Safeguarding the Health and Wellbeing of Children, Young People and Families

This module uses blended learning. This approach combines the use of online educational materials, platforms and synchronous online sessions with more traditional in person-based teaching and learning methods.

Teaching and learning will take place through a combination of in-person and synchronous online lectures, small and large group work, simulated learning, and practical activities. This will enable you to examine the issues in detail, providing both teacher and peer led input and feedback, promoting discussion, and developing effective communication.

The blended teaching sessions will be complemented by self-directed study which may include blended learning opportunities that will enable you to gain a deeper overall understanding of professional practice within your specialist field.

In addition to these teaching delivery approaches, you will also be required to undertake your own independent study, which will involve wider reading, independent research, skills practice, and preparation for assessment.

Who is it for?

This course is suitable for registered nurses, midwives and allied health professionals who want to increase their knowledge of Safeguarding the Health and Wellbeing of Children, Young People and Families. This module is particularly pertinent as a preparatory module for those considering applying to the MSc/PgDip Public Health and Specialist Community Nursing Programme

Timetable

Term 2

Jan:  7, and 21 January 2027
Feb: 4 February 2027
Mar: 11 March 2027
Apr: 26, 27, 28, and 29 April 2027

Benefits

In this module you will explore the context, policy and evidence-based rationale underpinning both safeguarding practice and the delivery of an enhanced school nursing, health visiting and public health service.

The module will also provide opportunities for you to expand your skills, knowledge and attitudes through critical appraisal, discussion, and a reflective approach. It will aim to develop your ability to practice with confidence and competence to safeguard children and young people.

Content Outline

* Concepts of vulnerability, adversity and resilience:

Resilience in yourself as a Specialist Community Public Health Nurse (SCPHN), including how to maintain safe practice, having courageous conversations, and managing conflict.

* Vulnerability and resilience in relation to children, young people, and families:

Protective factors, risk factors and ‘signs of safety’, adverse childhood experiences (ACE), Looked After Children (LAC), domestic abuse, mental health issues, substance misuse, poverty, and neglect.

* UK legislation and learning lessons from Child Safeguarding Practice Reviews:

Policies and care pathways. Interdisciplinary and interagency collaboration in supporting children, young people, parents, carers, families, and communities; information sharing, consent, escalation of concerns, referrals, communication, record keeping, report writing and safeguarding children supervision.

* Perinatal mental health and mental health of infants, children, and young people:

Mother-infant dyad, concepts of ‘good enough’ parenting, implications for future life chances. Impact of long-term mental health conditions on parenting/caring.

* Mental health of school children and young people:

Low self-esteem, bullying, online abuse, child sexual exploitation, FGM, self-harm, substance misuse, domestic abuse, and teenage pregnancy.

* Disability and complex needs in children, young people and families:

Policies and care pathways and the equality, diversity, and inclusion agenda, including current legislation. Long term health conditions and complex disability and additional educational needs, including supporting parents and carers with their own additional disability needs

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of this module, you will be expected to be able to:

Knowledge:

* Critically and systematically analyse key theories and approaches to the safeguarding of children, young people, parents, carers, families, and communities.

* Critically explore the development of the UK legal framework that underpins the protection of at-risk children, young people, parents, carers, families, and communities.

Skills:

* Critically analyse and evaluate ways to prevent, identify and minimise risk of interpersonal abuse in order to safeguard children and young people.

* Critically synthesise and construct how your own professional role contributes to the interdisciplinary and interagency team and the effectiveness of collaborative working with vulnerable children, young people parents, carers, and families.

* Critically identify and apply relevant evidence-based assessment tools to safeguarding in a complex needs context.

Values and attitudes:

* Critically reflect on the professional values and attitudes required to enable resolution of potential conflicting priorities when engaged in partnership and strength-based working with vulnerable children, young people parents, carers, and families.

* Critically reflect on the professional values and attitudes required to keep the child/young person at the centre of professional practice and be aware of the factors that can detract from this priority.

Assessment

Summative:

The summative assessment for this module is a 20-minute timed oral assessment. Prior to the oral presentation assessment, you will be given a health visiting, school nursing or specialist public health based safeguarding scenario as applicable, you will be required to critically discuss the relevant key points from the scenario in your oral assessment.

Formative:

In preparation for the Summative Assessment a group formative assessment opportunity will be offered for the oral assessment. You will be provided with a safeguarding written report template that will enable you to consider the role of the Health Visitor, School Nurse or specialist public health professional as applicable in relation to the safeguarding scenario provided for the summative assessment.

Certificates

This module is core for students studying the MSc/PgDip Public Health and Specialist Community Nursing Programme (Health Visiting and School Nursing Pathways)

The module is available as an optional elective module for students studying the MSc/PgDip Public Health and Specialist Community Nursing Programme (Community Children’s Nursing Pathway)

Transfer course credits towards postgraduate taught degree

Alternatively, As a health and/or social care professional, once you've completed this module you could offset 15 credits as part of a postgraduate programme, continuing your study with further modules to make up a Postgraduate Certificate (PGCert) 60 credits, Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip) 120 credits or Master of Science (MSc) 180 credits qualification (all credits must be awarded within five years of study commencing).

This course is provided by the School of Health & Medical Sciences.

Credits

This course is worth 15 credits toward eligible programmes.

Eligibility

You must be registered in the United Kingdom as a nurse, midwife or allied health professional.

English requirements

If your first language is not English, one of the following is required:

A first degree from a UK university

A first degree from an overseas institution recognised by City, University of London as providing adequate evidence of proficiency in the English language, for example, from institutions from Australia, Canada or the United States of America.

International English Language Test Service (IELTS) a score of 7.0 is required with no subtest below 7.0

Pearson Test of English (Academic) score 72 required

TOEFL 100 overall with 24 in Writing, 20 in Listening, 19 Reading and 20 Speaking

Other evidence of proficiency in the English language, which satisfies the board of studies concerned, including registration with your professional regulator.

English requirements

For those students whose first language is not English the following qualification is also required:

• IELTS: 7.0

Cleaver, H., Unell, I and Aldgate, J. (2011) Children’s needs: parenting capacity: child abuse parental mental illness, learning disability, substance misuse and domestic violence. London: The Stationery Office (TSO).

Childrens_Needs_Parenting_Capacity.pdf (accessed 28/10/23)

Department of Health (DH) (2000) Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and their Families. London, The Stationery Office.

Department of Health (DH) (2013) SAFER communication guidelines (Institute of Health Visiting). Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/208132/NHS_Safer_Leaflet_Final.pdf (accessed 28/10/23)

Department for Education (2018) Working Together to Safeguard Children: a guide to inter-agency working to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. London: Department for Education Available at:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5fd0a8e78fa8f54d5d6555f9/Working_together_to_safeguard_children_inter_agency_guidance.pdf (Accessed 30/10/23)

Hatt, J., and Hackett A.J. (2022) Building effective safeguarding skills: a shift from the what to how in practice, In P. Burrows and J.Cowie (eds) Health Visiting-Specialist Community Public Health Nursing. London: Elsevier, pp.231-251

HM Government (2015) What to do if you’re worried a child is being abused-advice for practitioners. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/what-to-do-if-youre-worried-a-child-is-being-abused--2 (Accessed 30/10/23)

HM Government (2018) Information sharing. Advice for practitioners providing safeguarding services to children, young people, parents and carers Available at: chrome- https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/623c57d28fa8f540eea34c27/Information_sharing_advice_practitioners_safeguarding_services.pdf (Accessed 30/10/23)

Laming, Lord. (2003) The Victoria Climbie Inquiry: Report of the Inquiry by Lors Laming. Norwich: TSO, Available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a7c5edeed915d696ccfc51b/5730.pdf (Accessed 28/10/23)

London Safeguarding Children Partnership (2023) London Safeguarding Children Procedures and Practice Guidance. London 7th edn. London: Safeguarding Children Partnership Available at: https://www.londonsafeguardingchildrenprocedures.co.uk/# (Accessed 28/10/23)

Munro, E. (2011) The Munro Review of Child Protection. Final Report: A Child-Centred System. London: Department for Education. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/175391/Munro-Review.pdf (Accessed 28/10/23)

Munro, E. (2019) Effective Child Protection. 3rd edn. London:Sage.

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) (2009, updated 2017) Nice Guideline 89 - When to suspect child maltreatment in under-18s. Available at: http://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg89 (Accessed 30/10/23)

NSPCC (2023) Child mental health: learning from case reviews. Available at https://learning.nspcc.org.uk/media/3241/learning-from-case-reviews-child-mental-health.pdf (Accessed 28/10/23)

NSPCC (2023) Child sexual exploitation: learning from serious case reviews - Summary of key issues and learning for improving practice around child Available at https://learning.nspcc.org.uk/media/3309/child-sexual-exploitation-learning-from-case-reviews-august-2023.pdf (Accessed 28/10/23)