Speed Training.

Unfortunately, it’s common for whistleblowing in a school workplace to be dismissed and ignored, or even to result in victimisation or dismissal for the individual raising the issue. This inevitably causes school staff to be wary about raising their concerns. Thus, it’s essential that schools have a thorough whistleblowing policy and procedure in place to ensure that no misdemeanours go unreported and unhandled.

In this article, we will detail what exactly whistleblowing is, why it’s so important in a school environment, answer common questions about whistleblowing and the legality surrounding it, as well as giving expert advice on how to create effective policies and procedures surrounding whistleblowing in your school.

What is Whistleblowing in Schools?

Whistleblowing is a term used to describe any circumstances by which someone reports wrongdoing at work to the relevant authorities in order to protect other colleagues, the general public, or students if it’s within a school environment. The concern can relate to something that has happened, is happening, or that the individual fears may happen in the future. In general, it involves a worker seeking to expose malpractice or unethical activities within their organisation. 

It’s important to specify, however, that not all complaints are regarded as whistleblowing. To be categorised as whistleblowing, an issue must be of public interest, not just a personal grievance. Whistleblowing is about ‘putting something right’ which will benefit others, rather than a concern regarding your individual interest. 

Below, you can find some instances of wrongdoing which it would be appropriate and advised to blow the whistle about. 

Many of these instances of wrongdoing pose a serious threat to the safety of children within a school environment and thus neglect school safeguarding obligations. To learn more about what your safeguarding duties are as an educator, read our article on Safeguarding Responsibilities of School Staff.

Examples of Whistleblowing in Schools

Breaking the Law

Any form of criminal offence, such as fraud or corruption for example, conducted within a school environment should be reported to the relevant authorities. Any activity that breaks the law is likely to threaten the safety of pupils or staff, or at the very least damage the reputation of the establishment. Thus, it’s in the public interest that criminal activity does not go unreported.  

Covering Up an Unlawful Act

Similarly to reporting any activity which breaks the law, it is also appropriate to inform authorities of any accomplices or accessories to a crime. Having knowledge of an illegal activity and not reporting it is an offence in itself, so it’s advised to blow the whistle on anyone who fits this description. 

Neglecting Duties

Neglecting your duties in a school environment can have serious consequences and thus this is considered to be a wrongdoing severe enough to warrant whistleblowing. The neglect of duties may include poor supervision, the use of dangerous equipment, inadequate or damaging SEND support, or failing to provide a suitable education. 

Maladministration

This form of wrongdoing involves any activity that results in a school not complying with the requirements for assessment and delivery of qualifications. It generally centres around examination and learner records, for example submitting incorrect test data, allowing students to use devices or textbooks during exams, tampering with student work, or changing assessment judgements. 

Breaching Confidentiality

In an education environment, the rules around storing personal data are very strict. Thus, tampering with or sharing this data is a serious offence. Examples of wrongdoing in this category may include sending personal data to the wrong person, sharing sensitive medical records, unauthorised access to information and altering or deleting data files. The misuse of private data can cause major safeguarding issues as well as legal repercussions.

You can learn more about how to prevent any breaches of confidentiality within the education sector in our guide to Data Protection in Schools.

Why is Whistleblowing Important?

Whistleblowing is essential in schools because it helps to protect everyone – students, staff, parents, the board, and the wider community – from wrongdoings that could have wider consequences or cause public scandal.

Blowing the whistle helps to find mistakes and frauds so that they can be corrected as quickly as possible and the people involved in the wrongdoing can be apprehended. Furthermore, the knock-on effect of this is that colleagues and other people within the educational environment are less likely to conduct any form of malpractice as they are aware of the consequences. 

In addition to the wider umbrella of preventing wrongdoing, there are several other benefits of whistleblowing in schools:

Minimises Costs and Risks

When misconducts are left unreported, they can not be resolved and thus pose various risks to the school such as:

• Legal prosecution.
• Reputational damage.
• Public scandal.
• Financial penalties.

These consequences can be extremely costly in terms of finances and the school’s image. Whistleblowing helps to minimise these costs and allows schools to manage their risks more quickly and effectively. 

Allows Detailed Insight Into Issues

Whistleblowers usually have an insider’s perspective on the issues they’re reporting, and can therefore provide details and insights that an external source may not have access to. Whistleblowers may be the only ones with enough access to information to accurately report wrongdoings with evidence that allow the case to stand and eventually be resolved. 

Creates an Open Working Culture

By encouraging whistleblowing, a school gains more trust from its employees as they know that any concerns will be taken seriously and that they are working in an ethical and safe environment. It is widely known that an open and honest working culture usually forms better working relationships and dedication, which in turn increases productivity. 

Prevents Issues Escalating

One of the greatest benefits of whistleblowing in school is that it provides the opportunity to identify and deal with issues quickly, whilst they’re still in an early manageable stage. When information is shared directly to the relevant school team they can help resolve the issue immediately before it escalates, thus potentially preventing severe damage. 

Want to Learn More?

Whistleblowing helps to support safeguarding in schools by protecting students from wrongdoing that may cause them harm. Our Safeguarding Children in Education course helps to support this by teaching learners to identify when abuse and neglect may be happening to a student and how to respond appropriately to concerns.

Whistleblowing Policy and Procedures

A school should establish a whistleblowing procedure to ensure that all members of staff are aware of the appropriate channels to raise a concern, provide reassurance that they can raise concerns without fear of reprisal, and, wherever possible, to ensure that the procedure is con?dential unless specified otherwise. 

There are two types of whistleblowing:

• Internal – When an employee reports errors, corruption or malpractice within the organisation, using the company’s own whistleblowing solution to highlight the problem.
• External – When a person blows the whistle via external sources, such as the press, authorities or on social media. This is usually because they have little faith in their own organisation, or because they have previously tried to blow the whistle internally without seeing any changes.

Having a thorough whistleblowing policy and procedure helps to encourage internal, rather than external, whistleblowing, which is preferred as it means problems can be solved easily and smoothly within the organisation without involving external parties who may create a public spectacle. 

School Whistleblowing Policy

A written school whistleblowing policy aims to provide avenues for individuals to raise concerns and receive feedback on any action taken, ensures that whistleblowers receive a response to their concerns and that they are aware of how to pursue them if they are not satisfied, and reassures whistleblowers that they will be protected from possible reprisals or

victimisation for raising an issue. 

A comprehensive school whistleblowing policy should include the following sections:

How to Raise a Concern

This section should detail a list of potential whistleblowing scenarios and outline who the whistleblower should report to if they identify one of these issues. This should include names and contact details of all relevant school authority figures. 

Furthermore, this section of the policy should describe the school’s preferred method of raising a concern, for example a verbal or written complaint, and what should be included in the whistleblower’s report. Often, this will include the background and history of the concern along with names, dates, relevant places and the reasons for the concern. 

Investigating a Disclosure

It is important to outline in a whistleblowing policy how the school will respond to concerns raised. This may include a deadline for when the school promises to acknowledge the complaint by, for example within 3 days. 

Understandably, the action taken may vary depending on the complaint and this should be stated within the policy along with a list of responses that may be taken under various circumstances. 

Confidentiality Agreement

Confidentiality can be complicated in the case of whistleblowing, but a good policy should contain a section explaining that all concerns will be treated with confidence and that where possible the identity of the whistleblower will not be revealed if that is their wish. It should also state, however, that in some scenarios it may not be possible to keep the whistleblower’s identity disclosed in order to resolve the situation. 

Learn more about what confidentiality in childcare is, why it’s important and confidentiality policy in childcare in our article: Confidentiality in Childcare.

Safeguards

This section of a whistleblowing policy serves the purpose of acknowledging that the decision to speak up about an issue can be a difficult one. It should include written reassurance that there will be no reprisals for speaking up against malpractice or wrongdoing within the school, and that any harassment or victimisation will not be tolerated. Furthermore, it is advisable to detail methods of support that will be available in the case of any difficulties experienced as a result of raising a concern. 

In addition to a whistleblowing policy, it’s advised that all schools have a comprehensive safeguarding policy too. You can find an example template of one of these created by our education experts in our article on Creating a Safeguarding Policy.

How to Whistleblow to Ofsted

Although internal whistleblowing is often preferred, it is also possible for an individual to inform Ofsted of any concerns they have regarding activity within their school. Ofsted can act on any relevant information provided to them and are able to advise on what actions they may take, providing the issue relates to a child that may be at risk of harm, a failure in safeguarding practice, concerns that children aren’t receiving the right quality of care, or that regulatory requirements aren’t being met. 

Although a school should have a whistleblowing policy to help protect their employees, an individual may choose to blow the whistle to Ofsted if they feel their organisation is likely to ignore the issue or fail to take action. 

When whistleblowing to Ofsted, you will be asked the following questions:

• Do you believe that a child is at immediate risk of harm?
• Does the matter fall within the services that Ofsted inspects and regulates?
• Have you raised the issue with your employer or any other organisation?
• Can you provide further information?
• If you believe your employer has failed to act appropriately, what do you think should be done?

Following this, a concern will be reviewed by Ofsted, who may choose to refer the issue to a child protection team, bring forward their next inspection, or undertake a compliance visit. 

You can whistleblow to Ofsted by:

• Telephone: Whistleblowing Hotline (0300 1233155)
• Email: whistleblowing@ofsted.gov.uk
• Post: WBHL, Ofsted, Piccadilly Gate, Store Street, Manchester, M1 2WD.

If you would like further support in identifying whether a scenario is likely to place a child at risk of harm, you can learn more about safeguarding issues along with examples of these in our Safeguarding Scenarios and Answers for Education article.

Are Whistleblowers Protected by Law?

Whistleblowing can be a scary thing to do so it helps to be certain on where you stand legally to provide confidence that your actions won’t face unjust repercussions. 

The Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 (PIDA), an amendment to the Employment Rights Act 1996, protects whistleblowers by law, preventing unfair dismissal or any detriment from their employer that arises from the worker making a protected disclosure. 

To receive this legal protection, a whistleblower must:

• Be a ‘worker’ for the organisation about which they are whistleblowing. 
• Reasonably believe they are acting in the public interest.
• Whistleblow to either the appropriate people within their organisation or to a relevant third party, such as one that inspects or regulates the activity of that organisation.

Although most workers are protected under this law, it is important to note that this does not include self-employed individuals or volunteers. 

Whistleblowing is an essential and effective way for schools to identify any wrongdoing within their organisation. Despite its benefits, however, it can be daunting for an individual to blow the whistle due to fear of facing harassment or even dismissal for doing so. This is why it’s so important for a school to have a thorough whistleblowing policy and procedure to show encouragement of speaking up against wrongdoing and to protect those who have the confidence to do so. 

Further Resources:

• Safeguarding Responsibilities of School Staff
• Creating a Safeguarding Policy – Example Template for Schools
• Safeguarding Scenarios and Answers for Education
• Data Protection in Schools – Guidance for the Education Sector

The post Whistleblowing in Schools: Policy and Procedure appeared first on The Hub | High Speed Training.

Why are the Levels of Need Important in Safeguarding?

Everyone who works with children has a responsibility to safeguard them from harm and must collaborate with other agencies and services in order to spot concerns and provide the right level of support based on their individual needs.

Working Together to Safeguard Children guidance expresses the importance of using a child-centred approach to identifying problems and providing early help. The earlier we are able to recognise potential child protection issues, the more effective the support will be at keeping the child safe and well.

The levels of need are an important part of these responsibilities, as they provide a clear structure for everyone involved with the child to follow, ensuring we’re all on the same page, following the same guidelines and putting the child’s needs at the heart of everything we do.

What are the Levels of Need?

All children and young people need support of some kind, whether it’s with their healthcare, physical activity or schooling. However, some children and their families need additional support to enable the child to reach their full potential and stay safe and healthy.

The levels of need are part of a framework that helps professionals to identify the additional support a child and/or their family requires. The levels of need are often described as part of a continuum, with the number and types of services needed increasing as the levels go up. You may also see it presented as a ‘windscreen’ model.

There are four levels of need that apply to, and have been agreed by, all types of agencies. Children may experience a different level of need at different times in their lives, and may move up and down the levels as their needs change. They are unlikely to remain static at one level.

The four levels of need are:

Level 1 – No Additional Needs (Universal Services)

All children and young people receive support from Universal Services throughout their lives, such as health visitors, GPs, teachers and youth groups, and will grow up living a happy and healthy life without any additional needs. The aim of Universal Services is to work with families to ensure children are able to learn, develop and achieve their full potential without needing any further input or support, as all their health and developmental needs are being met by the services that are provided to everyone. Children at level 1 with no additional needs are also receiving adequate child-focused care and love from their parents/carers.

Level 2 – Early Help

Children at level 2 may be showing signs of vulnerability, abuse and/or neglect but it’s currently unclear as to what their needs are. You may be unsure as to what their situation is or concerned about whether they’re receiving the support they need in relation to their health, development, education or social skills.

At this level, a multi-agency Early Help Assessment is needed to identify which additional services the child and their family should be provided with. If the concerns are ignored, then it’s likely that they’ll escalate into something worse.

Level 3 – Complex Needs (Children in Need)

Children at level 3 require specialist services and intervention in order to maintain their health or development – whether that’s due to abuse and/or neglect or because of a disability, for example. The support the child needs may be long-term and, without it, the child’s health and development is likely to be significantly impaired.

Children at level 3 are known as Children in Need under Section 17 of the Children Act 1989 and require the local authority to undertake a statutory assessment of need. It may be that an Early Help Assessment has already been completed but the results were unsuccessful.

Level 4 – Acute Needs (Children in Need of Protection)

Children at level 4 are those who are identified as suffering, or likely to suffer, significant harm and are already experiencing abuse and/or neglect and have reached the threshold for child protection procedures. These children have acute needs and require specialised, targeted services.

Children at level 4 should be immediately referred to Children’s Social Care under Section 47 of the Children Act 1989, and also to the Police if appropriate. Follow your setting’s safeguarding children policy, as this will provide you with guidance on how to handle these types of situations. Our guide on Safeguarding Children Legislation also provides more information.

Threshold Document

Each Local Safeguarding Children Partnership (LSCP) has its own threshold document that provides professionals with information on the different levels of need. The document usually includes:

• A description of each level of need.
• Examples of indicators to look out for at each level of need.
• What to do next if you identify that a child needs further support.

The threshold document should be used alongside other safeguarding procedures and will help you to determine what type of support a child and their family requires. Note that the examples given for each level are just examples, not definite indicators, and it’s important to talk to the child, their family and others involved with the child to gain a full understanding of their needs. Holding a Team Around the Family meeting and developing a collaborative plan can be a good way to share information and develop a better understanding of what support is needed.

There are four levels of need in safeguarding that all professionals working with children need to be aware of. The levels of need describe what level of help and support children and their families need based on their circumstances and are contained within your LSCP’s threshold document. Ensure you’re familiar with your own local threshold document, as understanding the levels of need is an important part of your safeguarding duty.

Further Resources:

• Safeguarding Courses
• Safeguarding Children Legislation: Guidance for Schools
• How to Create an Effective Culture of Safeguarding in Schools

The post Guidance on the Levels of Need in Safeguarding appeared first on The Hub | High Speed Training.

As a result, it’s more important than ever that we thoroughly educate ourselves on mental health so that we can better understand why mental illnesses occur and how we can support someone, particularly a child, who is suffering with poor mental health and/or self-harm. 

In this article, we will explain what self-harm is and how it is characterised, explore a few reasons why a child may begin to self-harm, underline ways in which you can spot signs of self-harm in a child, and suggest tactics with which you may be able to support a child who is suffering. 

Self-Harm in Children and Young Adults

Self-harm, also sometimes known as self-injury, self-mutilation, or self-abuse, is the act of an individual deliberately damaging or hurting themselves/their body without the intention of suicide. 

There are many different ways to self-injury, but any way that someone intentionally hurts themselves, physically or emotionally, can be categorised as self-harm. Because of this, it is possible for someone, particularly children, to be self-harming without realising that that’s what they’re doing and without understanding the magnitude of their actions. Furthermore, self-harm is usually inflicted in secret due to fear of interference or judgement from other people.

Some of the most common forms of self-harm include:

• Cutting yourself, commonly on the arms, legs or stomach. 
• Burning.
• Scratching of the skin, usually to the point of drawing blood.
• Biting.
• Hair pulling.
• Head-banging.
• Drinking harmful substances, such as bleach or detergent.
• Deliberately putting yourself in dangerous situations.
• Punching yourself.
• Sticking things into the body.
• Scalding yourself with hot water.

The most common form of self-harm is cutting. Children will usually either inflict deep lacerations or form a series of smaller, shallower cuts in one area. This form of self-harm often causes visible scars or wounds, however these can be easily hid via clothing or jewellery, for example.

Want to test your current knowledge of child mental health? Take our Child Mental Health Quiz to help identify areas where you may benefit from more insight.

Why Do Children and Teens Self-Harm?

Young people self-harm for many different reasons, and the motive or rationale may not even be clear to the individual who is inflicting the self-harm. One uniting factor, however, is that people who self-harm are usually experiencing overwhelming levels of emotional pain, loneliness, or worthlessness. Self-harm can provide a short-lived sense of release from these difficult emotions. 

Below are a few common reasons for a child to inflict self-injury, although it’s important to be aware that these motives can encompass many smaller and more intricate components that lead to self-harm. 

To Cope With Difficult Feelings and Situations

Often, self-injury is used as a way to deal with something difficult that is happening or has happened in the past in the individual’s life. It can be a coping strategy for:

• Living with health problems, such as a disability or illness.
• Stressful or upsetting experiences, such as abuse, bereavement, a parent’s divorce or separation, relationship problems, or bullying.
• Attempting to relieve feelings of anger or aggression. 
• Changing emotional pain into physical pain.

If you think past or current abuse may be behind a child’s tendency to self-harm, you can learn more about this subject and get further advice on how to help in our articles on Signs of Abuse in Children and Understanding Why Children May Stay Quiet About Abuse.

To Punish Oneself

Another common reason for children to self-harm is due to a sense of self-loathing or to punish themselves for feelings or behaviour that they think needs retribution. This negative self image could be as a result of:

• Aspects of their identity that they’ve been led to believe are wrong or inferior, such as their race and ethnicity, religion or sexuality. Thus, self-harm can be directly linked to experiencing racism, homophobia or other forms of prejudice.
• Body-image concerns.
• Abuse or bullying, leading them to believe they’re not worthy of love or respect.
• Absent or preoccupied caregivers. 

Recent research suggests that 27% of young people with experience of bullying had self-harmed as a result. To get advice on how to support a child through bullying before it gets to this point, read our articles on Why is Cyberbullying Harmful and What Actions Can You Take and How to Deal With Bullying at School.

To Communicate Pain

Self-harm can be a way of expressing pain for children who don’t know how to verbalise it. Because of this, it’s often mistaken as attention-seeking behaviour, however this is a false myth, particularly as most people try to hide or disguise their self-harm from loved ones. 

For a child, it can be difficult to understand or describe difficult emotions they’re experiencing. Sometimes, they will turn to self-harm as an alternative way to communicate how they’re feeling.

To Gain a Sense of Control

Self-harm can often begin as a result of a child feeling a lack of control over their own life, their body, or their environment. Self-harm can be used as a way for a young person to counter this and take agency over their body, as the damage they’re inflicting on themself is something they feel control over. 

Self Harm and Mental Illness

Self-harming is not classed as a mental illness in itself, but is often linked with mental health disorders as some mental illnesses increase people’s susceptibility to self-harm. In fact, in one study 90% of participants who frequently self-harmed were found to have had history with a mental or behavioural disorder. 

Often, the symptoms of a mental health disorder include an over-intensity of emotion that is uncontrollable. This can be so unbearable for a sufferer that it feels intolerable, pushing them to seek some temporary release via self-harm. This is a vicious cycle, however, as self-injury often worsens a person’s mental condition by feeding into their insecurities, worries, pain, and fears.  

Some mental health disorders that can be commonly linked with self-harm, include:

• Bipolar Disorder.
• Borderline Personality Disorder.
• Depression.
• Anxiety.
• Substance Use.

Some children might try self-harm once, but not continue it as a coping strategy, whereas others may try it several times and then become reliant on it as they believe it makes them feel better, even if the relief is just momentary. 

Signs of Self Harm

As self-harm is usually a secretive act, it can be difficult to identify when a child is participating in this behaviour. Often self-harm will be accompanied by some form of physical or emotional change in a child, however, so there are certain signs to look out for which may indicate a young person is injuring themselves. 

The physical signs of self-harm can include any evidence of unexplained bodily injury, but most often cuts, bruises, burns, bite marks, or bald patches on their body. Some of the most common areas of the body that children choose to self-harm and where you may see physical evidence of this, are:

• Arms.
• Wrists.
• Thighs.
• Chest or stomach.
• Head.

Whilst these physical signs may not always be visible or can be well hidden, they will usually be accompanied by some kind of emotional change in the child. It’s important to note that these emotional signs can also be indicative of a range of other issues, but if you suspect a child may be self-harming then look out for the following behaviours:

• Always keeping themselves covered, for example wearing long sleeves or trousers even when it’s hot and refusing to participate in activities such as swimming which require more bodily visibility. 
• Finding bloodstained items or garments in amongst their belongings, for example clothing or tissues.
• Becoming withdrawn from friends or family and isolating themself more than usual. 
• Feeling depressed, angry, guilty, or anxious more than usual. These emotions may display themselves in intense and unprovoked outbursts. 
• Engaging in increasingly risky behaviour or putting themselves into dangerous situations. 
• Having low self-esteem, thinking they’re not good enough, or blaming themself for things that are beyond their control.

Signs of Self Harm for Teachers

Whilst any of the signs listed above can also be observed by school staff, there are also further signs that are more applicable to a school environment which you should be aware of and look out for in pupils you suspect may be self-harming. 

• Asking excessively to use items from the school/classroom first aid kit, such as plasters or bandages. This may indicate they’re wounding themself and don’t want to use medical equipment from home in case their parents notice and question it. 
• Using school stationary with sharp edges, such as a protractor or paper clip, to scratch at themselves. You may notice that such items are going missing from the classroom. 
• Asking questions about self-harm, trying to find information about it from the school library, or using school computers to make self-harm related searches. 
• Isolating themself from their school friends more than usual or refusing to participate in group activities/learning exercises. 
• An unexplained drop in grades and quality of work, or not turning in homework assignments. 
• Refusing to get changed for Physical Education class, as this would require exposing areas of their body that may be scarred or wounded. 

Teachers are well placed to monitor their students and, as they spend so much time with them, are likely to notice subtle changes in behaviour. Once you’ve identified any of the above warning signs in a pupil, you’re in a good position to intervene and offer support.

Want to Learn More?

Our Child Mental Health Training offers thorough insight into a number of common emotional, behavioural and hyperkinesis disorders to help you be confident and as prepared as possible to identify and support a child who may be struggling.

How to Help a Child Who Self Harms

Whilst caring for a child who is self-harming is an incredibly difficult experience and can feel helpless at times, it’s important that you don’t shy away from the situation or hope it will resolve itself with time. There are a number of things you can do to support a child experiencing self-harming tendencies, which will help aid their healing process.

Offer Emotional Support

It can be difficult to accept that your child, or a child you care for, is deliberately hurting themselves. It’s natural that you may feel upset or anxious by this, or even blame yourself for the situation. It’s vital that you don’t let your own feelings cloud your support, however. At this time, you need to be more open and caring than ever. To show that you’re there for the child, you could try:

• Letting them know you’re willing to listen whenever and however they choose to discuss their troubles, whether this is through a direct conversation, or perhaps written in some format such as a message. 
• Be open to whatever they’re willing to tell you without asking too many questions. Pushing a child to reveal why they have chosen to self-harm may make them feel judged or cause them to retreat further. 
• Ensure that they are aware of how much you love and care for them, and that you want to help them.
• Letting them know that experiencing difficult and turbulent emotions is natural and that it’s okay for them to be honest with you about what they’re going through. 

Focus On The Underlying Cause

Remember, a child doesn’t begin self-harming for no reason. Whilst it can be easy to focus wholly on the action of the self-harm, and try to prevent this, it’s more important to consider the underlying issues that are causing the self-harm. 

Hiding or removing items that a child is using to self-harm will not fix the issue, and can lead to them finding other ways to injure themself which could be more severe. Instead, you need to support the child to heal emotionally and mentally in order to really fix the issue. Once you know what’s causing them so much pain, you can consider ways to help them feel better. 

It may be wise to get professional guidance from a GP, NSPCC helpline staff, or the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) if you’re struggling to know how to best support a child with their emotions. 

Encourage Healthy Coping Mechanisms

A child may turn to self-harm as they don’t know of any other way to deal with or materialise their difficult feelings. Guiding them towards some more healthy coping strategies may help them to find another, more safe, way to provide comfort or release rather than self-injury. 

Some examples of healthy ways to cope with and release uncomfortable emotions, include:

• Painting, drawing, or scribbling to express how they feel and release pent up emotions.
• Holding an ice cube until it melts.
• Writing down their feelings, then destroying the paper by tearing it up or burning it.
• Listening to music, perhaps loudly. 
• Punching or screaming into a pillow. 
• Exercising.
• Taking a bath or shower. 
• Pushing against a sturdy wall or door frame as hard as they can. 
• Counting down from 500.
• Writing a pro and con list for self-harming. 

There are many more alternatives for self-harm like those above available on the childline website. 

Build Up Self-Confidence 

A common factor contributing towards a child self-harming is low self-esteem or confidence. This is something that you and others around the child can really help to counteract with positive affirmations and praise, such as:

• Frequently reminding them about all the things they do well.
• Learning something new together.
• Letting your child know that you’re proud of them and why. This could be communicated verbally or via a written list. Try to focus on things that are innate to them, such as their personality, rather than external achievements such as academics or sport. 
• Ensure that you’re being a good role-model by only speaking kindly about yourself and modelling self-love. 

Self-harm in children is a complicated and understandably distressing subject, but as with other mental health issues it’s essential to increase our knowledge and understanding of it so that we can best support those who are suffering. Although the reasons for self-harming can be nuanced, it is often related to intense negative emotions that a child is struggling to cope with. There are many ways to support a child who is self-harming and help them to deal with their feelings in a healthier and more long-lasting way. 

Further Resources:

• Child Mental Health Quiz
• Signs of Abuse in Children
• Understanding Why Children May Stay Quiet About Abuse
• Why is Cyberbullying Harmful and What Actions Can You Take?
• How to Deal With Bullying at School
• How to Help a Child with Depression

The post Understanding Self-Harm in Childhood appeared first on The Hub | High Speed Training.

In this article, we will highlight some of the potential risks of school trips, underline key legal requirements that you should be aware of, and explain how to conduct a thorough risk assessment, including a free downloadable template, to ensure the right safety measures have been taken before embarking on a school trip.

What are the Legal Requirements for School Trips?

When organising a school trip, it’s important to keep in mind that there are two types which each have different legal requirements involved. The two forms of school trip are:

• Routine visits.
• Trips that need a risk assessment and extra planning.

The second form of school trip are those that are not covered by a school’s current policies, for example due to distance from the school, the type of activity, location, or need for staff with specialist skills. 

Whilst in some cases it may be adequate to simply adjust a previous school trip arrangement, other trips will need a new risk assessment completed, more detailed planning, and the approval of the school’s headteacher or governing body. 

Ultimately, the legal requirements surrounding school trips all revolve around ensuring the health and safety of the children is protected as much as possible. To ensure you’ve considered all aspects of student safety, why not consult our article on Health and Safety in Schools: Free Checklist.

Obtaining Parental Consent

Whether you need to obtain parental consent to take pupils out on a school trip depends on the children’s age. 

For nursery aged children, you must always get written consent from a parent or legal guardian in order to take the child on a school trip. 

For most children, however, those over nursery age, written consent is not legally needed for the majority of school trips as they’re part of the curriculum. In fact, written consent is only required for trips that:

• Need a higher level of risk assessment.
• Are outside of usual school hours. 

Despite this, it’s strongly advised that you always make parents and guardians aware of any school trips prior to their commencement to give them the opportunity to withdraw their child if preferred. 

It’s also good practice to ask parents or carers to sign a consent form for school trips when their child first joins the school, which is designed to provide permission for their entire enrolment. 

Using External Organisations

Often, a school will hire another organisation to lead a school trip, particularly if it involves visiting a location run by another company or partaking in an activity needing professional guidance. This can help to enrich a child’s experience as it offers the chance to visit places and do things that are outside of the limits of what a school and education staff can provide. 

Using external organisations can be risky if not researched properly, however. It’s essential that they are able to provide satisfactory safety standards and public liability insurance. 

One way to check whether an external organisation is safe to hire for a school trip is to check whether they have a Learning Outside the Classroom Quality Badge, awarded by The Council for Learning Outside the Classroom (LOtC).

Additionally, even when using an organisation that has a LOtC quality badge, it’s important that a school draws up an agreement with the organisation prior to a school trip that outlines exactly what everyone is responsible for, particularly if the organisation will be included in the supervision of children. 

Arranging Adventurous Activities

School trips that contain an element of adventure are often the most exciting for children as they frequently involve doing an activity that the child has not had the chance to experience before. This includes things like watersports, climbing, trekking, or caving. 

It’s essential that these activities are organised well in advance of the school trip taking place and are not added during the visit. This is because these activities potentially involve more safety hazards and should therefore be highly risk assessed beforehand to ensure that the abilities of every child taking part are considered. Furthermore, organisations offering adventure activities should hold the correct licences to do so. It’s vital to check this before choosing a provider for your trip.

Having an Emergency Response Plan

Before embarking on a school trip, you should ensure you have a suitable emergency response plan in place that outlines what to do if an accident or incident does occur during the visit. This should include a communication plan containing the relevant contact numbers and the organisation of regular check-ins.

Eager to Expand Your Knowledge?

We offer a wide range of expert Courses for Teaching and Education to help you stay compliant and safeguard your students, including Paediatric First Aid, Challenging Behaviour and Allergy & Anaphylaxis Training for Schools.

Are School Trips Safe?

It’s common for schools to shy away from organising school excursions or stick to safer trips due to misunderstandings around safety law and in order to avoid scrutiny if something were to go wrong. 

In reality, however, research shows that more accidents occur on school grounds than on trips. Furthermore, the safety requirements for school trips are very realistic and shouldn’t cause schools any anxiety. As long as you’ve identified any hazards that may arise and determined control measures to help mitigate these risks, the chance of an incident occurring will be significantly reduced and you’ll be sufficiently prepared to react if a situation does arise. Thus, schools should have the confidence to offer engaging and educational trips where everyone involved is aware of their responsibilities.

To help you to make the necessary safety preparations, you can find a few examples of possible school trip risks below. 

How to Do a Risk Assessment for a School Trip

A risk assessment is a document which helps to identify what risks currently exist or may occur in a particular environment or situation. A risk assessment of a school trip involves a thorough examination of any potential hazards that could occur during your excursion, helping to ensure you’ve done all that you can to keep the participating children safe. 

What Should be Included in a School Trip Risk Assessment?

Identify Any Possible Hazards

Start by considering the significant risks that could emerge at each stage of the trip, including travel to and from the location as well as the activity itself. This section should mainly focus on hazards over which you have some control, such as food safety, separation, slips and trips etc. Keep in mind that these hazards may vary depending on the nature of your excursion, as not all school trips carry the same level of risk, so it’s important to create an individual assessment for specific trips. 

Outline Who May be Affected by Each Hazard

The people potentially affected or harmed may be different for each hazard. For instance, some hazards may impact the whole group whereas others may only affect the children or even specific pupils. When considering this section, you should pay special thought to any children attending the trip with physical and/or learning disabilities, medical conditions, or food allergies. These individuals may require extra care as they’re more at risk of harm. 

Determine a System to Rank the Hazards

It’s a good idea to create a comprehensive ranking system for hazards that can be used across all risk assessments completed by the school. By ranking hazards based on how likely they are to occur and the severity of the risk, future risk assessments will become easier to complete and all school staff will be aware at a glance of how much precaution needs to be taken for each risk. One example of a ranking system for school trip hazards is:

1 – Low

2 – Moderate

3 – High

4 – Extremely high

Describe Suitable Control Measures and Precautions

Once each risk has been identified, you should consider and record any precautions you will take to help mitigate this risk. This can range from packing specific items, such as weather protection, to prohibiting certain foods that could trigger an allergy, or having an in-depth communication plan and emergency meeting location. 

Record Your Findings

It’s essential that you continue to review and update your risk assessment leading up to a school trip to account for any changes in circumstance and ensure that nothing has been missed. Also, keep a copy of the completed form as evidence of your diligence should an accident occur. 

School Trip Risk Assessment Template

To help set you on the right path to creating a fully comprehensive school trip risk assessment, we’ve created a blank template for you to download and fill out for free. Containing all the essential components listed above, simply follow the written prompts within the form to ensure you’ve included all necessary information to help keep children safe on your next school trip. 

School trips are some of the most enriching and memorable experiences for children and are therefore well worth incorporating into your curriculum. Whilst there are a number of legal requirements to consider whilst planning a school trip, these are all reasonable and manageable. The best way to ensure a school trip runs smoothly and safely is to conduct a thorough risk assessment to identify and mitigate any hazards prior to the school excursion.

Further Resources:

• How to Create an Effective Culture of Safeguarding in Schools
• Health and Safety in Schools: Free Checklist
• What Should be in a First Aid Kit?
• Courses for Teaching and Education

The post School Trip Risk Assessment: Free Template appeared first on The Hub | High Speed Training.

What is Gender Dysphoria?

Gender dysphoria is when someone experiences distress because their gender identity differs from the biological sex they were assigned at birth. Gender dysphoria is a medical term recognised by the NHS. It is not a mental health condition, though it can lead to mental health problems due to the stress and anxiety it causes.

A person’s gender identity is not necessarily the same as their sex. The term ‘sex’ refers to whether you were born as a boy or girl – your sex assigned at birth. Gender identity, on the other hand, refers to how you perceive yourself, whether as male, female, non-binary or somewhere in the middle. Your gender identity may match up with your biological sex – e.g. you were born a girl and identify as female – but for many people, the two don’t align. In these instances, a person may be questioning their gender identity.

Gender questioning is the term used to describe when a child or young person is asking questions about their gender identity, whether internally or out loud. They may be curious about their physical attributes, questioning their belonging in society or exploring how they feel about being a boy or girl. For some children, these feelings can cause anxiety or distress and can sometimes lead to gender dysphoria.

As they get older, children with gender dysphoria will often have a strong desire to live their life according to their perceived gender identity, so they might change the way they look and act to match accordingly. This can start from a very young age, with children choosing to wear clothing or play with toys associated with the opposite gender. In school, they may ask to change their name, wear the opposite sex’s uniform or start using a different bathroom, with the expectation that teachers will treat them as their identified gender. This is sometimes called social transitioning and it can be a tricky area for everyone involved to navigate.

However, it’s important to note that diagnoses of gender dysphoria are relatively rare amongst children. Many children will role play as a different gender or choose to play with children of the opposite sex, and this is entirely normal and not indicative of gender issues. If this exploration continues into their teenage years, and the child begins to feel anxious, uncomfortable or distressed about the effects of puberty, then consider speaking to a GP.

Signs of Gender Dysphoria

Signs of gender dysphoria in children and young people can be complex and difficult for parents, carers and teachers to deal with. Children experiencing gender dysphoria may not have the words to describe their feelings, may be feeling very confused or embarrassed and may not know what to do next. This is where you, the parent or educational professional, can offer your support.

Note that the behaviours listed below do not necessarily indicate that a child has gender dysphoria. Many of these feelings, actions and behaviours are typical of childhood and part of growing up, and the child will outgrow them as they get older. These actions may indicate a problem when the child also has feelings of severe distress as a result.

Signs of gender dysphoria in young children may include:

• Strong interest in toys often associated with the opposite gender.
• Strong preference for wearing school uniform associated with the opposite gender.
• Only playing with children of the opposite gender.
• Feeling unhappy about their physical characteristics.
• Getting upset when being called him/her.
• Tantrums about or not wanting to be involved in activities that involve girls vs. boys.

Signs of gender dysphoria in teenagers and young adults may include:

• Acting in the gender role of their preferred gender identity.
• Conviction that they were born as the wrong gender.
• Wearing the school uniform of the opposite gender.
• Strong dislike of their physical characteristics and desire to be rid of them.
• Feeling lonely and isolated.
• Being bullied or harassed because of how they choose to present their gender.
• Becoming withdrawn from friendship groups.
• Strong discomfort during gendered activities or lessons, such as PE.
• Depression, anxiety and low self-esteem.
• Taking risks, such as with drugs, sex and criminal activity.
• Self-harming behaviours or suicide attempts.

Want to Learn More?

Whilst gender dysphoria itself is not a mental illness, it often leads to children and teenagers experiencing depression and anxiety. Our Child Mental Health Training contains essential knowledge for educational professionals to help you understand more about supporting the children you teach.

How to Help Someone with Gender Dysphoria

As a parent or carer of a child showing signs of gender dysphoria, distress, depression or anxiety, it’s advised that you take them to see a GP who can help you and your child further. If the child’s behaviour and actions are causing you concern, then consider asking the child’s teacher to see whether they’ve got similar worries about the child.

The GP may then refer you and your child to a gender dysphoria clinic (GDC) where a specialist will assess your child, or they may refer you to your local Children and Young People’s Mental Health Service (CYPMHS) who can offer psychological support.

As a teacher or educational professional, you can help a child or young person with gender dysphoria by being supportive, respectful and inclusive. Gender dysphoria is a highly traumatic condition for a child to deal with, so it’s important that you treat them with care and with dignity, even if you find it difficult.

Current Keeping Children Safe in Education Guidance (KCSIE) suggests that teachers should:

• Take a cautious approach and consider all of the child’s individual needs, in partnership with the child’s parents.
• Encourage parents and carers of gender questioning children to seek clinical help and advice.
• Ensure parents are not excluded from decisions taken by the school or college relating to requests for a child to socially transition. If a child requests a change, schools and colleges should make parents aware of the situation.
• Ensure the views of the child’s parents carry great weight and are properly considered. Parental consent is required in the vast majority of cases.
• Create a culture in school where children feel able to speak out or share their concerns with members of staff.
• Be respectful and tolerant and encourage this amongst other students, ensuring bullying is never tolerated.
• If a child requests a change to their uniform, pronouns or name, etc., consider how best to fulfil that duty towards the child, ensuring that any agreed course of action is in all of their best interests.
• Wait for a period of time before considering a request, to ensure it is a sustained and properly thought through decision. This is known as ‘watchful waiting’.
• Consider the impact on other pupils, including any safeguarding concerns.

The UK Government’s guidance for schools and colleges in relation to gender questioning children – currently in the consultation stage and due for release later in 2024 – provides schools and colleges with more detail on how to respond to specific requests regarding a child’s gender identity.

Our article on Supporting Transgender Students in Schools is also a useful source of information for teachers wanting to understand more about this subject.

Gender Dysphoria Support for Parents

A child’s gender dysphoria can affect the whole family, including parents, siblings and extended family members. For this reason, it’s important that parents know how to access relevant support in order to make the situation easier for everyone.

Gender dysphoria support for parents is a relatively new area, but help is out there in the form of support groups, websites, online forums and guidance. Teachers can take note of the following resources to then pass onto parents and carers of children who are struggling:

• Self-education through books, articles, videos and documentaries about gender can be a good place to start in helping parents understand what their child is going through. Consider learning about topics such as LGBTQ+ history, case studies from transgender people, language and pronouns and inclusivity in the classroom.
• Support groups can give parents a place to discuss their thoughts with other parents in the same situation. The Gender Dysphoria Support Network (GDSN) is an international group that supports families affected by gender dysphoria, including parents, siblings, adult children, spouses, friends and extended family members. The group has regular online meetings as well as a range of resources for parents to access.
• Contact a charity such as YoungMinds, Stonewall, Action for Children or FFLAG who offer countless resources and support opportunities for families of LGBTQ+ children.

If a child’s gender identity doesn’t match with their sex assigned at birth, they can experience serious distress, depression and anxiety – also known as gender dysphoria. Gender questioning children are an important consideration for educational professionals and KCSIE provides some essential guidance on how to handle it in the classroom. For parents, having a child with gender dysphoria can be difficult, so it’s vital that everyone involved accesses the support they need to handle this highly-sensitive topic.

Further Resources:

• LGBTQ+ Awareness Training
• Keeping Children Safe in Education: Key Changes
• Supporting Transgender Students in School: Guidance for Teachers
• How to Promote LGBTQ+ Inclusive Education in Schools
• What is Inclusive Practice?
• How to Help a Child with Depression

The post Gender Dysphoria in Children: Guidance for Parents and Teachers appeared first on The Hub | High Speed Training.

Although young people have been instrumental in the recent rise in opening important conversations around mental health, helping to reduce the stigma surrounding it, it can still be confusing for a child to identify when they’re struggling with their own mental health and difficult for them to open up about this. Thus, it’s vital that adults have the knowledge and understanding to look out for young people’s wellbeing and offer the right support. 

In this article, we will explain what depression is in children, what can cause this mental health disorder, outline some of the signs of depression in children, and offer advice on how to help children who may be suffering from depression. 

What is Depression in Children?

Depression in children is a mental health and mood disorder that leads to feelings of sadness, irritability, or hopelessness that may be intense or prolonged, can interfere with everyday activities and reduce quality of life. 

Every child has emotional ups and downs, as we all do, but this is normal. There is usually a reason for these mood swings and they are only experienced temporarily before the child begins to feel better again. 

Depression in children is different to this. It creates an abnormal pattern of emotion whereby a young person may experience lingering feelings of sadness and hopelessness that prevents them from finding interest or pleasure in things they usually enjoy, can disrupt daily activities such as sleeping or eating, may hinder their relationships, and can even cause suicidal thoughts. 

It’s important to note that depression in children can differ to that in adults. Whereas adults typically associate depression with low mood and a loss of energy, children often display symptoms more in outbursts of anger or irritability. Furthermore, although adult depression frequently causes a withdrawal from all relationships, children experiencing depression have sometimes been known to isolate themselves from adults whilst maintaining contact with close friends. As a result, child depression can unfortunately often be dismissed as teenage ‘moodiness’ and therefore not identified or acted upon soon enough. 

To learn more about depression, along with various other common mental health disorders, read our article on What are the Different Types of Mental Health?

Causes of Childhood Depression

The cause of depression in a child can be very difficult to identify as, whilst the condition can be triggered by one particular source (such as a difficult event) it can also be developed as a result of a mixture of factors or simply due to a genetic disposition. Thus, unfortunately there is often no clear ‘cause’ of depression in children. 

Having said this, one or more of the following factors can increase the risk of childhood depression:

• Genetics and family history – Children with close relatives who have experienced depression or other mental health disorders are more likely to develop the condition themself.
• Physical illness or injury.
• Stressful or adverse life events – Such as a parent’s separation/divorce or a bereavement.
• Substance use.
• Bullying or exposure to other traumatic experiences or abuse. 
• Problems with friends.
• Struggling with identity – Such as sexuality or gender. 
• Puberty.

As mentioned, any combination of these factors can increase the risk of a child developing depression, but equally there may not be an identifiable source. Sometimes childhood depression can occur as a result of seemingly random chemical imbalances or disturbances, so searching for a clear cause isn’t always helpful. 

Most importantly, it’s critical that signs of depression in a child aren’t ignored or dismissed if there’s no identifiable origin of the issue. A child who appears to have an ideal life and upbringing can just as easily develop depression as someone with known childhood difficulties. 

What are the Signs of Depression in Children?

Childhood depression doesn’t always have one set of symptoms as it can present itself differently in each child. As a result, depression in children can frequently go undiagnosed and untreated as it’s hard to identify and is often passed off as standard emotional or psychological change that occurs during growth. 

There are a number of signs of childhood depression to look out for, however, as these symptoms are commonly displayed by a child experiencing this mental health condition: 

• Changes in appetite – This can include either an increase or decrease in appetite. 
• Changes in sleep – Childhood depression can cause sleeplessness or, conversely, excessive sleep.
• Continuous feelings of sadness or hopelessness.
• Increased irritability. 
• Difficulty concentrating.
• Experiencing feelings of worthlessness and low self-esteem – You may hear a child speaking negatively of themself more frequently if they are struggling with depression. 
• Increased sensitivity, perhaps to rejection.
• Loss of interest in hobbies or passions. 
• Complaining of physical pain, such as headaches or stomach aches, that don’t respond to medication.
• Reduced sociability and withdrawal from relationships.
• Thought of self-harm or suicide.
• Crying or emotional outbursts. 
• A general change in their demeanour or mood that is intense and prolonged. 

As mentioned, every child will experience depression in varying ways. Thus, children may display differing symptoms at different times and in different settings. Whilst some children with depression are able to continue to function well in structured environments, others will display a more noticeable change. 

For teachers and safeguarders, there are a number of school specific signs of childhood depression in addition to those above that it is worth looking out for. These include:

• A reduced effort in school work and assignments.
• Having trouble concentrating in the classroom.
• Failure to turn in homework.
• Receiving lower grades than previously. 
• Withdrawing from school friends or classroom activities. 
• Missing school days or becoming frequently late.

Unfortunately, despite improvements in recent years, there still remains some stigma around mental health disorders which can result in myths surrounding mental health disorders being commonly mistaken as fact. To supplement the information above, and ensure you’re ideas surrounding depression are correct, read our article on Mental Health Myths vs Facts: What are the Realities?

Helping Children with Depression

Treatment of depression in children is similar to that of adults. It usually includes psychotherapy (most often counselling and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) and sometimes medication, such as antidepressants, if the symptoms are severe and don’t appear to improve with therapy alone. 

Whilst these are the medical treatments that a child experiencing depression may undertake, there are also many ways in which you as a parent, teacher or someone responsible for safeguarding can help to support a child who is struggling with depression. 

Want to Learn More?

Our Child Mental Health Training provides a more in depth and detailed understanding of child mental health. It explains some of the most common mental health disorders, how you can identify these, and ensures you are confident in your ability to support any child who may need it.

Supporting a child with depression can be difficult as often adults feel that a child’s struggles with mental health is their fault or they want to know exactly what’s brought it on. Whilst this is understandable, it’s most important to be there to support and reassure the child in an unconditional and non-judgemental way. 

Talk to Children About Mental Health

Suffering with mental health as a child can be extremely confusing as they may not fully understand what’s happening to them, why they feel the way they do, and what has brought about the change. Thus, having open conversations about mental health and various forms of mental health disorders can help to provide some clarity and reassurance to a child. 

Additionally, giving young people opportunities to open up is one of the most important things an adult can do to help support their wellbeing. Even if you can’t necessarily fix a child’s struggles with mental health, you can help them to feel heard and understood which is often valuable in itself in helping them to cope.  

How to explain mental health to a child and how to talk about depression

Although it’s extremely beneficial, talking to children about mental health isn’t always easy. You may not know how to bring up such a topic, when the best time to do so is, and may be afraid of making things worse or saying the wrong thing. 

It’s important to remember that children don’t always need you to get it perfectly right, it’s just important that they know that you’re there for them. 

It is often easier to talk while doing an activity, as this can give something else to focus on in addition to the conversation and thus takes some of the pressure off and can help it to feel more natural. 

Furthermore, it can be helpful to start the conversation indirectly by introducing the topic of feelings in a more subtle way than diving straight into mental health as a concept. Perhaps start by asking a child what the best and worst parts of their day were, what challenges they’ve faced recently, or how they’ve been feeling in general. 

Finally, if a child is struggling with their mental health, it can be useful for you to find out directly from them how they’d like to be supported rather than just assuming ways you can help. Try asking gentle questions such as those below:

• How can I support you through this?
• Do you want to talk about how you’ve been feeling?
• Is there anything you need or would like from me?
• What was the biggest problem you faced today and what would help you face it? 

Spend Quality Time with the Child

Depression can be an extremely lonely condition, so it’s more vital than ever that you remain fully present for the child. Despite one common symptom of childhood depression being withdrawal from relationships or increased isolation, it’s essential that a child with depression remains aware that they have a strong support system around them. Thus, ensure you’re taking an active interest in the child’s life, asking them questions and suggesting doing activities together that they may enjoy. 

Create a Positive and Safe Environment

Nurturing an environment of positivity, warmth and safety, whether that’s at home, school or elsewhere, can go a long way to helping a child suffering with depression to feel more relaxed and supported. To create this environment, ensure you’re vocalising your love and support frequently, have the child’s favourite things around them, and minimise any external disturbances or stressful surroundings that could disrupt the child’s emotions further. 

Encourage Healthy Habits

Many of the symptoms of depression include a disruption to everyday activities such as sleeping and eating. A child with depression is likely to experience an increase or decrease in appetite, restlessness, or insomnia. It is a well known fact, however, that maintaining healthy daily habits goes a long way to supporting good mental wellbeing as well as physical health. Thus, it’s in a child’s best interest to try and stick to regular eating and sleeping habits as well as staying active. 

As a parent, teacher or safeguarder, you can support a child with depression by monitoring any changes in their everyday activities and trying to keep them on course, for example by providing regular, nutritious and tasty meals for them or suggesting you participate in energising activities together. 

To learn more about the benefits of staying active on mental health, read our article on The Benefits of Exercise on Mental Health.

Look After Yourself

Being a witness to childhood depression, especially if it’s in a child you’re close to or responsible for, can be distressing and helping them can become an all-encompassing factor in your life. Whilst it’s important to support a child with depression in any way you can, it’s also vital to remember that if you’re sacrificing your mental or physical health, you won’t be able to provide the best support. As a result, it’s essential that you continue to prioritise your own wellbeing in addition to that of the child. This will also make it easier to maintain a positive and safe environment for the child, as mentioned above. 

Childhood depression is a complex mental health disorder that manifests differently for each individual, and can therefore be difficult to identify and treat. Because of its intricate nature, it can be extremely confusing and distressing for a child to experience depression, and the consequences of this illness can be severe. Thus, it’s vital that adults are aware of the signs and understand ways to support children suffering with this condition. 

Further Resources:

• How to Support Children with Attachment Disorder
• How to Teach Children About Healthy Relationships
• What are the Different Types of Mental Health?
• Mental Health Myths vs Facts: What are the Realities?
• Child Mental Health Training

The post How to Help a Child with Depression appeared first on The Hub | High Speed Training.