We want all learners at Hull Training and Adult Education to feel safe and not to feel threatened by their environment or other people in it. We have developed this guide so you can understand more about Safeguarding and Prevent and how to keep yourself and others safe.
What is Safeguarding?
Safeguarding is the protection of children and vulnerable adults from -
- abuse
- maltreatment
- harm to their health or development
Categories of Abuse
Child or Young Person
Anyone under the age of 18. This extends to under the age of 25 if a person -
- is a Looked After Child
- has an Education and Health Care Plan
- has a learning or other disability
Vulnerable Adult
Anyone aged 18 or over who is, or may be, in need of community care services for disability, age or illness; or who may be unable to protect themselves against significant harm or exploitation.
Physical
Physical abuse causes physical harm to a person. It may involve hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning, scalding, drowning or suffocating. It may be done deliberately or recklessly, or be the result of a deliberate failure to prevent injury occurring.
Sexual
Sexual abuse involves a child or young person being forced or coerced into participating in or watching sexual activity, looking at or being involved in the production or pornographic materials or encouraged to behave in sexually inappropriate ways. It is not necessary for the child or young person to be aware that the activity is sexual and the apparent consent of the child or young person is irrelevant.
Emotional
Emotional abuse occurs where there is persistent emotional ill treatment or rejection. It causes severe and adverse effects on the child or young person’s behaviour and emotional development, resulting in low self-worth. Some level of emotional abuse is present in all forms of abuse - including coercive control.
Neglect
Neglect is the persistent or severe failure to meet a child or young person’s basic physical and/ or psychological needs. It will result in serious impairment of the child or young person’s health or development.
What is Drug and Alcohol Abuse?
Substance abuse is the misuse of drugs and alcohol, including legal and illegal substances. An addiction to substances including alcohol heavily impacts the way a person thinks, feels and acts. Many individuals with addictive disorders are aware of their problem, but have difficulty stopping on their own. The most common addictive substances include -
- Nicotine (tobacco)
- Marijuana (Cannabis)
- Alcohol
- Cocaine
- Prescription medicine
- Heroin
If you are struggling with substance abuse or addiction, you can talk to a member of student services who can get you the help you need.
You can also contact -
Renew provides adult drug and alcohol support services across Hull.
Refresh is a young people’s drug and alcohol service providing confidential support for young people up to the age of 18 who live, study or work in Hull.
Need urgent help?
If you need urgent help, you can -
- Call your GP and ask for an emergency appointment
- Call NHS 111
- Contact your mental health crisis team (if you have one)
- Call Samaritans free on 116 123 free from any phone
Child Sexual Exploitation
Child sexual exploitation is a form of child sexual abuse that is based on an ongoing exploitative relationship between A perpetrator and A child. A child or young person under the age of 18 is sexually exploited when they have received ‘something’ (e.g. food, accommodation, drugs, alcohol, gifts, money) in exchange for sex.
Children and young people can be sexually exploited through the use of technology - for example by being persuaded to post sexual images on the internet or via a mobile phone.
Sexually exploitative relationships are characterised by an imbalance of power and the use of controlling behaviours to keep the child or young person in a dependent position.
Child Criminal Exploitation
Children are not only exploited sexually, the exploitation of children for criminal gain is an emerging issue affecting communities across the UK.
Child Criminal Exploitation occurs where an individual or a group takes advantage of an imbalance of power to coerce, control, manipulate or deceive a child or young person under the age of 18. The victim may have been criminally exploited even if the activity appears consensual. Child Criminal Exploitation does not always involve physical contact, it can also occur through the use of technology.
Grooming
All forms of child exploitation can involve a ‘grooming stage’. The term ‘grooming’ describes the variety of methods that are used to manipulate and control victims. This can include -
- The giving of gifts or presents
- Rewards - like mobile phone top-ups
- or games credits
- False promises of love and/or affection
- The provision of alcohol and drugs
Grooming is a way of developing an exclusive bond between abuser and victim. Adolescents are particularly vulnerable to grooming where the abuser deceptively constructs a connection between sought after love and affection, increased status, or offers a sense of belonging.
As a result of this process, children and young people rarely recognise the coercive and abusive nature of the relationship and will prioritise their attachment and loyalty to the offender over their own safety and wellbeing.
The early stages of the grooming process can seem an exciting time for a child or young person - particularly if they are given high status gifts or are taken to parties, pubs, or clubs that they wouldn’t normally get into.
In cases of sexual exploitation it is common for grooming to take place online.
Once a bond is established, offenders will use a variety of coercive and controlling behaviours to maintain their hold over the child. These can include -
- Isolating the child from friends and family
- Monitoring use of social media
- Threatening or inflicting violence or injury
- Making threats to harm themselves if the child withdraws from the ‘relationship’
County Lines
Criminal exploitation is also known as ‘county lines’ and is when gangs and organised crime networks groom and exploit children to sell drugs. Often these children are made to travel across counties, and they use dedicated mobile phone ‘lines’ to supply drugs.
Who is targeted by County Lines criminal groups?
Criminals are deliberately targeting vulnerable children - those who are homeless, experiencing learning difficulties, going through family breakdowns, struggling at school, living in care homes or trapped in poverty.
These criminals groom children into trafficking their drugs for them with promises of money, friendship and status. Once they’ve been drawn in, these children are controlled using threats, violence and sexual abuse, leaving them traumatised and living in fear.
However they become trapped in criminal exploitation, the young people involved feel as if they have no choice but to continue doing what the criminals want.
What are the signs of criminal exploitation and county lines?
- Returning home late, staying out all night or going missing
- Being found in areas away from home
- Increasing drug use, or being found to have large amounts of drugs on them
- Being secretive about who they are talking to and where they are going
- Unexplained absences from school, college, training or work
- Unexplained money, phone(s), clothes or jewellery
- Increasingly disruptive or aggressive behaviour
- Using sexual, drug-related or violent language you wouldn’t expect them to know
- Coming home with injuries or looking particularly dishevelled
- Having hotel cards or keys to unknown places
For further information or support, or if you are a parent concerned about your child visit www.childrenssociety.org.uk.
Bullying and Harassment
What is bullying?
If somebody physically hurts you, or verbally abuses you, that’s bullying.
Specific types of bullying include -
- Homophobic bullying based on your sexual orientation
- Racist bullying because of your skin colour
- Religious bullying because of your beliefs or faith
- Sizeist bullying referring to your body size
- Sexist bullying focusing on you being of the opposite sex
- Cyberbullying targeting you online, often anonymously
- Bullying because you are different.
Bullying can be a one-off or it can go on for a long time.
If you are being bullied -
- Tell someone you trust
- Keep a record of what's happening
- Don't retaliate
- Surround yourself with people that make you feel good
- Don't blame yourself - it is not your fault
- Be proud of who you are
If you are being bullied online -
- Don't retaliate (often that's what they want)
- Save the evidence (screenshots and save messages)
- Tell someone what's happening
- Export, block, mute, get rid!
- Remember, the problem is with them, not you
What is harassment?
Harassment is when someone behaves in a way which offends you or makes you feel distressed or intimidated. This could be abusive comments or jokes, graffiti or insulting gestures. Harassment is a form of discrimination under the Equality Act 2010.
Prevent
Prevent is a Government programme which helps to safeguard young people and vulnerable adults from being drawn towards supporting extremism or terrorism. It aims to prevent people from exploitation by radical groups or acting in extreme ways - more information is available on the Gov.uk website.
What is Extremism?
There are certain forms of extreme behaviour which are illegal and call for violence against others, incite hatred or try to inspire acts of terrorism. Exposure to violent extremism or extremist material is a significant safeguarding concern and we will always challenge this.
What is Radicalisation?
Radicalisation is the process by which a person comes to support terrorism or the forms of extremism which can lead to terrorism. Extremists or extremist organisations may try to take advantage of young people and vulnerable adults as a way to share their message and view with others. Exploitation of young people and vulnerable adults is a form of grooming.
What do I need to look out for?
There is no single profile that could highlight an individual as vulnerable to radicalisation. An individual may experience a state of mind from circumstances where they can be influenced, led, inspired or exploited into extreme ways of thinking.
Whilst there is no exhaustive list of indicators, vulnerabilities or warning signs, the below is a list of potential signs that may cause concern, but is important to note that they do not equal extremism and sometimes do not have a direct link to criminal behaviour.
- Feelings of grievance and injustice
- Vocal expression of views which incite hatred, racism or ill-thought perceptions
- A need to dominate and control others
- In possession of extremist literature or videos
- Following extremist groups or individuals on social media and attempts to share material with others
- Resentment to authority and cascading an “us” vs. “them” mentality
- Becoming increasingly secretive about activities, plans and whereabouts
- Social withdrawal and isolation from friends and family
- Making travel plans to areas of conflict