INVOLVING CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE IN SAFEGUARDING PROCESSES

There are a number of safeguarding processes that can be implemented when children have been abused or are at risk of significant harm, to protect them from future abuse. These include initial enquiries and child protection investigations, child protection conferences and family group conferences, and Court proceedings. This chapter addresses the nature, incidence and prevalence of abuse and neglect and the impact of these experiences on children. There is a focus on what research tells us about working with children and young people in safeguarding processes and how social workers can ensure they are child-centred, despite the pressure and demands of the statutory child protection role. Finally, there is discussion regarding the engagement of children and young people in safeguarding processes, including the importance of speaking to the child alone and relationship-building with young people. There has been an upward trend in recent years in the number of children made subject to child protection plans (Department of Education, 2015). The number of section 47 enquiries increased by 12% in 2015 compared to 2014, resulting in 71,140 initial child protection conferences taking place across the UK (Department of Education, 2015). In March 2015, 49,700 children were the subject of a child protection plan, compared with 39,100 in March 2009 (Department of Education, 2015). Despite these increases in known cases.