Children with Disabilities
Safeguarding disabled children requires a proactive approach, recognising their increased vulnerability and ensuring their voices are heard, with a focus on communication, appropriate support, and promoting their rights and safety.
Understanding the Increased Vulnerability:
- Reliance on others: Disabled children often rely on others for personal care, increasing the risk of abuse and neglect.
- Communication barriers: Difficulties communicating can make it harder for disabled children to report abuse or seek help.
- Specific needs: Safeguarding policies and procedures must address the specific needs and vulnerabilities of disabled children, including those with communication impairments.
Early indicators of abuse and neglect can be more complicated for disabled children.
Key Safeguarding Principles:
- Child-centered approach: Always prioritise the child's needs, wishes, and feelings.
- Communication: Ensure disabled children have appropriate means of communication and can express their views and concerns.
- Empowerment: Help disabled children understand their rights and how to seek help.
- Collaboration: Work closely with families, professionals, and other agencies to ensure a coordinated approach to safeguarding.
- Training and awareness: Provide adequate training for staff and professionals on safeguarding disabled children.
- Anti-discriminatory practice: Ensure that safeguarding policies and procedures are inclusive and do not discriminate against disabled children.
- Openness and Transparency: Create a culture of openness and transparency within services used by disabled children.
Other useful resources:
Safeguarding disabled children - GOV.UK
https://www.communitycare.co.uk/2024/12/16/safeguarding-disabled-children-practice-tips/
https://councilfordisabledchildren.org.uk/
Safeguarding children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND):
Children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) | NSPCC Learning