CHILDREN & VULNERABLE ADULTS SAFEGUARDING

Children & Vulnerable Adults Safeguarding

Children & Vulnerable Adults Safeguarding

Introduction

The idea is becoming increasingly promoted that protection of child is responsibility of everyone (NSPCC 2007). It is the right of every child to be safe. The Children Act 1989 defines safeguarding that all responsible measures that should be taken by agencies and organizations to make it sure that the risks of harm to the welfare of individual are minimized; and all organizations and agencies take all appropriate actions to deal with the concerns regarding welfare of children and young people. The welfare of children and vulnerable people is quite essential. There is a common law duty of organizations, institutions and agencies to take such steps that are reasonable enough to make the safety of child or vulnerable adult certain so that predictable harm does not take place as a result of slipshod acts. This paper seeks to analyze the children and vulnerable adults safeguarding in the light of the serious case review' s executive summary into the homicide of two siblings Antoine Gamor-Ogunkoya and Kenniece in London. This paper also reviews the experiences of vulnerable people, and in particular people living with mental illness in the community; and legislation and guidance relevant to working with children and vulnerable adults.

Discussion

Background

A serious case review's executive summary was published by City and Hackney Local Safeguarding Children Board, in 2008, into the killing of Antoine Gamor-Ogunkoya- a ten year old boy and his sister Kenniece- a three year old girl in London. Vivian Gamor- mother of children killed both of them. With a hammer, she had beaten Antoine; whereas Kenniece had been smothered with cling film. In August 2007, on the bases of diminished responsibility, Gamor was declared guilty of manslaughter under the Mental Health Act 1983; she was detained for an indefinite time (BBC, 2008; Community Care, 2007). The children's deaths, and this SCR's release, are although terrible, but strong evidences—if ones were required—of the horrible abuse that can be suffered by children. They also serve as a very emphatic indicator that prevention of child deaths is the most significant challenge in child protection (Gallagher, 2008, p. 289).

Child Abuse

The issue of child abuse is an age-old problem. Child abuse can be defined as the non- accidental physical, emotional and/or sexual, harm to a child either through direct action, negligence or omission by a person who has custody, care, or control of a child. Estimations are made by the NSPCC that in 2011, in the UK, 520,000 children were maltreated by a parent or guardian but only 58,000 became the subject of child protection plans. According to Home office (2011) every week in England and Wales, on average, at least one child, at the hands of another person, is killed. Abuse experienced by a child can be physical, emotional, sexual, bullying and neglect (NSPCC, 2009)

Children Homicide

A thorough analysis of the records of 163 children being killed by their parents or carer during 2003- 2008 has demonstrated that from babies ...