Child Protection Policy

GetWise have a responsibility to build a ‘culture of safety’ in which children are protected from abuse and harm.

GetWise is committed to promoting awareness of child abuse issues throughout its training and learning programmes for adults and is committed to empowering children and promoting their right to be strong, resilient and listened to.

Any suspicion of abuse is promptly and appropriately responded to and we will work with statutory agencies in accordance with the procedures that are set down in “What to do if you are worried a child is being abused” (DoH 2004).

Our aims are to carry out this policy by:

• promoting children’s right to be strong, resilient and listened to by creating an environment that encourages children to develop a positive self image, which includes their heritage arising from their colour and ethnicity, their languages spoken at home, their religious beliefs, cultural traditions and home background.
• promoting children’s right to be strong, resilient and listened to by encouraging children to develop a sense of autonomy and independence;
• promoting children’s right to be strong, resilient and listened to by enabling children to have self confidence and the vocabulary to resist inappropriate approaches.
• helping children to establish and sustain satisfying relationships within their families, with peers, and with other adults.
• working with parents to build their understanding of and commitment to the principles of safeguarding all our children.

The legal framework for this work is:

Primary legislation

• The Protection of Children Act 1999
• Data Protection Act 1999
• The Children Act 2004 (Every Child Matters)
• The Children (NI) Order
• The Children (Scotland) Order

Guidance

• What to Do if You are Worried a Child is Being Abused (2004)
• The Framework for the Assessment of children in Need and Their Families (2000)
• Working Together to Safeguard Children (revised 1999)
• The Common Assessment Framework 2005

Liaison with other bodies

We work within the Area Safeguarding Children Committee guidelines.

We have a copy of ‘What to do if you are worried a child is being abused’ for parents and staff and all staff are familiar with what to do if they have concerns.

We have procedures for contacting the local authority on child protection issues including maintaining a list of name, addressed and telephone numbers of social workers, to ensure that it is easy, in an emergency, for GetWise and social services to work well together.

We notify the registration authority (OFSTED) of any incident or accident and any changes in our arrangements which may affect the well being of children.

Details of the local National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) contacts are also kept.

If a referral is to be made to the local authority social services department, we act within the Area Safeguarding Children and Child Protection guidance in deciding whether we must inform the child’s parents at the same time.

GetWise is committed to building a ‘culture of safety’ in which children are protected from abuse and harm.

Staffing and volunteers

Our designated person is Dominic Frazer (the Activities Coordinator) who coordinates child protection issues.

We provide adequate and appropriate staffing resources to meet the needs of children.

Candidates are informed of the need to carry out ‘enhanced disclosure’ checks with the Criminal Records Bureau before posts can be confirmed.

Where applications are rejected because of information that has been disclosed, applicants have the right to know and to challenge incorrect information.

We abide by OFSTED requirements in respect of references and Criminal Record Bureau checks for staff and volunteers, to ensure that no disqualified person or unsuitable person works for GetWise or has access to the children.

Volunteers do not work unsupervised.

We abide by the Protection of Children Act requirements in respect of any person who is dismissed from our employment, or resigns in circumstances that would otherwise have lead to dismissal for reasons of child protection concerns.

We have procedures for recording the details of visitors to GetWise.

We take security steps to ensure that we have control over who comes into our setting so that no unauthorised person can enter.

GetWise is committed to responding promptly and appropriately to all incidents or concerns of abuse that may occur and to work with statutory agencies in accordance with the procedures that are set down in ‘What to do if you are worried a child is being abused’ (DoH 2004) and the Management Team

Responding to suspicions of abuse

We acknowledge that abuse of children can take different forms – physical, emotional, sexual and neglect.

When children are suffering from abuse - physical, sexual, emotional or neglect –this may be demonstrated through the things they say (direct or indirect disclosure) or through changes in their appearance, behaviour, or play.

When such evidence is apparent, the child’s keyworker makes a dated record of the details of the concern and discusses what to do with the Supervisor. The information is stored on the child’s personal file.

Staff will take care not to influence the outcome either through the way they speak to the child or by asking questions of the child.

Allegations against staff

We ensure that all parents know how to complain about GetWise staff or volunteer action, which may include an allegation of abuse. 

We follow the guidance of the Area Safeguarding Children Committee when responding to any complaint that a member of staff or volunteer has abused a child.

We respond to any disclosure by a child or staff that abuse by a member of staff may have taken, or is taking place, by first recording the details of any such alleged incident. 

We refer any such complaint immediately to the local authority’s social service department and the Management Team to investigate.

We cooperate entirely with any investigation carried out by social services in conjunction with the police and the Management Team.

Our policy is to suspend the member of staff for the duration of the investigation; this is not an indication of admission that the alleged incident has taken place, but is to protect the staff as well as the child and their family throughout the process.

Any allegation against a member of staff or volunteer will also be reported to the Local Authority Officer ‘LADO’ xxxxx on xxxxxx within one working day. Where neither Children’s Social Work Services nor the Police are required, the LADO should discuss the next steps with the employer within 3 working days.

Disciplinary action

Where a member of staff or a volunteer is dismissed from GetWise or internally disciplined because of misconduct relating to a child, we notify the Department of Health administrators so that the name may be included on the List for the Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults.

GetWise is committed to promoting awareness of child abuse issues throughout its training and learning programmes for adults. We are also committed to empowering young children, promoting their right to be strong, resilient and listened to.

Training

We seek out training opportunities for all adults involved in GetWise to ensure that they are able to recognise the signs and symptoms of possible physical, emotional, and sexual abuse and neglect and so that they are aware of the local authority guidelines for making referrals.

We ensure that all staff know the procedures for reporting and recording their concerns.

Planning

The layout of our activities allows for constant supervision. No child is left alone with staff or volunteers in a one to one situation without being visible to others.

Curriculum

We introduce key elements of child protection into our planning to promote the personal, social and emotional development of all children, so that they may grow to be ‘strong, resilient and listened to’ and so that they develop understanding of why and how to keep safe.

We create a culture of value and respect for the individual, having positive regard for children’s heritage arising from their colour, ethnicity, languages spoken at home, cultural and social background.

We ensure that this is carried out in a way that is developmentally appropriate for the children.

Disclosures

Where a child makes a disclosure to a member of staff, that member of staff will:

• offer reassurance to the child,
• listen to the child.
• give reassurance that she or he will take action.

The member of staff will not question the child

Recording suspicions of abuse and disclosures

Staff will make a record of:

• the child’s name, address and age.
• the date and time of the observation or the disclosure.
• an objective record by the child as far as possible.
• the exact words spoken by the child as far as possible.
• the name of the person to whom the concern was reported, with date and time.
• the names of any other person present at the time

These records are signed and dated and kept in the child’s personal file.

All members of staff know the procedures for recording and reporting.

Informing parents

Parents are normally the first point of contact.

If a suspicion of abuse is recorded, parents are informed at the same time as the report is made, except where the guidance of the local Area Safeguarding Children Committee does not allow this.

This will usually be the case where the parent is the likely abuser. In these cases the investigating officers will inform parents.

Confidentiality

All suspicions and investigations are kept confidential and shared only with those who need to know. Any information is shared under the guidance of the Area Safeguarding Children Committee.

Support to families

GetWise believes in building a trusting and supportive relationship with families, staff and volunteers.

We make clear to parents our role and responsibilities in relation to Child Protection, such as for the reporting of concerns, providing information, monitoring of the child, and liaison at all times with the local social services department.

We continue to welcome the child and the family whilst investigations are being made in relation to any alleged abuse.

We follow the Child Protection Plan as set by the social services department in relation to our designated role and tasks in supporting the child and the family, subsequent to any investigation.

Confidential records kept on a child are shared with the child’s parents or those who have parental responsibility for the child in accordance with the procedure and only if appropriate under the guidance of the Area Safeguarding Children Committee.