Well done, you made the correct decision.
In your reflective activity, you should have covered all of these points:
- Immediately telling your manager and initiating child protection proceedings in line with your employer’s policies is the right thing to do.
- You know when someone reports that a child you are working with may be in need of protection, it is your responsibility to carry out enquiries and make recommendations as to whether or not the child should be the subject of compulsory protection measures. You know this situation needs to be prioritised and you organise your workload accordingly.
- You use your social work skills creatively, often working with others to intervene early. In doing so you prevent risk factors developing into crises. This is one of the many important contributions that social workers make towards achieving better outcomes for individuals, families and communities.
- As a skilled social worker you take responsibility for making decisions, understand that these can have far-reaching significance and are accountable for the exercise of statutory interventions.
- You know all social service workers must be able to explain and account for their practice. You know registered social workers are accountable for their own competence and performance and that of those they line manage.
- You recognise the power that comes from your work with people using services and the community and use this responsibly. You communicate with colleagues in an appropriate, open, accurate and straightforward way.
- You know you must act in a way that demonstrates you are trustworthy and reliable. Through your actions, you earn the trust of colleagues, people using services and the public.
- You understand and comply with the SSSC Code of Practice for Social Service Workers, Scottish Government Guidance on the Role of the Registered Social Worker in Statutory Interventions, and the National Guidance for Child Protection in Scotland 2014.
- You know that if you did not do the right thing in this situation, it could call into question your suitability to be a registered social worker. An investigation by your employer or the SSSC may result in disciplinary action and even the loss of your eligibility to remain on the SSSC register.
Click here to download a copy of this feedback
What do you want to do now?
(click one of the following to choose)