Protection Policy

CHILD

PROTECTION POLICY

Acknowledgements

West Lindsey District Council would like to thank the Lincolnshire Sports Partnership for their support and guidance.

Contents

Page

1.0 Policy Statement 1

1.1 Responsibilities 1

1.2  Principles 1

2.0  Recruitment, Employment and Deployment of Staff and Volunteers 2

2.1 Introduction 2

2.2 Pre-recruitment Checks 2

2.3 Checks and References 3

2.4 Monitoring and Appraisal 4

2.5 Complaints Procedures 4

3.0  Promoting Good Practice with Young People 5

3.1 Introduction 5

3.2  Good Practice Guidelines 5

3.3  Code of Ethics and Conduct 7

3.4  Guidelines for Use of Photographic and Filming Equipment at Events 7

4.0 Recognition of Poor Practice, Abuse and Bullying 8

4.1 Introduction 8

4.2 Poor Practice 8

4.3  Abuse 8

4.4 Bullying 10

5.0 Responding to Disclosure, Suspicions and Allegations 12

5.1  Introduction 12

5.2 Responding to Disclosure 12

5.3 Responding to Suspicions 13

5.4 Allegations against Staff or Volunteers 14

5.5 Allegations of Previous Abuse 17

5.6 Action if Bullying is Suspected 17

6.0 Implementation and Monitoring Procedures 19

6.1  Objectives 19

6.2  Sample Implementation Plan 19

Appendices: 24

A A Quick Guide to Procedures 24

B Essential Contacts 26

C The Protection of Children Act 1999 28

D Code of Ethics and Conduct 29

E Guidelines on Use of Photographic and Filming Equipment at Competitions 30

F Sample Forms 31

G Further Information 40

H References 41

I Notification of Publication 42

1.0 Policy Statement

1.1  Responsibilities

West Lindsey District Council will:

·  Accept the moral and legal responsibility to implement procedures to provide a duty of care for young people, safeguard their well-being and protect them from abuse

·  Respect and promote the rights, wishes and feelings of young people and disabled adults

·  Recruit, train and supervise its employees and volunteers to adopt best practice to safeguard and protect young people from abuse, and themselves against false allegations

·  Require staff/volunteers to adopt and abide by the Organisation’s Code of Ethics and Conduct and the Child Protection Policy and Procedures

·  Respond to any allegations appropriately and implement the appropriate disciplinary and appeals procedures.

1.2 Principles

The procedures within this policy are guided by the following principles:

·  The welfare of young people, (the Children’s Act 1989 defines a young person as under 18 years of age) and disabled adults is the primary concern.

·  All young people, whatever their age, culture, disability, gender, language, racial origin, religious belief and/or sexual identity have the right to protection from abuse.

·  It is the responsibility of the child protection experts to determine whether or not abuse has taken place but it is everyone’s responsibility to report any concerns.

·  All incidents of suspicious poor practice and allegations should be taken seriously and responded to swiftly and appropriately.

·  Confidentiality should be upheld in line with the Data Protection Act 1984 and the Human Rights Act 2000.

2.0 Recruitment, Employment and Deployment of Staff and Volunteers

2.1 Introduction

All reasonable steps will be taken to ensure unsuitable people are prevented from working with young people and disabled adults. The procedures, outlined in this policy document will be adopted whether staffs are paid or unpaid, full or part-time. Please see information on the Protection of Children Act 1999 in Appendix B.

2.2  Pre-recruitment Checks

The following pre-recruitment checks should always be carried out:

2.2.1  Advertising

If any form of advertising is used to recruit staff, it should reflect the:

·  Aims of the Council and where appropriate, the particular programme involved

·  Responsibilities of the role

·  Level of disclosure the post will undertake (If required)

·  Level of experience or qualifications required (e.g. experience of working with children is an advantage)

2.2.2  Pre-Application Information

Pre-application information sent to interested or potential applicants should contain:

·  A job description including roles and responsibilities

·  A person specification (e.g. stating qualifications or experience required)

·  An application form.

2.2.3  Applications

All applicants whether for paid or voluntary, full- or part-time positions should complete an application form which should elicit the following information:

·  Name, address and National Insurance Number (to confirm identity and right to work).

·  Relevant experience, qualifications and training undertaken.

·  Listing of past career and relevant information (to confirm experience and identify any gaps).

·  Any criminal record for appropriate roles.

·  The names of at least two people (not relatives) willing to provide written references that comment on the applicant’s previous experience of, and suitability for, working with children and young people (previous employer).

·  The applicant’s consent to criminal record checks being undertaken if necessary.

2.3 Checks and References

2.3.1  From April 2001 The Home Office will provide criminal record checks for people working with children and vulnerable adults through the Disclosure system.

2.3.2  West Lindsey District Council will check all paid staff and volunteers who may under any circumstances be working with children or vulnerable people, through Lincolnshire Police sources.

2.3.3  A minimum of two written references should be taken up and at least one should be associated with former work with children/young people. If an applicant has no experience of working with children, training is strongly recommended. Written references should always be followed up and confirmed by telephone.

2.3.4  If any doubts or concerns are raised through the application form, references or checks, a police check of the applicant can be requested. Under the terms of the Data Protection Act, an individual is entitled to request their own personal police check at their local police station.

2.4 Monitoring and Appraisal

At regular intervals (or following a programme), all staff or volunteers should be given the opportunity to receive formal (eg through an appraisal) or informal feedback, to identify training needs and set new goals. Managers should be sensitive to any concerns about poor practice or abuse and act on them at an early stage. They should also offer appropriate support to those who report concerns/complaints.

2.5 Complaints Procedures

West Lindsey District Council complaints and appeals procedures should be used to deal with any formal complaints and/or appeals. It is the responsibility of the council to ensure that parents and young people are aware of the existence of these procedures.

3.0 Promoting Good Practice with Young People

3.1 Introduction

Child abuse, particularly sexual abuse, can arouse strong emotions in those facing such a situation. It is important to understand these feelings and not allow them to interfere with your judgement about any action to take. Abuse can occur within many situations including the home, school and the sporting environment. Some individuals will actively seek employment or voluntary work with young people in order to harm them. A Volunteer, instructor, teacher, official or volunteer may have regular contact with young people and be an important link in identifying cases where a young person needs protection. All suspicious cases of poor practice should be reported to the West Lindsey District Council.

3.2 Good Practice Guidelines

All personnel should be encouraged to demonstrate exemplary behaviour in order to protect themselves from false allegations. The following are common sense examples of how to create a positive culture and climate.

3.2.1  Good practice means:

·  Always working in an open environment (eg avoiding private or unobserved situations and encouraging an open environment, i.e. no secrets)

·  Treating all young people/disabled adults equally, and with respect and dignity

·  Always putting the welfare of each young person first, before achieving goals

·  Maintaining a safe and appropriate distance with young people (e.g. it is not appropriate to have an intimate relationship with a child or to share a room with them)

·  Building balanced relationships based on mutual trust which empowers children to share in the decision-making process

·  Involving parents/carers wherever possible. If groups have to be supervised in the changing rooms, always ensure parents/teachers/Volunteers/officials work in pairs

·  Ensuring that if mixed teams are taken away, a male and female member of staff should always accompany them. (NB However, same gender abuse can also occur.)

·  Ensuring that at tournaments or residentials, adults should not enter children’s rooms or invite children into their rooms

·  Being an excellent role model – this includes not smoking or drinking alcohol in the company of young people

·  Giving enthusiastic and constructive feedback rather than negative criticism

·  Recognising the developmental needs and capacity of young people and disabled adults – avoiding excessive training or competition and not pushing them against their will

·  Securing parental consent in writing to acting in loco parentis, if the need arises to give permission for the administration of emergency first aid and/or other medical treatment

·  Keeping a written record of any injury that occurs, along with the details of any treatment given

·  Requesting written parental consent if the council are required to transport young people in their cars.

3.2.2  Practice to be avoided

The following should be avoided except in emergencies. If cases arise where these situations are unavoidable they should only occur with the full knowledge and consent of someone in charge from the council or the child’s parents. For example, a child sustains an injury and needs to go to hospital, or a parent fails to arrive to pick a child up at the end of a session:

·  Avoid spending excessive amounts of time alone with children away from others.

·  Avoid taking children to your home where they will be alone with you.

3.2.3 Practice never to be sanctioned

The following should never be sanctioned. You should never:

·  Engage in rough, physical or sexually provocative games, including horseplay

·  Share a room with a child

·  Allow or engage in any form of inappropriate touching

·  Allow children to use inappropriate language unchallenged

·  Make sexually suggestive comments to a child, even in fun

·  Reduce a child to tears as a form of control

·  Allow allegations made by a child to go unchallenged, unrecorded or not acted upon

·  Do things of a personal nature for children or disabled adults, that they can do for themselves

·  Invite or allow children to stay with you at your home unsupervised.

NB It may sometimes be necessary for staff or volunteers to do things of a personal nature for children, particularly if they are young or are disabled. These tasks should only be carried out with the full understanding and consent of parents and the performers involved. There is a need to be responsive to a person’s reactions. If a person is fully dependent on you, talk with him/her about what you are doing and give choices where possible. This is particularly so if you are involved in any dressing or undressing of outer clothing, or where there is physical contact, lifting or assisting a child to carry out particular activities. Avoid taking on the responsibility for tasks for which you are not appropriately trained.

If any of the following incidents should occur, you should report them immediately to another colleague and make a written note of the event. Parents should also be informed of the incident:

·  If you accidentally hurt a performer

·  If he/she seems distressed in any manner

·  If a performer appears to be sexually aroused by your actions

·  If a performer misunderstands or misinterprets something you have done.

3.3 Code of Ethics and Conduct[1]

The Government produced Caring for the Young and Vulnerable? Guidance for preventing abuse of trust, 1999. The guidance is based on the principle that all organisations involved with caring for young people or vulnerable adults should have codes of conduct to protect against sexual activity within relationships of trust.

Staff are required to sign up to West Lindsey District Councils Code of Ethics and Conduct. The Code encourages:

·  The development of an open and positive climate

·  Poor practice to be identified

·  Investigations to be carried out

·  Disciplinary action to be taken if appropriate.

3.4 Guidelines for Use of Photographic Filming Equipment at Events

There is evidence that some people have used public events as an opportunity to take inappropriate photographs or film footage of young and disabled people in vulnerable positions. West Lindsey District Council will adhere to the appropriate guidelines detailed in Appendix C. These guidelines have been adapted from the ASA.

4.0 Recognition of Poor Practice, Abuse and Bullying

4.1 Introduction

Even for those experienced in working with child abuse, it is not always easy to recognise a situation where abuse may occur or has already taken place. West Lindsey District Council recognises that staff and volunteers, whether in a paid or voluntary capacity, are not experts at such recognition. However, they do have a responsibility to act if they have any concerns about the behaviour of someone (an adult or another child) towards a young person. West Lindsey District Council encourages and expects staff to discuss any concern they may have about the welfare of a person immediately with the designated person in their environment – this might be the chairperson, team manager, event official or Volunteer.

4.2 Poor Practice

Poor practice includes any behaviour that contravenes West Lindsey District Councils Code of Ethics and Conduct, which is constituted around the following:

·  Rights – for example of the player, the parent, the Volunteer, the official etc.

·  Responsibilities – for example responsibility for the welfare of the young people, the profession of Volunteering, their own development.

·  Respect – for example of other people, officials and their decisions, Volunteeres, the rules.

4.3 Abuse

Abuse can happen wherever there are young people, and young people and disabled adults of any age can be abused. The effects of abuse can be so damaging and if untreated, they may follow a person into adulthood. For example, a person who has been abused as a child may find it difficult or impossible to maintain stable, trusting relationships, become involved with drugs or prostitution, attempt suicide or even abuse a child in the future.