Research has found that disabled children are three to four times more likely to be abused and neglected than non-disabled children . Yet often the safeguarding needs of this vulnerable group are not prioritised or fully incorporated into safeguarding strategies and practice. Children with complex needs may receive services from a number of care providers leaving them vulnerable to neglect and abuse. They may find it difficult to know how they can express concerns about their welfare and may not even know that the care they are receiving is not safe or appropriate.
As local areas develop and embed the new multi-agency safeguarding arrangements, this workshop provides the timely opportunity to explore how the safeguarding needs of disabled children can be more successfully met.
The workshop will explore the following areas:
- Additional risks, signs, and indicators of abuse to disabled children and
young people.
- Translating messages from research into good practice
- Risks, challenges and opportunities of multi-agency practice
- Healthy relationships and good practice to reduce risks of sexual
exploitation and domestic abuse
- Adopting a child-centred, whole life, whole family approach
- The importance of practice which grows resilience and develops capacity,
social and emotional wellbeing.
Who is this workshop for?
This workshop is essential for anyone who works with children and young people with a disability in any organisation, business or charity including:
- Those working with younger children as well as teens and young people up to 25
- Police and criminal justice sectors
- Education (both mainstream and special education)
- Safeguarding leads
- Health and social care
- Mental health
- Adult workers who need to understand child protection
- Those working in advocacy organisations
