Pool Development Session Friday 13 th February 2015 What do we mean by Challenge To dispute the truth or validity of A call to someone to participate in a competitive situation or fight to decide who is superior in terms of ability or strength ID: 710792
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Slide1
Respectful Challenge in Safeguarding Practice
Pool Development Session
Friday 13
th
February, 2015Slide2
What do we mean by Challenge?
‘To dispute the truth or validity of….’
‘A call to someone to participate in a competitive situation or fight to decide who is superior in terms of ability or strength’
‘A task or situation that tests someone’s abilities’Slide3
Do we need Challenge in Safeguarding?
Challenge is an integral feature of Safeguarding – the fundamental challenge to parents/carers to change their parenting
It is also inevitable that there will be degrees of disagreement & conflict between practitioners & between parents and practitionersSlide4
Practitioners need to decide..
What
When
How
to Challenge
In a way that remains child -focusedSlide5
Respectful Challenge…
Can be part of Inquisitive Practice especially in the face of Resistance
There are potential benefits & pitfalls that we need to be aware of – challenge can help establish truth but can also encourage secrecy/concealment
Respectful Challenge can be part of honest /open practice but it can be experienced as
intimidatory
& lead to conflictSlide6
Challenge in Practice
Discuss a challenge you had to make in your work
What did it feel like to make the challenge?
Was the outcome of the challenge successful or not and why?Slide7
What is Challenge?
Parenting is a challenge and children are challenging
Do we have a working culture in which reflection and challenge are encouraged?
We learn more from those who disagree with us – the challenge stimulates thinking and reflection
What are the key
e
lements of Challenge in practice?Slide8
Key Elements of Respectful Challenge
Confident, Assertive, Focused, Calm, Clear, Evidence Based, Persistent, Determined, Child Focused,
Boundaried
, Grounded, Respectful, Tactful, Honest, Balanced…
It helps if some common ground can be established
Challenge need not be destructive – it can be motivational and based upon concernSlide9
To be comfortable with challenge…
Reflect on the perceived need to challenge with a colleague or manager
Consider why – what is the basis for the challenge & what exactly you need to convey?
How will you pose the challenge, when and with whom?
Set parameters – don’t go global!
Review any outcomes….Slide10
It is part of the human condition..
‘The ultimate measure of a person is not where they stand in moments of comfort and convenience, but where they stand at times of challenge & controversy’
Martin Luther KingSlide11
Effective Challenge is aided by…
Confident Ground
What do we know? –
Assessment
What do we think? –
Analysis
What do we conclude? – the above plus research evidence –
Decision makingSlide12
Effective Challenge
Not dogmatic, aggressive or closed
Can enable responses which reduce the need to challenge – or increase it
Must be child focused – ‘I am saying this because it will benefit your child’
Do not be distracted by Power & Control – from or towards you
Assertive not destructive or aggressive Slide13
Serious Case Reviews
Practitioners often reflect & say they wish they had challenged parents or colleagues for the benefit of the child
With hindsight practitioners will often report they were not happy with a situation for a child but found it very difficult to challenge as needed
This is evident in Tameside SCRs -
Child K led to the Escalation PolicySlide14
Respectful Challenge in Practice
Consider a situation where you are/have been faced with a need to challenge
What is the nature of the challenge?
Why might challenge help here?
What would be a good outcome?
How will you approach this challenge?Slide15
Cards on the table…
We should model openness and honesty about the likely need to respectfully challenge in Safeguarding practice
We should encourage challenge in the interests of the child as being everyone’s rightSlide16
Statements
Consider the statements about challenge in Safeguarding
Do you agree with the statement or not and why?Slide17
In Summary
Workers need to be resilient in order to use challenge appropriately
Respectful Challenge can be a catalyst for change
Challenge is a key feature of advocacy for a child/young person
Children and young people often cannot effectively challenge and need practitioners who
will do so