Keeping children safe? Advancing social care assessments to address harmful sexual behaviour in schools

Lloyd, Jenny; Walker, Joanne; Firmin, Carlene

doi:10.1111/cfs.12751

Cited by 10 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…Although remaining an under researched area, recent surveys indicate an increased awareness of the lack of knowledge within schools and the need for training and support to assist educators in identifying and responding appropriately (Draugedalen, 2020, McInnes andEy, 2020). In the UK too, increased awareness of the problems, lack of knowledge, education and support for schools has resulted not just in the creation of support for schools in terms of checklists for the prevention, identification, response and intervention of child-on-child HSB (Firmin et al, 2019) but also highlighted the need for greater school inclusion within social care assessments (Lloyd et al, 2020).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exploring teachers’ lived experiences of child-on-child harmful sexual behaviour at school: an interpretative phenomenological analysis

Waters

Anstey

Clouston

et al. 2021

Journal of Sexual Aggression

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Child-on-child harmful sexual behaviour at school is highlighted in the literature although very little is known about how teachers experience it. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis was used to address this gap. Semi structured interviews were conducted with nine teachers from two special schools and one mainstream school. Overarching themes used the proverb of the three wise monkeys as a framework in which to show how HSB was not seen, heard or spoken about. Instead, it was accepted and expected as part of the special school day because it was not recognised and paid little attention to, whilst in the mainstream school it was not recognised due to lack of knowledge and understanding. A lack of training, support and the sharing of information compounded teachers' fears for personal safety, careers and reputation. Implications for teachers and multi-agency professionals are discussed.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exploring teachers’ lived experiences of child-on-child harmful sexual behaviour at school: an interpretative phenomenological analysis

Waters

Anstey

Clouston

et al. 2021

Journal of Sexual Aggression

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Contextual safeguarding holds a mirror up to how schools can develop interventions and levers for prevention and maximise early responses in keeping young people safe. Yet, statutory services continue to have a limited capacity to assess environments beyond the home (Lloyd et al , 2020). Lloyd et al (2019) recognised schools as important places of safety for young people and developed self-assessment toolkits and a range of resources for schools, such as hotspot mapping.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Within this landscape, contextualised accounts of harm are gaining popularity (Wroe, 2021), upholding schools as key players in keeping children safe rather than a peripheral safeguarding voice. For the purpose of this article, contextual safeguarding is defined as an approach “that promotes the assessment of and intervention with, peer group, school and community contexts in which young people experience abuse” (Lloyd et al , 2020, p. 753).…”

Section: Changing Landscape Of Child Protectionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Revisiting social workers in schools (SWIS) – making the case for safeguarding in context and the potential for reach

Rafter

2022

JCS

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Purpose Recently, there have been renewed calls to place social workers in schools. Although these are not unchartered waters, contextual understandings of safeguarding have reaffirmed the centrality of schools in the lives of young people and keeping them safe. Yet, schools can only do so much to support young people. Safeguarding practice reviews continue to highlight the shortcomings of contextless assessment. This paper aims to make the case for a broader approach to safeguarding practice by placing social workers in schools. Design/methodology/approach A scoping review was undertaken to elicit social workers in schools (SWIS) literature from the UK, as well as international examples. Keyword searches revealed a lack of consensus on shared/agreement terminology for SWIS. The literature was organised thematically, as a mechanism to open up the extent, range and nature of research activity in relation to SWIS. Findings Findings are presented in three themes: misunderstandings of SWIS – what do they actually do?; micro versus macro interventions; and the concept of reach. Research limitations/implications The main implications of this study are to sharpen the focus on the centrality of schools in the lives of children and young people; to expand school-based initiatives as a way to reach young people at risk; to re-centre practice to local, community orientation with an emphasis on early help; and to bring together pockets of good practice and learn from successful partnership models. Originality/value Little attempt has been made to contemplate the past and present and rethread school-based initiatives. There is an absence of attention afforded to the theoretical foundations of SWIS. This paper identifies a gap in interest from the early iterations of SWIS, with a recent upsurgence in attention.

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“…Developing Contextual Safeguarding approaches provides opportunities to connect schools to wider partners (Firmin, 2017). This might include providing avenues to refer contexts rather than just individuals (Lloyd, Walker, & Firmin, 2020), to assess and intervene with schools themselves and consider the relationship students have to places beyond the school gates.…”

Section: Implications For Practicementioning

confidence: 99%

Zero tolerance to sexual harm in schools – from broken rules to broken systems

Lloyd

Bradbury

2022

Journal of Sexual Aggression

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In 2020, student disclosure of sexual harm through the website "Everyone's Invited" reignited discussions of sexual harm in schools with many calling for "zero tolerance" approaches to sexual harm. This article considers the impact of zero tolerance policies drawing upon school policies and practices, coupled with students experiences. The article draws upon findings from a mixed-methods study conducted from 2018-2020 within four local authority areas in England: focus groups with staff and students, surveys with students and parents, case review, observations, and school self-assessments. Analysis evidenced that where schools drew on punitive and sanctions-based approaches these impacted student disclosure, limited staff decision making, and were not seen to be effective by students. Rather than zero tolerance policies, the findings evidence the need to: tackle environments where sexual harm is tolerated; consider systemic barriers to disclosure, and expand what justice means for responses to sexual harm in schools.

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Keeping children safe? Advancing social care assessments to address harmful sexual behaviour in schools

Cited by 10 publications

References 15 publications

Exploring teachers’ lived experiences of child-on-child harmful sexual behaviour at school: an interpretative phenomenological analysis

Exploring teachers’ lived experiences of child-on-child harmful sexual behaviour at school: an interpretative phenomenological analysis

Revisiting social workers in schools (SWIS) – making the case for safeguarding in context and the potential for reach

Zero tolerance to sexual harm in schools – from broken rules to broken systems

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