Information Sharing
D - Jargon Buster
DESIGNATED SENIOR PERSON FOR CHILD PROTECTION
DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION AND SKILLS (DfES)
DIRECTOR OF CHILDREN’S SERVICES
In the context of Information Sharing data can be regarded as a collection of facts from which conclusions may be drawn.
The person within Connexions (or in each of the partner organisations with legal responsibility for adherence to the Data Protection Act 1998) who determines the purposes and the manner in which any personal data is to be processed.
The Data Protection Act 1998 sets out rules for processing personal information, and applies to some paper records as well as those held on computer. The Act gives individuals certain rights, and imposes obligations on those who record and use personal information to be open about how information is used.
DESIGNATED SENIOR PERSON FOR CHILD PROTECTION
Guidance issued to schools in September 2004 requires all schools to appoint a designated senior person for child protection. The designated person must be a senior member of the school’s leadership team (but not necessarily a teacher), who will take lead responsibility for dealing with child protection issues, provide advice and support to other staff, liaise with the local education authority, and work with other agencies, including social services. Schools are also required to appoint a deputy; larger schools with a high number of child protection concerns may need to appoint more than one deputy. The designated senior person for child protection replaces the role of designated teacher as defined in earlier guidance.
Until autumn 2004, designated teacher was the term used to refer to a teacher with specific responsibility for the co-ordination of child protection procedures within a school, and for liaison with social services and other agencies. All schools were required to appoint a senior teacher as their designated teacher. However, new guidance issued to local education authorities, schools and further education institutions in September 2004 (Safeguarding Children in Education) requires schools now to appoint a designated senior person (not necessarily a teacher) for child protection.
DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION AND SKILLS (DfES)
The Department for Education and Skills is a department within the United Kingdom government established with the purpose of creating opportunity, releasing potential and achieving excellence for all. A Minister for Children, Young People and Families takes a policy lead on Children's Trusts, Links with the Children's Commissioner, Information Sharing and Assessment, Family and Parenting Policy, and the Overview of Young Peoples issues, including teenage pregnancy, those not in education or employment (NEET) and looked after children.
DIRECTOR OF CHILDREN’S SERVICES
Every top tier local authority in England will be required to appoint a Director of Children’s Services under section 18 of the Children Act 2004. Directors are responsible for discharging local authority functions that relate to children in respect of education, social services and children leaving care. They are also responsible for discharging the Children and Young People’s Plan. Although the Act does not define a timescale, the government expects most areas to have a Director of Children’s Services in place by 2006, and all by 2008.
The Disability Discrimination Act (1995) defines a person as having a disability ‘if he has a physical or mental impairment which has substantial and long-term adverse effect on his ability to carry out normal day to day activities’. The Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001 defines a ‘disabled pupil’ as a pupil who meets the definition of disabled under the 1995 Act.
This is a term used in schools when parts of the national curriculum are lifted or modified for a pupil. Disapplication is an exceptional provision, which can only be used at the discretion of the head teacher and governors based on a pupil’s needs.
DISCLOSURE (See also Secondary Disclosure)
Usually this term is used when a young person “opens up” or “reveals” to their Youth Adviser that they or other young people are being mistreated in any way or feel that they are at risk of significant harm – see The Children’s Act 1989. There can be a case for not passing on information disclosed by young people to any other statutory authority (unless a court order has been raised to do so). However in any absolute or exceptional circumstances such as those covered for example by the Criminal Justices Act 2003, the Terrorism Act 2000 and Drug Trafficking Act 1994 information can be passed over with or without the young persons knowledge or consent.
Drug Action Teams (DATs) are local partnerships charged with responsibility for delivering the National Drug Strategy at a local level, with representatives from the local authority (education, social services, and housing) health, probation, the prison service and the voluntary sector.
Page updated: Friday, September 25, 2009 10:19 AM
