2.02. Involving Children
2.2.1 Children of sufficient age and understanding often have a clear perception of what needs to be done to ensure their safety and wellbeing. Listening to children and responding to their views requires training and special skills, including the ability to win their trust and promote a sense of safety. Most children feel loyalty towards those who care for them and have difficulty saying anything against them. Many do not wish to share confidences or may not have the language or concepts to describe what has happened to them. Some may fear reprisals or their removal from home.
2.2.2 Children and young people need to understand the extent and nature of their involvement in decision making and planning processes. They should be helped to understand how child protection processes work, how they can be involved and that they can contribute to decisions about their future in accordance with their age and understanding. However, they should understand that ultimately decisions will be taken in the light of all the available information contributed by themselves, professionals, their parents, other family members and other significant adults.
2.2.3 Professionals should, therefore, take as much time as possible to listen to the child or young person. They should explain as fully and clearly as possible what is happening, or is likely to happen. They should ascertain the child’s/young person’s own views and, as far as is feasible (given the individual child’s/young person’s age and understanding) involve the child or young person in decisions about their own future.
2.2.4 There are times when the professionals have to overrule the child’s/young person’s wishes (for example, if a child or young person does not want a sexual abuser reported to the police, thus leaving other children or young people at risk).
2.2.5 Professionals cannot guarantee that what a child or young person says will remain totally confidential between themselves and the child or young person. It can be said that no one will be told who does not need to know, that the child or young person will know who has been told and that the child’s/young person’s privacy will be respected, wherever possible.
2.2.6 When there are barriers to communication (e.g, a child or young person with certain disabilities or a child/young person whose first language is not English) Social Care and, if appropriate, the police, will ensure that a person fluent in the child’s/young person’s own language or method of communication and independent of the enquiry is made available.
2.2.7 Disabled children and young people should have access to facilities that will enable them to express themselves fully, understand what is happening and the decisions that have to be made. Advice from specialist workers should be sought with regard to the interviewing of a disabled child before such a child is interviewed.
2.2.8 A child or young person has a right not to be subjected to repeated medical examinations or questioning following any allegation of abuse whether of a physical or sexual nature.
