Section 5 - Safety & Basic Care - Wakefield Safeguarding Knowledge Hub

Section 5 - Safety & Basic Care

Use these sections to consider what you have observed, heard and been told and reflect to help you identify any aspects in relation to neglect.

These pages should guide you in your decision making on what needs to happen next in order to best support a child(ren). If felt appropriate to do so, the Toolkit can also be used with families in their homes to assist their understanding around neglect.

If you are unsure about how to proceed, please seek advice from your line manager.

Guidance on Neglect around Safety & Basic Care

Awareness of Safety In the Home
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Key:
- Green: Essential Needs met
- Amber: Many Essential Needs unmet
- Yellow: Some Essential Needs unmet
- Red : Most or All Essential Needs Unmet
- Green
  
  The parent/carer is fully aware of safety issues and there is evidence of appropriate measures being in place within the home to keep the child safe.
- Amber
  
  The parent/carer is dismissive of or oblivious to safety risks.
  
  There are no safety features in place in the home.
  
  There are identifiable hazards such as harmful medicines or cleaning products that the child can easily access.
  
  Evidence of open access to the home with lots of people frequenting the property.
- Yellow
  
  Parent/carer has poor awareness of safety issues.
  
  Essential safety features are not in place in the home due to a lack of understanding e.g., baby gates, fireguards.
  
  With prompting parent/carer can keep the home clean and safe.
- Red
  
  Parent/carer ignores the need to provide a safe home environment for the child.
  
  There is evidence of wilful failure by parent/carer to improve safety in the home despite professional advice.
  
  Child is exposed to dangerous home conditions e.g. window which are broken or have no safety catches, rubbish and clutter; items which could cause harm are easily accessible.
  
  Evidence of drug paraphernalia or accessible medicines left lying around or within reach.
  
  Evidence of unsuitable people with regular access to the home.
  
  Locking children and young people in rooms.
Basic Care
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Key:
- Green: Essential Needs met
- Amber: Many Essential Needs Unmet
- Yellow: Some Essential Needs Unmet
- Red: Most or All Essential Needs Unmet
0-4 years
- Green
  
  A safe and appropriate level of care is provided by the parent/carer.
  
  Reasonable measures have been put in place to protect the child from any danger.
  
  Appropriate harnesses are used in the pram or stroller.
  
  The child is always in the parent/carers sight when out walking with their hand held when out near roads etc.
  
  Car seats correctly used.
- Amber
  
  Handling of the child from the parent/carer indicates concern.
  
  The child is often left unattended.
  
  Supervision and care for the child is not prioritised by the parent/carer.
  
  Babies in the household are observed being ‘prop’ fed.
  
  The child is not secured in the pram/stroller.
  
  When out walking with the parent/carer, the child is observed or reported to have been dragged along.
- Yellow
  
  Care provided by the parent /carer does not meet the child’s basic needs.
  
  The child is frequently left unattended.
  
  There is a lack of effective measures in place to ensure the safety of the child e.g., fire guard not in place.
  
  Parent/carer is not providing an appropriate level of supervision for the child.
  
  Parent/carer has limited insight in relation to the risks associated with the failure to provide adequate supervision.
  
  Car seats incorrectly used.
- Red
  
  The parent/carer displays rough, careless and dangerous handling of the child.
  
  The child is frequently left unsecured in a pram or strollers.
  
  The child is left unattended e.g., in the bath leaving them exposed to significant risk.
  
  The child is left to wander outside the family home unsupervised.
  
  The parent/carer pays no regard to the safety and welfare of the child.
  
  No provision of car seats despite advice provided.
  
  Prop feeding despite having been advised by health professionals about its dangers.
5 -9 years
- Green
  
  Parent/carer ensures appropriate supervision and reasonable safety precautions are taken.
  
  Age-appropriate boundaries are in place.
  
  Parent/carer demonstrate full understanding of home and road safety.
- Amber
  
  A lack of parental supervision results in the child sustaining low level injuries.
  
  Parent/carer does not take appropriate action to minimise risks to the child within the home.
  
  Parent/carer allows a young child to cross busy roads alone with no concern for their safety, leaving them exposed to potentially significant risk.
  
  Adult behaviour such as drug and alcohol misuse significantly impact on the ability of parent/carer to provide basic care for the child. The parent/carer has limited engagement with support services.
  
  There is clear evidence of domestic abuse within the household and the parent/carer ability to fully meet the child’s basic care needs is significantly impaired.
- Yellow
  
  Minimal supervision provided by parent/carer.
  
  Supervision of young sibling/s is left to older sibling/s.
  
  Parent/carer not always aware of the child’s whereabouts and demonstrate limited insight in relation to the potential risks.
  
  Parent/carer is over reliant on being able to contact child via a mobile phone.
  
  Adults behaviour such as drug and alcohol misuse impact on the ability of parent/carer to provide basic care for the child and they are working with support services.
  
  Evidence of domestic abuse within the household which has some impact on the parent/carer ability to fully meet the child’s basic care needs.
- Red
  
  A lack of parental supervision results in the child sustaining several injuries.
  
  Parent/carer pays no regard to potential risks to the child within the home and refuses to accept professional advice.
  Parent/carer consistently allows a young child to wander away from the home unsupervised.
  
  Adult behaviour such as drug and alcohol misuse significantly impact on the ability of the parent/carer to provide basic care for the child.
  
  The parent/carer does not engage with support services.
  
  There is significant evidence of domestic abuse within the household and the parent/carer is unable to meet the child’s needs.
10-18 years
- Green
  
  The parent /carer ensures that they know where the child is, and who they are with.
  
  Age-appropriate boundaries are in place including what time to return home.
  
  The child is encouraged to maintain contact via mobile phone when away from home.
- Amber
  
  The child regularly goes missing during school hours.
  
  The parent/carer shows no concern if the child stays out late at night.
  
  The child often goes missing and the parent/carer does not take swift and appropriate action- i.e., informing the police.
  
  The parent/carer has no insight in relation to the risks of substance misuse, Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE), Child Criminal Exploitation (CCE) and gambling (contextual safeguarding).
  
  Adult behaviours such as drug and alcohol misuse significantly impact on the ability of the parent/carer to monitor and supervise the child’s whereabouts and meet basic care needs. The parent/carer has limited engagement with support services. The child becomes responsible for the needs of the parent.
  
  There is clear evidence of matters such as domestic abuse, parental adversity and trauma, and poverty within the household which significantly impacts on the ability of parents/carer to monitor and supervise the whereabouts of the child and meet basic care needs.
- Yellow
  
  Parent/carer not always aware of the child’s whereabouts and demonstrate limited insight in relation to the potential risks.
  
  The parent/carer is over-reliant on being able to contact child via a mobile phone.
  
  Adult behaviours such as drug and alcohol misuse impact on the parent/carers ability to monitor and supervise the child’s whereabouts and meet basic care needs. The parent/carer is working with support services.
  
  There is evidence of signs such as domestic abuse, parental adversity and trauma, and poverty within the household which has some impact on the parent/carers ability to monitor and supervise the whereabouts of the child and meet basic care needs.
- Red
  
  There is clear evidence to suggest that the child is at significant risk of substance misuse, CSE, CCE or gambling (contextual safeguarding) and the parent/carer demonstrates no insight in relation to the risks.
  
  Parents/carer consistently fails to report the child as missing to the police and fail to work with professionals to minimise risks.
Alternative Care Arrangements
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Key:
- Green: Essential Needs met
- Amber: Many Essential Needs Unmet
- Yellow: Some Essential Needs Unmet
- Red: Most or All Essential Needs Unmet
- Green
  
  The parent/carer only leaves the child in the care of a person deemed to be competent and mature.
  
  Where young children are left in the care of older siblings who are children, they can contact a parent or access support and have an appropriate contingency plan in place the event of an emergency.
- Amber
  
  The parent/carer regularly leaves the child in the care of an inappropriate carer.
  
  The parent/carer shows no insight in relation to risks posed to the child and is fixated on their own needs.
- Yellow
  
  The parent/carer occasionally leaves the child in the care of another child who does not have an appropriate level of maturity.
  
  The parent/carer prioritises their own needs and does not fully consider any potential risk to the child from leaving the child with an inappropriate carer.
- Red
  
  Young children are predominantly cared for by older siblings who have no access to additional support.
  
  The parent/carer leaves the child in the care of an adult known to be unsuitable leaving them exposed to significant risk.
  
  The parent/carer shows no regard to the risks associated with leaving their child in the custody of an inappropriate carer.
  
  The child has absented themselves from the family home.
  
  Parent/carer is no longer providing care and the child is homeless

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