3.1 Explain why we need to ensure children and young people are protected from harm within the learning environment
We need to make sure we protect children from harm, especially within a learning environment. The learning environment is a place where children and young people go to develop their confidence, learn new skills and also develop their social skills. All of which have a lasting effect on a child/young person as they progress through. Therefore it is important that all staff that work with children and appropriately trained and are able to carry out their day to day activities with best practice with regards to child’s wellbeing. In school or college, children and young people are more vulnerable. Adults who look after children should have relevant background checks and be able to work with children. For criminal checks they have to go through the disclosure and barring service (DBS). This is to make sure that staff members do not have criminal convictions which can affect their ability to work with children.
In a teaching environment the protection of children and young people is most important and it is responsibility of all the staff members to ensure that children are not harmed and kept safe. If staff members find or suspect anything wrong which may affect a child’s wellbeing, it is their responsibility to act against it and remove them from harm. The child may come to harm by negligence of a staff member or intentional may even carry out intentional abuse. It is our responsibility to report this (whistle blowing) so that child may be removed from harm and kept safe.
Parents leave their children with the school to look after and educate them, as a responsible adult we should always take care of them and always follow the safeguarding policy. Children and young people should be allowed to learn and achieve the basic five outcomes, being healthy and staying safe; enjoying and achieving; making a positive contribution and achieving economic well-being.
Children are not fully developed in their ability to handle/manage risks and harms, this is where we should provide support so they can become successful and also build their confidence and development level. All organisation staff who wok with children need to take safeguarding training.
