Lauren Rossiter

Wave Learning
Identify and respond to children and young people at risk
Questions:
1. List 3 physical signs of sexual abuse
1. Pain during urination and/ or bowel movements
2. Bleeding in genitals and/ or anus and/ or mouth
3. Wetting and soiling accidents unrelated to toilet training
2. When should abuse or neglect be reported?
Reports of child abuse and neglect must be reported as soon as possible once suspected.
3. Describe what non-invasive questions are and provide an example of how you can use
these types of questions when communicating with children and young people.
Non-invasive question are open ended questions, which do not force the children to speak
about certain topics and personal issues, they are not intrusive.
These open-ended questions for example:
How have you been? can begin a conversation giving the child the opportunity to share and
open towards you, developing trust without feeling pushed into talking.
4. Give an appropriate question when talking to a child you suspect is being abused, and an
example of an inappropriate question.
Appropriate: “Oh my, that’s a nasty bump, how did that happen?”
Inappropriate: “Did someone living in your home hit you?”
5. Explain what a disclosure is and how you would respond to a direct disclosure
A disclosure is the act of a making different or confidential information understood. I would
respond to a direct disclosure by acknowledging the child’s courage to disclose something
that is personal and hard to discuss. I would allow the child to talk in their own time and don
not hurry the conversation, I would use non-invasive questions to guide the conversation. I
would assure the child they have done the right thing but would not provide the child with
words and actions I cannot keep.
6. List the child protection legislation that applies in your state or territory.
New South Wales: Children’s Guardian Act 2019 came into effect that powers and functions
from the Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998 and Adoption Act
2000 were consolidated into the new Act. The Guardian also administers the Child Protection
(Working with Children) Act 2012.
7. Understanding the child has been abused, how would you respond to a child, without
leading them, who is struggling to find the words to communicate that they have been the
subject of abuse?
Lauren Rossiter

Assure the child they are doing the right thing and do not hurry the conversation. Make the
child feel safe and secure. Ask open ended questions allowing the child to speak freely in
their own time. Acknowledge their feelings, stating you know this is hard to talk about.
8. What should you do in order to protect the privacy of a child or young person with whom
you are working?
Follow the confidentiality policy and keep the child’s personal details confidential during a
disclosure.
9. Identify the agency and explain the procedures you would follow when submitting a
notification of harm to the correct authorities.
The agency to contact when submitting a notification of harm is Family and Community
Services (FaCS).
The process: Once you Suspect or/ and receive an allegation of Risk of Harm as a mandatory
reporter I would contact my supervisor and make them aware of the situation.
I would then follow up with a Mandatory Reporter Guide (MRG) to determine the level of
risk to the child. By completing this it will reveal whether the situation is regarded
‘significant harm’.
I would follow the instructions given by the MRG. If the child is at risk of significant harm, it
will tell you to make a report, by phoning the Community Services Helpline, 132 111 or
making an eReport at: https://reporter.childstory.nsw.gov.au/s/mrg
I would document and record the incident, actions and conversation to keep on record. This is
all completed through childstory.
10. Who is the government department in your state that oversees child protection concerns?
NSW department of Communities and Justice Services
11. You suspect an incident of harm to a child or young person- what will you need to
include in the report?
Child’s details, including child or young person’s name, age and address
Explanation of the injury or behaviour observed
Signs/ Indicators of harm and/ or abuse, reason for believing child is at risk of harm
Any information I know about the child’s family or family history.
Why I am calling and making this report
Date and time of abuse suspected
Child’s family living situation
12. Who should you seek support from in your workplace when making a report of suspected
abuse?
Educator’s Supervisor
Lauren Rossiter

13. What is mandatory reporting?

Mandatory reporting is a phrase used to describe the legislative obligation for designated
groups of people to report suspected cases of child abuse and neglect to government sources.
14. Why is the Convention on the Rights of the Child important to workers in an Education
and Care service and to anyone who works with children?
A policy stating that he United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child is a human
rights agreement which establishes the civil, political, economic, social, health and cultural
rights of children. The Convention identifies a child as any human being under the age of
eighteen having equal rights regardless of age, race and culture. We need to follow this policy
and understand these rights, that all children are equal and to be treated as such.
15. What are your duty of care responsibilities?
Educators have a responsibility, to make sure that they and other people, including children
are safe in the workplace and not at risk of harm. WE have a legal duty and responsibility to
avoid children and young people being harmed. We must identify risks that is likely to harm
a child and report to authorities if we suspect any indicators of abuse, neglect etc.
16. What is emotional abuse?
Is an act including control, isolation, verbal assault, shame, intimidation, pressure, fear or any
other treatment which may reduce the sense of identity, self-esteem, and value."
What behavioural signs might indicate that a child is a victim of emotional abuse?
 Shouting, foul language
 Isolating self
 Ignoring or exclusion
 Threatening others
 Calling out insults, teasing and name calling others
17. What are the various forms of disclosure that a child or young person might employ to
inform you of abuse?

Disclosures can be either direct or indirect. Most often a disclosure will be indirect, which
can mean the child does not reveal the details of the abuse without being provoked or does so
in a roundabout way. A direct disclosure is when a child or young person tells you directly
and specifically that they are being abused or neglected, sharing detailed information.

18. What are ethical and nurturing practices?

Ethical practices: honourable and moral principles, the correct job and work performance and
striving to do what is appropriate.

Nurturing practices: to provide encouragement, assist, help, care and protect others

19. List 5 ways abuse can impact in the child or young person’s wellbeing and development.

 Trauma, stress and the developing brain

Lauren Rossiter

 Attachment and interpersonal relationship problems (especially younger children and

infants)
 Learning and developmental problems, lower educational achievement
 Mental health problems, for example depression and anxiety disorders
 Aggression, violence and criminal actions, inflicting pain on to others and harming
themselves.

20. Provide 5 examples of closed questions and 5 examples of open questions

Open ended questions:

 I notice that you have a bruise. How did it happen?

 It seems like you’ve been acting kind of ….. lately, what’s up?
 Tell me more about that.+
 Tell me about what happens when you misbehave at home?
 You seem to get angry when I asked you that question

Closed questions:

 Are you ok?

 When did it happen?
 Where did it happen?
 Who did it?
 Does this happen often?

Assessment Task
Questions
1. Outline the difference between a physical indicator of abuse and a behavioural indicator
of abuse.
Physical indicators: Unexplained bruises, swelling, welts, cuts. History of repeated injuries,
burns and scalds.

Behavioural indicators: Is an observable behaviour where the child is acting out of behaviour.
Example: Unusually wary of physical contact with adults. The child seems to be overly
frightened of or withdrawn from a parent or another adult.

2.

Behavioural Indicators Physical Indicators

Physical abuse Child afraid and unsure of other adults Locking the child away
Lauren Rossiter

Parent unable to explain injury

Bruising and punching
child
Emotional abuse Disclosing that mother is being shouted at
Sexual abuse
Physical neglect Abandonment (being left outside at night)

3.Outline in point form, and step by step, what your course of action is with this child.

 Complete the Decision tree in the MRG which will guide you in the correct course of
action.
 If the result of the Mandatory Reporter Guide is ‘Immediate Report to the Child
Protection Helpline’ or ‘Report to the Child Protection Helpline’ you must contact the
Child Protection Helpline and give sufficient details on the disclosure.

 The outcome from the MRG may be to ‘Continue to monitor and support’ child then
the next step would be to seek Local help.

 You may discuss your concerns with the family, or your service may offer further
interventions.
 To seek further help beyond the service you may contact support services for the child
and their family.

4.Describe how you would respond to Jennifer’s disclosure?

I would respond by listening actively and not interrupting without judgement. I would give
the child/ young person time to share their experience without feeling hurried. I would assure
the child that they have done the right thing by telling me their situation. I would discuss with
the child about the actions. I would believe and confirm their experience. I will now take in
reply to this disclosure and let them know I am here to provide continuous support. I would
take their worries and anxieties seriously.

5. Who would you tell about your concerns?

I would first make my supervisor aware of the situation, followed by contacting the Family
and Children’s Services (FaCS) in NSW. They will then investigate the matter further.

6. List who you wouldn’t tell and why?

I would not tell and/ or confront the person believed to be an abuser, as confronting the
potential abuser may place the child, the mandatory reporter (me) or others at risk.

7. How would you respond to your concerns?

I would respond to my worries by completing the Decision Tree by using the MRG. The
result would then guide me in the next step to take. Either deciding whether to report my concerns
to the Child Protection Helpline or find alternate responses and supports that should be provided.

8. How would you continue to support Jennifer and maintain her trust?
Lauren Rossiter

I would act protectively towards Jennifer by taking immediate steps to ensure her safety. I
would also consider seeking professional support for Jennifer if needed as I observe her
behaviour after the disclosure. I would encourage Jennifer and allow her to express and
explore her emotions. I would respond to Jennifer’s emotions and behaviours with tolerance,
patience and understanding. My aim is to always make Jennifer feel safe and secure.