Children with SEND or Physical Health issues
Children who have special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or physical health issues
355. We recognise that children who have SEND or certain health or physical health conditions can face additional safeguarding challenges. We accept the additional barriers that can exist when recognising abuse and neglect of children in this group of children. These can include:
- assumptions that indicators of possible abuse such as behaviour, mood and injury relate to the child’s disability without further exploration;
- being more prone to peer group isolation than other children;
- the potential for children with SEND being disproportionally impacted by behaviours such as bullying, without outwardly showing any signs; and
- communication barriers and difficulties in overcoming these barriers.
356. To help address these additional challenges we will provide extra pastoral support for children with SEND. For any reports of abuse involving children with SEND, the DSL (or a deputy) and the SENCO will liaise closely.
Children who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or gender questioning
This section of our policy remains under review, pending the outcome of the gender questioning children guidance consultation, and final gender questioning guidance documents being published.
357. We recognise that a child or a young person being lesbian, gay, or bisexual is not in itself an inherent risk factor for harm. However, they can sometimes be targeted by other children. In some cases, a child who is perceived by other children to be lesbian, gay, or bisexual (whether they are or not) can be just as vulnerable as children who identify as LGBT.
358. The Cass review identified that caution is necessary for children questioning their gender as there remain many unknowns about the impact of social transition and children may well have wider vulnerabilities, including having complex mental health and psychosocial needs, and in some cases additional diagnoses of autism spectrum disorder and/or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
359. It recommended that when families/carers are making decisions about support for gender questioning children, they should be encouraged to seek clinical help and advice. When parents are supporting pre-pubertal children, clinical services should ensure that they can be seen as early as possible by a clinical professional with relevant experience.
360. When supporting a gender questioning child, we will take a cautious approach and consider the broad range of their individual needs, in partnership with the child’s parents (other than in the exceptionally rare circumstances where involving parents would constitute a significant risk of harm to the child), including any clinical advice that is available and how to address wider vulnerabilities such as the risk of bullying.
361. Risks can be compounded where children who are lesbian, gay, or bisexual lack a trusted adult with whom they can be open. All staff will endeavour to reduce the additional barriers faced and create a culture where they can speak out or share their concerns with members of staff.