Child Protection Policy Manual

TOWN OF LADYSMITH

POLICIES AND PROCEDURE MANUAL

TOPIC: CHILD PROTECTION
APPROVED BY: Council DATE: March.3, 2003
RESOLUTION #: 2003-105
POLICY STATEMENT:
It is the goal of Town of Ladysmith to protect all children in its care, by ensuring that all employees are aware of and follow the protocols outlined.
1.All employees will read and understand the policy outlined herein.
2.All employees will be familiar with the following protocols for what to do when a child discloses or when you have reason to believe there is:
A. abuse from a parent or family member
B. abuse from a person other than a parent
C. abuse from an employee or Town of Ladysmith volunteer
D. abuse from another child
3.All employees will follow all procedures and protocols outlined in this policy.
4.Proper reference checks must be carried out for all applicants for employee or volunteer positions which would provide any opportunity for unsupervised access to children, including but not limited to a criminal record check carried out by the RCMP. This procedure should be completed prior to finalizing any hiring or recruitment process.
5.This policy is based on the following principles:

PRINCIPLES:

The safety and well-being of children are paramount considerations
Children are entitled to protection from abuse, neglect, harm and the threat of harm
All parties working with children are in a position of trust, and their conduct should reflect this trust
Children with disabilities and very young children may not be able to protect themselves, and are particularly dependent on adults for their safety and well-being
Responses to reports of abuse and neglect need to occur promptly
Reporting of abuse and neglect needs to be done promptly
When sharing information for the safety and well-being of children, the information disclosed should only be used for those purposes, in accordance with applicable legislation, but not for other purposes

14 – 7010 - A

CHILD PROTECTION PROTOCOLS:

A. ABUSE FROM A PARENT OR FAMILY MEMBER

Any person who has reason to believe that a child needs protection from a parent has a duty to report the information directly to a child protection social worker as quickly as possible.
The legal duty to report is the responsibility of each individual. Informing another person, ie. a colleague or a supervisor does not discharge the legal duty to report directly to a Child Protection Social Worker.
A person should consult with a Child Protection Social Worker when issues or concerns exist but they are unsure whether or not a child is in need of protection.
A person still has a duty to report, even if the information on which the belief is based was given in confidence
A person who doesn’t report information about a child in need of protection is committing an offence
A person who knowingly reports false information regarding a child in need of protection is committing an offence.
A person cannot be charged for reporting information to MCFD unless the person knowingly reported false information.
A person who commits an offence is liable to a fine of up to $10, 000 or to imprisonment for up to 6 months, or to both.
How to report to a child protection social worker:
Report by phone or in person to a child protection social worker at a Ministry of Children and Family Development office.

Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., call the local district office in Nanaimo - 250-741-5444 (listed in the blue pages of your phone book)
Monday to Friday, 4:30 p.m. to 8:30 a.m. and all day Saturday, Sunday and statutory holidays, call the Helpline for Children - 250-310-1234

When to report to police:

If the child’s health or safety is in immediate danger, call the police.
Anyone who suspects a criminal offence is occurring or may have occurred, should report to the police without delay.
If the offence is committed by someone other than the parent or guardian, it is the responsibility of the RCMP to investigate.

The identity of a person who reports suspected child abuse or neglect to a Child Protection Social Worker is confidential and will not be disclosed without his/her consent, unless authorized by law. (ie. subpoenaed to Court)

14 – 7010 - A

B. ABUSE FROM A PERSON OTHER THAN A PARENT

If you have reason to believe that a child is being abused by someone other than a parent or if a child discloses abuse from a person other than a parent (ie. neighbor, relative, stranger) you should:
Advise the parent of the concerns or disclosure. It is the responsibility of the parent to protect the child.
In such circumstances it is the responsibility of the RCMP to conduct the investigation.
If a parent is aware of the abuse and is not taking appropriate steps to protect the child; follow the steps outlined above under section A.

C. ABUSE FROM A STAFF MEMBER

If you have reason to believe that a child has been abused by an employee or Town of Ladysmith volunteer, you must:
Ensure the child’s safety.
Report your concerns to your supervisor immediately
Follow the information given in Section B
The supervisor will remove the accused employee or Town of Ladysmith volunteer from the activity and provide coverage
D. ABUSE FROM ANOTHER CHILD
If you have witnessed or have reason to believe that a child is being abused by another child, you should:
Inform both sets of parents or guardians of the situation
If the child is in immediate danger, call the RCMP

CHILD PROTECTION POLICY MANUAL

The Child Protection Policy Manual accompanies this policy and includes the Employee Code of Conduct. The manual emphasizes common sense and good judgment on the part of staff. It gives an overview of expectations regarding appropriate physical contact, discipline, language use, dress codes and other issues related to workplace duties. It also supports the guiding principles, outlined above. Each employee is required to read this manualas a detailed explanation of this policy.
14 – 7010 - A