SAMPLE CHILD PROTECTION POLICYFor those clubs who do not have a policy this may be of helpFor
more information go to www.kentcf.org.uk
Introduction This project aims to create an atmosphere where children and young people feel valued, safe and in a place where their welfare is promoted. Any concerns will be taken seriously, acted upon appropriately and will pay attention to what children and young people say and feel. We will be rigorous and vigilant in protecting the children and young people using the project from abuse, bullying and intimidation. We will do this through a careful recruitment and selection process, a whistle blowing policy, ongoing supervision and monitoring arrangements and guidance on appropriate behaviour. Everyone involved in the project is obliged to make sure that children and young people using the project are safe. They must report concerns without delay. All those involved in the project will be made aware of this policy and of what to do if they have any concerns. There is guidance for those responsible for responding to concerns so that they are properly dealt with. What is child abuse? It is generally accepted that there are four main forms of abuse. The following definitions are based on those from Working Together to Safeguard Children (Department of Health, Home Office, Department of Education and Employment 1999)
Physical abuse may involve hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning or scalding, drowning, suffocating or otherwise causing physical harm to a child. Physical harm may also be caused when a parent or carer feigns the symptoms of, or deliberately causes ill health to, a child whom they are looking after. A person might do this because they enjoy or need the attention they get through having a sick child. Physical abuse, as well as being a result of an act of commission can also be caused through omission or the failure to act to protect.
Emotional abuse is the persistent emotional ill treatment of a child such as to cause severe and persistent adverse effects on the child’s emotional development. It may involve making a child feel or believe that they are worthless or unloved, inadequate or valued only insofar as they meet the needs of another person.
Sexual abuse involves forcing or enticing a child or young person to take part in sexual activities, whether or not the child is aware of, or consents to, what is happening. The activities may involve physical contact, including penetrative acts such as rape, buggery or oral sex or non-penetrative acts such as fondling. Sexual abuse may also include non-contract activities, such as involving children in looking at, or in the production of, pornographic material or watching sexual activities, or encouraging children to behave in sexually inappropriate ways. Boys and girls can be sexually abused by males and/or females, by adults and by other young people. This includes people from different walks of life.
Neglect is the persistent failure to meet a child’s basic physical and/or psychological needs, likely to result in the serious impairment of the child’s health or development. It may involve a parent or carer failing to provide adequate food, shelter and clothing, failure to protect a child from physical harm or danger, or the failure to ensure access to appropriate medical care or treatment. It may also include neglect of, or unresponsiveness to, a child’s basic emotional needs. Legislation and Guidance There is a considerable body of legislation, government guidance and standards, which are designed to ensure that children are protected from harm. The Children Act 1989 This Act legislates for children in England & Wales. The intention of the Children Act 1989 is to ensure that the welfare and developmental needs of children are met, including their need to be protected from harm. Criminal Justice and Court Services Act 2000 Part II of this Act relates to ‘public bodies’ responsibilities within child protection and is integral to child protection systems in the UK designed to prevent unsuitable people from working with children. It links to other laws including Protection of Children Act 1999 and The Police Act 1997 that together build a system that makes it a criminal offence if an employer does not take sufficient steps to check an employee working with children and/or knowingly gives someone a job who is inappropriate to work with children. Protection of Children Act 1999
and The Police Act 1997 These Acts change the routes by which employers can check whether a potential or actual employee has criminal offences against children or whether there has been any reason for that person to be considered inappropriate to work with children. The Police Act 1997 contains the provision to set up the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) for England and Wales to improve access to criminal record checks for employment-related purposes. It is aimed at providing protection for children and other vulnerable people against those who might wish to do them harm. Rehabilitation of Offenders Act
(NI Order) 1974 (UK wide) People who are involved in situations where they have prolonged or sustained access to children are exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders legislation. Sexual Offenders Amendments Act
2000 This Act reduces the age at which, or certain circumstances in which, sexual acts are lawful. It introduces a new offence of abuse of trust, which covers ostensibly consensual behaviour within certain relationships of trust. It is an offence for a person aged 18 or over to engage in sexual intercourse or other sexual activity with someone under that age where they are in a ‘position of trust’ in relation to the younger person. Criminal Records Bureau This will give employers and voluntary organisations access to information about criminal records and other relevant information about people they intend to appoint in paid or unpaid posts working with children and young people under 18. It will provide a ‘one-stop-shop’ service across England & Wales. Safe
Recruitment and Selection for Our Project Determined abusers have often managed to gain access to children and young people. Our policy and procedures are important safeguards to stop this happening. They will be understood by good applicants and will put ill intentioned people off. All volunteers and staff, including temporary personnel and helpers should be subject to a careful and rigorous selection and vetting process with the following elements: Completion of an application form and checking the person’s identity by their birth certificate or passport, preferably by something which has their photograph. Taking up references, which can be seen before the interview and verified by a follow up phone call. An interview (ESSENTIAL) preferably by two people. Identifying reasons for gaps in employment or inconsistencies (ESSENTIAL) Carrying out Criminal Records Bureau checks (ESSENTIAL), see procedure if not available. Allow no unsupervised access to children and young people until this has been completed e.g.no appointment subject to references. Advice is sought about recruiting someone with a criminal record (ESSENTIAL). A supervised probationary period for new people to the project and a comprehensive induction period that includes our child protection procedures. Criminal records checks and
vetting Checks to be carried out on all people applying for work with children, including volunteers. This service has recently been taken over by the Criminal Records Bureau. The CRB will provide checks of: · Police criminal records via the Police National Computer · PoCA list (The Protection of Children Act List) and List 99 – lists of people who are disqualified from working with children and young people. We will need to check if your project workers or volunteers meet the criteria to be checked. Information on this along with general information on the CRB is now available at www.crb.gov.uk or you can telephone 0870 9090 811 for a pack. Kent Community Foundation is registered with the Churches’ Child Protection Advisory Service who will complete the checks on our behalf using the procedure held on record. (Funded groups should contact Kent Community Foundation for advice) Safe
arrangements in our project There is no 100% guaranteed way of making sure people with the potential to abuse children or young people do not get involved in our project. There are ways of running the project that will help prevent abuse occurring or to identify inappropriate behaviour as early as possible. The following elements will contribute to a safe, open and alert environment: A nominated child protection representative in the project responsible for making sure the child protection policy is working (The Grants Manager in respect of Kent Community Foundation). All people involved in the project should know about this person. He/she will need to be trained to know how to respond when child protection concerns are raised to him/her (ESSENTIAL). An open, well-publicised whistle blowing policy so that children and adults are encouraged to voice concerns about abuse or unethical behaviour without fear of recrimination. Training for people working in projects. They will need to be aware of signs of abuse (see above). It can also include bullying, or putting people down because of their race, religion, culture, gender, sexuality, disability etc. They will also need to know about the behaviour of abusers, what their duty is if someone tells them about abuse. They will need to know about the whistle blowing policy. Information is available to children, young people and their parents/carers. This could be through a leaflet, poster or notice board. They need to know who to speak to if they are concerned about what is happening to themselves or others. In discussions they should be encouraged to raise concerns and/or use the project’s complaints procedures and whistle blowing policy. A code of behaviour for everyone involved in the project. This should make clear what is appropriate and what is not, for example, all adults working in pairs, advice about physical contact and restraint, how to manage care tasks, etc. Arrangements about who to speak to about concerns when the nominated person is away, or if they would prefer to speak to someone else, or feel they are not being listened to. Clear supervision and monitoring arrangements, which are explained to everyone. Some examples are discussions and meetings with clients/staff/volunteers, questionnaires to clients/staff/volunteers/partner agencies, remaining vigilant and alert to people experiencing a problem. Having outside contact for advice and guidance when child protection issues come up and we are not sure how to respond (Robin Young re Kent Community Foundation). Guidelines
for the Nominated Child Protection Representative The person who has responsibility for making sure any child protection issues are responded to properly. They should: Know the signs and symptoms of abuse. Know about how abusers (perpetrators) behave Ask about training if they don’t know these things Know about the Local Area Child Protection Committee (ACPC) guidelines on dealing with concerns about abuse Ask the local council’s principal officer for child protection for a copy of the guidelines and about any training available from the ACPC Know who to contact in Social Services so that they can either Ask for advice when not sure what to do Refer a case without delay where there are child protection concerns (see attached list) Make sure the children and young people using the project know About child protection policy and procedures You are the person to speak to if they have any concerns Who to speak to if the nominated officer is not there Make sure the staff and volunteers know how to respond if a child or young person talks to them about abuse Make sure they have a copy of the project’s code of behaviour and guidelines and have understood them Provide information about help lines and other sources of help for children and young people. Make sure you are aware of other factors that cause children to be vulnerable to abuse. Research has demonstrated that disabled children are particularly vulnerable to abuse for several different reasons depending on their impairment. Reasons include: A dependency on others for their primary needs such as feeding, clothing and intimate care Different communication methods or lack of appropriate vocabulary might provide a barrier for a child wanting to communicate about their concerns Isolation within a residential setting A fear of retribution can also be a powerful ‘silencer’. It is therefore very important that staff have the opportunity to raise their awareness of protection issues for this disabled children Recognise that racism has demonstrated that children and families from minority ethnic groups often fail to receive an appropriate service from the statutory authorities when concerns are raised about a child’s welfare. Over-action and inaction have both been shown to be based on misunderstandings and misinterpretations of different cultural patterns, which have led to failing to meet children’s needs. More overt racial attitudes and behaviours also play a part in this process. Code
of Behaviour Our code of behaviour should include all the following elements: · Rules and arrangements for: · Relationship with children and young people · Relationship between personnel · Appropriate conduct with children and young people · Physical restraint · Intimate care Specific behaviour not allowed: · Sexual conduct · Lending or borrowing of money or property · Giving or receiving gifts · Exclusive or secretive relationships · Taking projects users to your home Guidelines
for Project Workers/Volunteers Responding
to a Report of Abuse from a Child or Young Person Do’s and Don’ts DO Do treat any allegations extremely seriously and act at all times towards the child as if you believe what they are saying. Do tell the child they are right to tell you. Do reassure them that they are not to blame. Do be honest about your own position, who you have to tell and why. Do tell the child what you are doing and when, keep them up to date with what is happening. Do take further action – you may be the only person in a position to prevent future abuse – tell your nominated person immediately. Write down everything said and what was done (see notes on recording). DON’T Don’t make promises you can’t keep. Don’t interrogate the child – it is not your job to carry out an investigation – this will be up to the police and social services, who have experience in this. Don’t cast doubt on what the child as told you, don’t interrupt or change the subject. Don’t say anything that makes the child feel responsible for the abuse. Don’t do nothing – make sure you tell your nominated child protection person immediately – they will know how to follow this up and where to go for further advice. Fear puts a lot of people off
telling about wrongdoing. Remember, you always have a
duty to make sure concerns are reported, then appropriate action can be taken.
Tell the nominated person in the project
as he/she will be able to get further advice and/or refer the situation to
social servies or the police. If for any reason you cannot
tell the nominated person, then you should tell the project leader or manager. Keeping
a Record of Concerns When a child protection concern arises, it is essential you record what is said or seen and what action was taken. This record or any other written record should be kept in a locked cabinet or drawer. Access should be limited to only: 1. The person who has completed the form The nominated child protection representative The project leader or manager KCF nominated child protection representative (if different from 2 above) It may be shown to the police or social services and could possibly be used in court, although this is rare. Their permission should be obtained before showing to the parent/carer.
Signed……………………………………………. Date………………….. CHILD
PROTECTION: SUMMARY OF REQUIREMENTS Essential Written child protection policy statement Guidance for project workers on what to do if they are concerned Nominated child protection representatives and confirmation that he/she knows how to deal with child protection issues Information for the project users on what to do if they are concerned about child protection issues Application form for all applicants, including volunteers Two references for all project workers and volunteers Interviews for all applicants including volunteers Checking reasons for gaps in employment history CRB checks and vetting of all project workers and volunteers Training about recognising and responding to child protection issues for project workers and volunteers Confirmation from all project workers and volunteers that they understand about signs of different forms of abuse and agree to report any concerns to the nominated person Planned and appropriate activities for children and young people Code of behaviour, which includes adults working in pairs Supervision of workers and volunteers Feedback form from project workers Evidence of monitoring that child protection and safety issues are being addressed. This means keeping written records, such as minutes of meetings, code of behaviour, training and supervision sessions and monitoring arrangements, training and discussion in staff/management meetings, written codes of conduct, what was done and why A probationary period for new personnel Recommended Verification of any qualifications Advice about recruiting someone with a criminal record A contact person in Social Services A whistle blowing policy |
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