Safeguarding babies and young children: a guide for early years professionals

Powell, John and Uppal, Elaine (2012) Safeguarding babies and young children: a guide for early years professionals. Open University Press. ISBN 9780335234073

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Abstract

Early years professionals, who work closely with young children on a day-to-day basis, have a key role to play in safeguarding young children. However, in dealing with what can be a very sensitive area, practitioners can feel uncertain about what their responsibilities are, what appropriate action should be taken, how other agencies can be involved, as well as how they themselves should cope. This book explores the role of early years practitioners both in relation to child protection and the wider responsibility of safeguarding, as enshrined in the Children Act 2004, and has an emphasis on developing more effective, holistic and integrated practice. The aim of the book is to support early years practitioners by providing highly practical discussion about with safeguarding babies and young children. Following a brief history and overview of a number of issues and their relevance for practice, the book presents a problem resolution approach to safeguarding babies and young children through a process that invites the reader to rehearse their possible approaches to a set of scenarios through a number of case studies. Readers are also supported in considering the issues that may arise from the actions that they believe to be most appropriate in supporting a child who may be suffering abuse. The final part of the book draws together the potential messages for practice and again invites the reader to consider how they might apply them to their own practice.