Information for Workers

Glossary

Abuse and Neglect - Abuse and neglect are forms of maltreatment of a child. Somebody may abuse or neglect a child by inflicting harm, or by failing to act to prevent harm. Children may be abused in a family or in an institutional or community setting; by those known to them or, more rarely, by a stranger. They may be abused by an adult or adults or another child or children.

AIM -  Assessment, Intervention and Moving-on Project - a service for children and young people who display sexually harmful behaviours, with policies, procedures and practice guidance.

ALTE - Apparent Life Threatening Event - A suddent, transient event during which an infant typically becomes relatively unresponsive and may become pale or blue and/or floppy. In some episodes, infants may stop or seem to stop breathing, and these events are usually frightening to observers. These episodes usually resolve spontaneaously or with minor stimulation, but some observers may feel the need to institute resuscitationif the event is prolonged or severe. In some cases a specific cause such as an infection , an underlying heard defect, severe gastro-oesophageal reflux, or a problem with the control of breathing or circulation is found, but many remain unexplained.

CAADA – Coordinated Action Against Domestic Abuse (www.caada.org.uk/). A charity established to encourage the use of independent advocacy as a way to increase the safety of survivors.

CEMACH - The Confidential Enquiry into Maternal and Child Health (www.cemach.org.uk). CEMACH commenced in April 2003 and aims to improve the health of mothers, babies and children by carrying out confidential enquiries on a nationwide basis and by widely disseminating their findings and recommendations.

CEOP - Child Exploitation and Online Protection

Child - Anyone who has not yet reached their 18th birthday.

Child Protection - Process of protecting individual children identified as either suffering, or at risk of suffering, significant harm as a result of abuse or neglect.

Child Protection Conference - A formal inter-agency meeting, following an enquiry under section 47 of the Children Act, which decides whether the child is at continuing risk of significant harm and whether the child's name is to be placed on the Child Protection Register.

Child Protection Register - A central register held by each local authority which lists all the children in the area who are considered to be at continuing risk of significant harm. An inter-agency child protection plan must be drawn up for each child who is registered.

CONI - Care Of the Next Infant - a scheme set up to provide support to bereaved parents following the birth of a subsequent child. Involves enhanced health visitor support, specific checks of the child, and advice to the parents on reducing risks, along with training in resuscitations skills. The CONI plus scheme extends the principles to other high-risk families.

Core Assessment - An in-depth assessment which addresses the central or most important aspects of the needs of the child and the capacity of his or her parents or caregivers to respond appropriately to these needs within the wider family and community context. It is to be undertaken where circumstances are complex and should be completed within a maximum of 35 working days.

CSLT - Children Services Leadership Team

CSP - Community Safety Partnership.

CSSR - Council with Social Services Responsibilities.

DSM - Designated Senior Manager (for allegations against staff).

Epidemiology - the study of the patterns of disease and factors affecting the health and illness of whole populations.

GOSW - Government Office South West.

Hidden Harm – Following a 2003 guidance document, the term ‘Hidden Harm’ is used with reference to the impact of parental substance misuse on children and young people.

Initial Assessment - An initial assessment of the developmental needs of each child referred to CSSR services with a request for services to be provided. This should be undertaken within a maximum of seven working days of the initial referral, but could be very brief depending on the child’s circumstances.

LAA – Local Area Agreement

LADO - Local Authority Designated Officer (for allegations against staff).

LPG - Local Preventive Group - a team of people from different organisations who will work with vulnerable children, young people and their families to provide help and support together.

LSCB – Local Safeguarding Children Board

MAPPA – Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements. Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements support the assessment and management of the most serious sexual and violent offenders.

MARAC - Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conferences.  MARACs focus on the victims of domestic violence where there is a high or very high risk. They aim to provide a co-ordinated response to support the victim and to link into relevant groups (e.g. MAPPA).

Mortality - Number of deaths per unit of population within a given period of time. Usually expressed as deaths per 100,000 population per year.

NEET – Young people aged 16-18 Not currently engaged in Employment, Education or Training.

Neonatal mortality rate - number of deaths at ages under 4 weeks, per 1,000 live births.

NSF – National Service Framework

NSO - Named Senior Officer (for allegations against staff).

PSA – Public Service Agreement

Referral - A request for services to be provided by the CSSR. The response may include no action, but that itself is a decision and should be made promptly and recorded. A case becomes current only after a referral has been made.

Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children - The process of protecting children from abuse or neglect, preventing impairment of their health and development, and ensuring they are growing up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care which is undertaken so as to enable children to have optimum life chances and enter adulthood successfully.

Section 17 - Section 17 of the Children Act 1989 imposes on every CSSR a duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of children in their area who are in need.

Section 47 -  Enquiry Section 47 of the Children Act requires every CSSR to make enquiries about children thought to be at risk, enabling them to decide whether they need to take further action to safeguard and promote the child’s welfare.

See the Adult, See the Child (STASTC) – services for children and families affected by parental mental health issues and/or parental substance misuse and/or parental learning disability.

Significant Harm - Harm to a child who meets the criteria for an application to court under section 31 of Children Act 1989. Harm means ill-treatment, or impairment of physical or mental health, or physical, intellectual, emotional, social or behavioural development.

Serious Case Review (SCR or Part 8 Review) - An LSCB is required to undertake reviews of serious cases when a child dies, and abuse or neglect are known or suspected to be a factor in the death. The purpose of such a review is to establish and identify lessons to be learned from the case about the way in which local professionals and organisations work together to safeguard children and to improve inter-agency working.

SIDS - Sudden Infant Death Syndrome - the sudden death of an infant under one year of age which remains unexplained after a thorough case investigation, including performance of a complete autopsy, examination of the death scene, and review of the clinical history and circumstances of death.

SUDI - Sudden Unexpected Death in Infancy - unexpected deaths up to one year of age (some of which will be fully explained and some will be SIDS).

Unexpected death - the death of a child which was not anticipated as a significant possibility 24 hours before the death or where there was a similarly unexpected collapse leading to or precipitating the events which led to the death.