This child protection policy is designed to safeguard children and promote their welfare in preventing any abuse during the centre activities. The management committee is responsible to ensure this policy is fully implemented by staff and volunteers.

 

Members, parents, carers, users and public have the right to expect that all staff and volunteers who run activities for us will not abuse their position of trust by causing physical, sexual or emotional harm to those in their care. Parents and carers have a right to expect that all staff and volunteers who run activities for children will comply with the present policy and guidelines.

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A.  GUIDELINES

§  Staff and volunteers must be aware of strangers on the premises who potentially may harass or frighten the children. It is the responsibility of the staff to know where strangers are in relation to the children.

 

§  Staff and volunteers must reduce any opportunities for abuse. For example allowing an unnecessary for potential abuser. Children must be supervised at all times.

 

§  Projects and activities must reduce opportunities for abuse by reducing to a minimum the occasions where one adult is in the company of a lone child and where is little or no possibility of the activity being supervised or observed by others.

 

§  A worker must never use their position to form a relationship with a child to satisfy his / her emotional needs.

 

§  The scheme organizer has s responsibility to be aware of the emotional state of all play workers. For example, if a worker comes to the group in a distressed or emotional state, this must be raised immediately and sensitively in an appropriate environment.

 

§  Scheme leaders and workers must build positive, objective relationships with parents as well as children. That in it self helps to provide appropriate care for each child.

 

§  Workers must always know the person, to whom they are accountable, for that is the person with whom to discuss any anxieties about a member of staff.

 

§  Staff and volunteers must use team meetings and issues of child protection.

 

B. PROCEDURES AND COMPLAINTS

§  If suspicions, allegations or incidents of child protection occur staff and volunteers must use team meetings, staff meetings, staff meetings or supervisions to explore these problems or issues. In all cases the committee and the centre must be informed of all action taken.

 

§  Confidentiality must be observed at all times

 

§  If there are evidences or grounds for suspecting abuse, social services must be informed immediately, the workers and committees have a duty in law to ensure the safety of the child is paramount. For urgent or emergency attention, informing the police must be the most appropriate action.

 

§  Centre staff must have a comprehensive understanding of safeguarding children, a document entitled safeguard for children within the

community must be made available at the center’s office

 

§  Parents or guardians should make any comments or complaints known to the project co-ordinator (organizer) and the management committee. If the project organizer to the satisfaction of the parents/carers/guardians does not deal with the chair of the management committee who should deal with it appropriately.

 

§  The project organizer must in the first instance make the chairman of the management committee aware of any complaint or comments.

 

§  In the case the chairman cannot deal with the matter/complaint, an extraordinary committee must be convened and be given power to deal with it.

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C. USERS INVOLVEMENT

§  Will initiate the involvement of its members who are parents/carers or associated member where and whenever the activities are being run.

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§  And the project will work together with the centre management, parents/carers for any assistance or support for the success of the activities.

 

§  The project organizer will form a committee of all members (parents, guardians, carers and young people) using the group including the chairman and the secretary of the organization.

 

§  Any queries regarding the running of the group or any suggestions for changes or improvements will be welcomed. Committee members are free to discuss any ideas with project staff or amongst members of the committee.

 

D. STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS RECRUITMENT

§  Will follow and comply with the legislation working with children such as Children Act 1989, Child protection, Anti – discrimination Practice, Race relation Act 1978 and employment regulations.

 

§  All prospective staff/volunteers will be required to have a satisfactory police check before starting work as well as medical check and two references.

 

§  All prospective staff and volunteers must receive regular training or activities are undertaken to empower staff and volunteers to perform well their duties