For Parents & Carers

For Parents and Carers

Children and young people have the right to be safe and feel safe in every walk of life, whether at home, in school, when having fun or on the way to places. Young people tend to have a good sense of what is safe and what isn't but sometimes need help in deciding what is best for them. Parents and carers are most often the people best placed to ensure that their children are safe.

Very few people harm children on purpose or through neglect but it does happen, and when it does it is important that steps are taken to protect those children from harm.

'Worried about a Child' is a helpful leaflet produced by the NSPCC available in different languages.

Children's Social Work Teams

Tameside Council has specialist social workers who can be contacted if you as a neighbour, friend or relative are worried that a child is being harmed or neglected.

The social workers can be contacted on the following numbers:

During office hours, Monday to Friday 0161 342 4199 / 4186 / 4222

Outside office hours, Monday to Friday and weekends and public holidays 0161 342 2222

NSPCC

Concerns about a child can also be reported to the NSPCC - 0808 800 5000

There are lots of other ways in which you can report concerns about a child to the NSPCC such as online reporting, text and email; support lines are also available for deaf or hard of hearing people and in other languages. Click here to find out more.

What to do if you're worried a child is being abused

The guidance What to do if you're worried a child is being abused has been published by the government and is intended mainly for anyone whose work brings them into contact with children and families, focusing particularly on those who work in social care, health, education and criminal justice services.

However it gives a good description of what steps are likely to be taken if you as a neighbour, friend or relative do contact an agency with a concern about a child. For the practitioner working with children and families the document outlines the following:

what they should do if they have concerns about a child's welfare
what will happen once they have informed someone about those concerns
and what further contribution they may be asked or expected to make to the processes of assessment, planning, working with children, and reviewing that work.

TSCB Safe Parenting Handbook

The TSCB Safe Parenting Handbook has useful information on a range of issues for parents and carers in the vital task of looking after and raising children.

Tameside S.I.D. (Service Information Directory)

SID is the new service directory aimed at Children and Young People, their families, and those who work with them. It provides information on a range of national and local organisations, together with their contact details and how to access them. The Directory also includes voluntary organisations and groups, such as Guides and Scouts, Youth Clubs etc. and other leisure activities.

There is information for parents and carers on SID here .... http://www.tameside-sid.org.uk/parents.asp

NSPCC Publications for parents

The NSPCC has a range of leaflets for parents and carers which can be accessed here .... http://www.nspcc.org.uk/Inform/publications/leaflets_for_parents_wda75350.html

including, Home Alone - Your guide to keeping your child safe

E-safety

Children and young people often know more than their parents/carers do about the use of modern technology, such as social networking, mobile phones etc. Therefore for adults it can feel quite scary. Tameside children have developed a leaflet to help advise parents/carers about how to stay safe online; there is also plenty of additional advice and guidance available much of which can be accessed via the Safeguarding Library.

Child Sex Offender Disclosure Scheme

This pilot allows those who care for young people to find out if a person has a record for child sexual offences.

The child sex offender disclosure scheme allows parents, carers and guardians to formally ask the police to tell them if someone has a record for child sexual offences. In the areas where the pilot is being run, family members, friends, neighbours or anyone worried about the safety of a child can request that information.

The aim of this pilot is to keep children safer. More information about the pilot and the scheme is at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/crime/child-sex-offender-disclosure/. Following a number of successful pilot areas, and evaluation by the Home Office , the Home Secretary has expressed a wish that all police forces within England and Wales implement the scheme by April 2011

It is the intention of Greater Manchester Police to have the scheme available to members of the public by the end of March 2011.

Parents protect website

As part of the drive to protect children from harm a new website has been set up by the Lucy Faithful Foundation at http://www.parentsprotect.co.uk/home.htm. It is designed to raise awareness about child sexual abuse, to answer questions and to give parents and carers the information they need to help.

Child Protection Meetings - A Guide for Parents & Carers

The information in this leaflet is for parents and carers who may be involved in Child Protection Meetings. Everyone involved in Child Protection Meetings is there to do what is best for the child, to help parents and carers in looking after and protecting them. We want to involve parents and carers as much as possible in all the decisions made about their children.

Tameside SCB