Physical abuse occurs when people physically hit, shake or in some way hurt or injure children or failing to prevent these injuries from happening. Physical abuse includes hitting, shaking, kicking, punching, scalding, suffocating and other ways of inflicting pain or injury to a child. It also includes giving a child any harmful substances, such as drugs, alcohol or poison. There are many signs of physical abuse, these include: Bruises, black eyes and broken bones are clear signs of physical abuse. Other signs might include: Injuries that the child cannot explain or explains unconvincingly, untreated or inadequately treated injuries, injuries to parts of the body where accidents are unlikely to occur, such as thighs, back or abdomen, bruising which looks like hand or finger marks or any cigarette burns, scalds or burns.
Emotional abuse occurs when someone is involved in frequent threatening, taunting or sarcastic behaviour, constantly without holding affection or being extremely overprotective. This includes any form of racist or sexist behaviour. The signs of emotional abuse are a lack of physical, mental and emotional development, sudden speech disorders, constantly putting self down, fear of any new situations or neurotic behaviour such as rocking or hair twisting.
Sexual abuse is if children are put into a situation where they are used to meet another person’s sexual needs. This includes any form of sexual behaviour with a child, using sexually explicit language or jokes, inappropriate touching, intimate relationships or exposing children to any form of pornographic material. Being overly affectionate or knowledgeable in a sexual way inappropriate to the child’s age. Signs of sexual abuse can be very serious, these could include depression, self harm, running away, anorexia or even suicide attempts. Children who are suffering from sexual abuse will also show lack of trust in people, they will also seem scared when they are in a situation where they have to remove any form of clothing.
There is also a procedure called a Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) check. A CRB check provides businesses with the opportunity to evaluate the criminal records of an employee or a potential employee. This provides the employer with the information they require about a persons’ past, this ensures that children aren’t put at risk by hiring someone with a child abuse past.
There are three different levels of CRB checks, these are basic, standard and enhanced. A basic level CRB check is where they check for any unspent convictions. A basic CRB check required by people working where they will be brought indirectly into contact with children or young people. A standard level CRB check involves checking all convictions, cautions and/or warnings held by the police. It is suitable for those who work in direct contact with children or young people that are always under direct supervision of a senior member of staff. A enhanced level CRB check includes the same as a standard level check plus local police force check which includes non conviction information as deemed relevant by chief police officers. It is suitable for any individuals in significant direct contact with children or young people that won’t be supervised by a senior member of staff.
When working with children it’s important to create a good working relationship. Children should feel empowered when in your care, they should feel comfortable and confident to come and approach you and speak to you about personal matters that they feel they can’t speak to with any one else. This relationship is vital if a child wants to inform you of any type of abuse happening, whether it’s to them or some one else. All children should be treated equally. Under no circumstances should your behaviour as a coach differ towards one child than another no matter of the child’s’ race, gender, disability, sexual orientation or religious preference.
Not only does sport helps to keep children fit and healthy but also improves a child self esteem. It helps to build characteristics for the child, such as interests and confidence. To develop the relationship and improve a childs’ self esteem you should give them with choices about the activities they would like to do and treat all children and young people as individuals. boundaries. Children should be encouraged to talk to the coaches about their performance and whatever else they feel appropriate. Children should also be made aware of all safety procedures such as the fire drill, they need to know what to do and where to go when the alarm goes off, they should calmly walk to the nearest fire exit and the to the meeting point.
Safeguarding You
When working with children it’s just as important to safeguarding yourself as well as safeguarding children. This is to ensure that you act in the correct manner that will not get you in any trouble or can be misinterpreted. The local authorities provide guidance by law for their employees that come under the children’s act (1999). As a member of staff, you should ensure you do not touch the children or allow the children to touch you in an inappropriate manner. Never use foul or offensive language, always, language should always be of an appropriate manner from both you as the coach and the children. The coach should never enter into any form of relationship with the child/ young person under the age of 18.
All coaches must get CRB checked to provide back up of their appropriateness to the job. You should set limits and boundaries for every session, these should be based upon every one being treated appropriately and equally. These should be set at the beginning of every session to ensure that the children understand them and stay within the boundaries. Abuse towards children in any form is not acceptable under any circumstances. To ensure that you safeguard yourself as well as the children you must ensure that you do not carry out any of the following forms of abuse: neglect, physical abuse, sexual abuse or emotional abuse.