Supporting Classroom Practices

Describe the appropriate action to be taken in response to basic first aid and emergency situations.

It is recommended for schools to have a trained first aider available not only for the employees but also for the children and visitors of the institution. However, the TA should be able to act appropriately in a first aid or emergency situation and be aware of the school regulations. The TA has to be able to immediately recognise signs of illnesses or injuries and report these to the teacher. They have to call qualified help in a health emergency and in the meantime create the appropriate conditions and provide comfort for the injured or ill child. Also they have to take care of their own health and safety and offer their help as appropriate. In case of an emergency the TA has to be able to provide basic first aid to the pupils – such situations include:

Bruising: place ice in a cloth on the bruised area, lift the bruised limb it above the heart if possible.

Bleeding: wearing gloves apply pressure directly on the wound, place sterile dressing over it and bandage it firmly.

Bites and stings: remove sting with a pair of tweezers, in case of difficult breathing, pain and swelling seek immediate medical assistance.

Burns and scalds: place the burnt area under cold running water, remove any clothing not stuck to the skin, and cover it with cling film. Deep or large burns need medical attention.

Choking: debris should be removed from mouth and slap firmly between shoulder blades up to 5 times, next apply abdominal trust, and if this doesn’t help call ambulance.

Signs of distress: give comfort with physical contact until immediate needs are met, generally only younger children.

Sickness: any contamination should be cleaned immediately, keep up good standards of hygiene to avoid it.

The school’s health and safety policy outlines the emergency procedures for handling illnesses and injuries. It is essential to keep calm and also comfort the injured child. Try to access the injury without moving the casualty and get help immediately from the first aider or the emergency services. Contact the parents or carers of the child, but if you cannot, go to the hospital with the child yourself. Explain the situation in a reassuring manner to the other children and get cover to supervise them. Report the incident to the appropriate person or record it in the accident book. Emergency procedures have to be known to all staff, as well as the location of first aid equipment and personnel.

Explain why effective communication is important in developing positive relationships with children, young people and adults.

It is the responsibility of the TA to provide individual care and support to the pupils, encourage them to concentrate on their tasks and be independent, take responsibility for their behaviour and learning. Effective language and listening skills are essential when providing this support, since they are the basis of a good relationship between the pupils and the TA because they have to use a language that the children can understand and relate to. This way the pupils can accept the TA as a role model, which encourages them to modify their behaviour and attitude according to the TA and their instructions. Furthermore, vivid communication with the children makes it possible for the TA to get to know each of them individually and to be able to cater for individual learning needs and strategies. With the help of effective informal interactions the TA can build a strong relationship with the pupils where they will be able to respond to individual needs and modify the children’s behaviour to the right direction. Also the TA has to quickly recognise uncharacteristic behaviour patterns and deal with problems promptly without disrupting the relationships or report serious problems to the teacher. Good relationships in the classroom encourage pupils for learning in a positive but disciplined atmosphere and give a sense of self-fulfilment to both children and staff. This way, children will acquire certain values that contribute to their social, ethical and moral education. There are certain strategies to help the TA to maintain a positive relationship with the pupils. First of all there should be an open communication between the two parties: the TA always has to be available for listening to the children, and has to make conversation with them, for example by involving them in decision making, ask them about their hobbies and lives outside of school or just chat with pupils outside of class. The basis of an honest friendly relationship is that the TA greets each pupil by the name. It is part of the respect they give to pupils and therefore they can request the same from their side. Emphasise individual differences and have a unique relationship with each pupil by occasionally having a one on one time.

Outline current legislation, guidelines, policies and procedures within own UK home nation affecting the safeguarding of children and young people.

While working in a close relationship with the pupils the TA has to be able to recognise any potential signs of child abuse. If they decide it is necessary to take steps, they can seek advice in the school policy or procedures for suspected child abuse.  It is a legal requirement for the school to have a policy of potential child abuse that is checked with Social Services staff and compatible with local authority systems. There also has to be a specialist member of staff who has the necessary training to deal with such cases.

If child approaches the TA with complaints about any form of abuse in their home, the TA should stay calm and keep their emotions under control. It is essential that the child is comforted and sees that their problems are taken seriously. The pupil has to understand that it is not their fault what is happening to them and the appropriate action will be taken to help them. If they are ready to talk about it, the TA is there to listen to them and can be trusted, but also the child has to be informed that the issue cannot be kept in secret; certain people have to informed in order to make the necessary steps.

The TA has to contact their supervisor and make notes about what pupil said, without changing any details or interpreting anything. Senior members of staff are responsible for carrying out the procedures laid down by Area Child Protection Committee. The ACPC has managers in each area to deal with children and their families. ACPC issue procedures about what should be done in case of suspected child abuse, ensure that national policies and procedures relating to child protection are carried out, and all relevant agencies work together for protection of children.

It is essential for school staff to identify concerns as soon as possible to get help. Cases of suspected child abuse have to be reported to the local authority and it is the responsibility of the Social Service Department to carry out the investigation. The process starts with a Consultation which involves discussion and advice on concerns. Then a Referral, formal request on behalf of child, is handed in. during the Initial Assessment all records and files are checked to find out if the child needs protection. There is also a consultation with the family but only if it does not expose the child to further risk of abuse. Strategy Discussion involves professionals from the Social Services Agency making a decision and planning further action. Child Protection Enquiry is the investigation carried out by Social Services and police to assess the need of child protection. Following the investigation a Child Protection Conference, multi-agency meeting takes place to decide whether any action is necessary, and whether to put the child’s name on the child protection register. The result of the conference is the Child Protection Plan that outlines how to keep the child safe and reduce or remove any risks of further abuse. A series of regular follow-up meetings is necessary to assess progress, review needs, and de-registration if child’s safe.

Describe the possible signs, symptoms, indicators and behaviours that may cause concern in the context of safeguarding.

According to statistics children are more likely to be abused by people who are close to them and who they know well than by strangers. Abuse can happen in families of any social or cultural background and does not depend on the child’s age either. Abusive relationship in a family is not an isolated incident but a process; therefore school staff has to look out for any drastic changes in a pupil’s behaviour that can be a sign of abuse at home.

There are four main forms of abuse whose signs a TA has to be able to recognise and take necessary action. Physical abuse is a knowingly not prevented or non-accidental injury that can include cuts, scratches, bite marks, fractures, burns, bruises in places and forms unlikely to be caused by an accident. Injuries from accidents are infrequent and likely to appear on the limbs. Non-accidental injuries, on the other hand, are frequent, patterned, and appear in an unusual place, like skull, eyes, nose, face, ears, mouth, neck, shoulders, chest, genitals, thighs, legs. If a TA notices injuries like these, they first have to ask the child how they received them. If the signs show a disturbing frequency, it is advisable to make a record of them to find out if they show any pattern and if abuse can be suspected.

Emotional abuse in the family can happen through verbal attacks, humiliation, isolation, rejection or over-protectiveness, or inconsistency in the adults’ behaviour. Signs of emotional abuse include: aggression, unresponsiveness, communication problems, lethargy, stunted growth, failure to thrive, wetting or soiling themselves, poor self-esteem, rocking back and forth, or withdrawal from social activities. Just like as signs of physical behaviour, an isolated appearance of one or two of these signs is not necessarily a reason to be worried. But the TA has to be aware if a child is showing one or some of these signs repeatedly over a period of time and consider if they are caused by emotional abuse.

Sexual abuse is the exploitation of children in sexual activities to meet the sexual demands of an adult and can be indicated by a number of different types of sings, for example, bruising on the chest, inner thighs and buttock of the child, genital injuries, urinary-tract infections, frequent headaches and stomach aches, stained underclothes, bed wetting, and eating disorders. A TA should be alerted if they experience any of the above on a regular basis or any sudden changes of behaviour. Potential indicators of sexual abuse can be flirtatious behaviour, running away from home, referring to secrets that cannot be told, fear of a certain person, feeling of worthlessness, anxiety, or inappropriate sexual knowledge for the child’s age.

Finally neglect is a type of abuse when the child’s basic needs are not met and their rights to be fed, kept warm, loved and given medical attention are breached. Signs of neglect are low weight, large appetite, dirtiness, smelliness, inappropriate clothing, e.g., sandals in winter. Some of these signs do not necessarily mean neglect, because some children develop slower than the others, but if their development if affected by the lack of care from the parents, the TA has to take action. A neglected child can be recognised by the lack of attention they show for what is happening around them and by the parents’ lack of interest in their own child.

Since the TA is spending a lot of time with the children they will get the pupils know very well and have to notice any sudden or unexpected changes of behaviour or any physical injuries. Behaviour problems can be caused by harmless changes in the family (e.g., new baby is born), and injuries can be caused by simple accidents. But if the child is often upset and the signs are coming back repeatedly, the TA has to consider taking action against potential child abuse.