HOTWELLS & CLIFTONWOOD COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION
CHILD PROTECTION POLICY
Hotwells & Cliftonwood Community Association (HCCA) recognises that protecting children is everybody’s business.
Hotwells & Cliftonwood Community Association has a duty through our members, management, staff and volunteers to protect from abuse children and young people who they come into contact with.
1. The 1989 Children Act identifies four categories of abuse:
Physical Abuse
Sexual Abuse
Emotional Abuse
Neglect
Actual or likely physical injury to a child or young person under age 18, or failure to prevent physical injury.
Actual or likely sexual exploitation of a child or young person. The child may be dependent or developmentally immature.
Severe or persistent emotional ill-treatment or rejection likely to cause adverse effects on the emotional and behavioural development of a child. All abuse involves some emotional ill-treatment.
The persistent, or severe neglect of a child, or the failure to protect a child form exposure to any kind of danger, resulting in the significant impairment of a child’s health or development, including non-organic failure to thrive.
2. Historical Abuse
There may be occasions when an adult will disclose abuse (either sexual or physical) which occurred in the past, during their childhood. This information needs to be treated in exactly the same way as a disclosure or suspicion of current child abuse. The reason for this is that the abuser may still represent a risk to children now.
3. Awareness
As a member, trustee, paid staff or volunteer etc, you are not responsible for diagnosing abuse. However, you have a responsibility to be aware and alert to signs that all is not well with a child or young person. Not all concerns about children or young people relate to abuse, there may be other explanations. It is important to keep an open mind and consider what you know about the child and the circumstances.
4. What to do
As someone in a child care role, as well as a citizen, when abuse it disclosed or observed, you should take the following action:
4.1 Inform whoever has disclosed the information that the information cannot be kept confidential and will have to be passed on to the appropriate agencies.
4.2 Inform your line manager about the disclosure within 24 hrs. Your line manager will then inform the nominated Child Protection trustee. If you do not have a line manager, inform the nominated Child Protection trustee directly. S/he will treat it as a top priority and seek advice urgently. You might consider keeping an accurate and contemporary record for future use.
4.3 The nominated Child Protection trustee will report and discuss the information with Social Services Duty Team (tel nos at bottom of page) or with the Police Child Protection Team (0117 945 4320).
4.4 The nominated Child Protection trustee and the Line Manager to ensure that the ‘discloser’ is kept informed about what will happen next, so they can be reassured about what to expect.
5. Support to Staff and Volunteers
As a result of reporting concerns, you may find the person who’s disclosed the information is upset or angry. The nominated Child Protection trustee will support you, in conjunction with your Line Manager. If Social Services or the Police need further information or involvement from you; the nominated Child Protection trustee will talk with them and you about how this will happen.
Staff may also be subject to allegations of abusing children. While support will be offered, HCCA will ensure that Social Services or the Police are given assistance in pursuing any investigation. Suspension and/or the disciplinary procedure may be implemented.
All staff/trustees/volunteers working with children or vulnerable adults and those involved with implementing the Child Protection Policy will be given relevant training in issues around the Child Protection Policy.
Social Services Duty Teams tel: 0117 955 8231 (East), 903 6500 (Central),
903 1414/964 2593 and 903 1700/903 8786 (North).
6. Confidentiality
Confidentiality is crucial to all our relationships – but the welfare of the child is paramount. The law does not allow anyone to keep concerns relating to child abuse to themselves.
Confidentiality may not be maintained if the withholding of the information will prejudice the welfare of the child.
7. Recruitment of Staff & Volunteers
Paedophiles are attracted to organisations which provide services to children.
The HCCA will instruct any new employee/volunteer that they will need to apply to the police for a criminal record check before commencement of employment/volunteering. Employment/volunteering will only commence on the receipt of an acceptable criminal record check by the police. Employees/volunteers will then need to apply to the police for a criminal record check every 2/3 years and their continuing employment/volunteering will depend on acceptable criminal record check.
The HCCA will ensure that those on whom we will make such applications are those in any position giving regular contact with/ access to children and young people up to age 18, including those in ‘positions of trust’ and supervisors as well as people in frontline roles.
Two references will be sought for new staff and volunteers and followed up as necessary. A medical reference may also be sort.
A rigorous and probing approach to the application process (eg using application forms designed to elicit the full, relevant history of applicants), interviews and selection for positions with HCCA will be adhered to. Proof of identity may be sought.
8. Other Measures
The work of the HCCA is planned in ways which minimise risks to children eg physical layout and surroundings, clear roles for everyone, supervising people involved with HCCA. Concerns about children’s welfare will always be taken seriously.
In cases of misconduct towards children involving staff, volunteers, trustees etc – these are reportable to the Protection of Children Act Service at the Department of Health for possible inclusion on the List of Unsuitable people to work with children.
CHILDREN’S SAFETY AND WELL BEING IS A CORE VALUE TO THE HOTWELLS & CLIFTONWOOD COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION.