CHILD PROTECTION POLICY

AND PROCEEDURES

 

Afar Community Association in UK is committed to promoting and safeguarding the social welfare and developments of children according to the UN Convention on the Rights of a Child, Child Act 1989 of UK.

 

GENERAL PRINCIPLES
 

1- All children will have equal rights to protection from abuse and exploitation;

2- All children will be encouraged to fulfill their potential and inequalities;

3- ACA will have a duty of care to children during its working times with them responsibly.

 

Our prime responsibility is the welfare and well being of all children in our Centre. Afar Community Association in UK believes that we all have a collective duties and responsibilities to the children, so parents, guardians, volunteers and staff to act quickly and responsibly in any instance of concern that comes to our attention. The Centre has a duty to report any suspicions of abuse and neglect to the Local Authority who have a duty to investigate such matters. The Centre will follow the child protection procedures laid out by the local authority and will seek their advice on all steps taken subsequently. Management Committees of ACA will promote the good culture and friendly environment which ensure children are listened to and respected as individuals within the Afar Communities in UK.

 

Our policy applies to all Management Committee, Volunteers and Staff working for the Afar Community Association.

ACA is committed to: -

 

• ensuring a practical recruitment in checking the suitability of volunteers and staff to work with children;

• raising awareness of child protection issues and equipping children with the skills needed to keep them safe;

• developing and then implementing procedures for identifying and reporting cases, or suspected cases, of abuse;

• supporting children who have been abused in accordance with his/her agreed child protection plan;

• establishing a safe environment in which children can learn and develop new skills and experiences.

 

Because of day to day contact with children, ACA's volunteers and staff are well placed to observe the outward signs of abuse wisely.

To do so the Centre will:-

 

• establish and maintain an environment where children feel secure, are encouraged to talk, and are listened to;

• ensure children know that there are adults in the centre whom they can approach if they are worried.

 

ACA will also follow the procedures set out by the Area Child Protection Committee and take account of guidance issued by the Department for Education and Skills in order to:-

• ensure that we have a designated person in the ACA for child protection who has received appropriate training and support for this role;

• ensure that we have a nominated a member responsible for child protection;

• ensure that every member of Management Committee, volunteers and staff known the name of the designated person responsible for child protection and as well as his/her role at the Community Centre;

• ensure that all Management Committee, volunteers and staff understand their responsibilities in being alert to the signs of abuse and responsibility for referring any concerns to the designated person responsible for child protection matter;

• ensure that parents have an understanding of the responsibility placed on the Community Centre, staff and volunteers for child protection by setting out their obligations in the learning prospectus of the Centre;

• develop effective links with relevant agencies and co-operate as required with their enquiries regarding child protection issues including attendance at case meeting if need be;

• keep written records of concerns about children, even where there is no need to refer the matter immediately;

• ensure that all records are kept securely; separate from the main children file, and in locked locations at the Centre;

• develop and then follow procedures where an allegation is made against a member of staff or volunteer of the Association.

 

Afar Community Association in UK recognises that children who are abused or witness violence may find it difficult to develop a sense of self worth. They may feel helplessness, humiliation and some sense of blame. Afar Community Association in UK may be the only stable, secure and predictable element in the lives of the Afar children who are at risk. When at Community Centre Children's behaviour may be challenging and defiant or they may be withdrawn. The Centre will endeavour to support the children and young people by all means available.

 

Our designated person for dealing with any child protection issues is the Centre Manager or Co-ordinator who will be responsible to Management Committee. She or he will have responsibility for appropriate staff training and support, information dissemination to staff, and liaison with child protection agencies and ACA procedure. This person will continue to ensure that all volunteers and staff are regularly updated their awareness on child protection issues. It is the policy of the Afar Community Association in UK to provide a secure and safe environment for all children while they are at our Centre.

 

To do so we will:-

• ensure that children are never placed at risk whilst in the charge of Centre volunteers and staff;

• ensure that confidentiality is maintained at all times;

• ensure that all volunteers and staff are familiar with child protection issues and procedures;

• regularly review and update this policy.

 

 

 

DEFINITION OF ABUSE

 

Child abuse is the ill treatment or neglect of a child under the age of eighteen years of age. A child who has suffered from physical injury, physical neglect, failure to thrive, emotional or sexual abuse by a person who has custody, charge or care of the child, either caused or knowingly failed to prevent. If a child is found to be injured or there is cause for concern about the child's welfare this will be discussed on most occasions with the parent/guardians.

In some cases of suspected abuse parents/guardians may not be informed first, this is done in order to provide protection to the child. Our aim is to work with parents/guardians in an open and professional manner in the interests of the well being of your child.

 

ACTION IN THE EVENT OF CONCERN

 

Should any member of Management Committee, volunteers or staff have concerns for the welfare of any child they will immediately inform the designated person. ACA's volunteers or staff responsibilities do not include investigating the suspected abuse. However, the staff or volunteers can keep accurate records of their observations and of anything said to them by a child or others in connection with concerns over child protection issues. The Afar Community Association UK believes that it is always important to listen to the children sensitively and considerately. Strict confidentiality will be observed at all times.

 

PHYSICAL ABUSE

 

Action will be taken if members, volunteers and staff have reason to believe that there has been a physical injury to a child. Examples of this may include shaking, squeezing, burning with a cigarette, hitting with hands stick or strap.

 

PROCEDURE

 

Any sign, mark/injury to a child when they come into the Centre will be recorded. Any concerns will be discussed with the parent/guardians. Such discussions will be recorded and parents/guardians will have access to such records. If the Management Committee still remains concerned regarding the injury, the Child Protection Unit in the Local Authority will be notified as soon as possible.

 

EMOTIONAL ABUSE

 

Action will be taken if Management Committee have reason to believe that there is a severe, adverse effect on the behaviour and emotional development of a child likely to be caused by persistent or severe ill treatment or rejection.

 

NEGLECT

 

Action will be taken if Management Committee of ACA have reason to believe that there has been persistent or severe neglect of the child, for example, by exposure to any kind of danger, including cold and starvation, which results in serious impairment of the child health and development including failure to thrive.

 

SEXUAL ABUSE

 

Action will be taken if volunteers or staff have witnessed occasions where a child indicated sexual activity through words, play, and drawing or has an excessive preoccupation with sexual matters or has an inappropriate knowledge of adult sexual behaviour.

 

PROCEDURE

 

The observed instances will be reported to the designated person. The matter will always be referred to the Local Authority. Afar Community Association in UK and the Child Protection Unit will agree on who informs parents/guardians of any concerns.

 

STAFF CONCERN THAT ACTION IS NOT BEING TAKEN

 

Although extremely unlikely, it is possible that volunteers or staff of ACA may feel that the designated person is not taking appropriate action, which as a consequence is exposing a child to potential harm. If members of Management Committee believes this to be the case, despite having made the designated person aware of their concerns for a child, then they should regard themselves as having responsibility to raise the issues directly with the Child Protection Unit, immediately advising the Childcare Services Manager that they have done so.

 

ALLEGATIONS AGAINST A MEMBER OF MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE, VOLUNTEERS OR STAFF OF AFAR COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION (ACA)

 

Any allegation against a member of Management Committee, Volunteers or Staff will be treated seriously and investigated immediately. The Childcare Services Manager will work with the President or chairperson of Afar Community Association UK to take appropriate action as quickly as possible. An initial investigation will take place to determine the exact nature of the allegation. Advice will be sought from the Local Authority's Child Protection Unit, from local Citizens Advice Bureau and Law Centre.

 

If appropriate, in accordance with Afar Community Association UK procedures for volunteers and staff conduct, the member of volunteer or staff will be suspended pending the final outcome of the investigation. All investigations will take place in the line with Afar Community Association policy and procedures, and with the safety of children as paramount. Following the preliminary investigation, if there is evidence to substantiate allegations, disciplinary action will be taken. If the allegations made are found to be unsubstantiated, all relevant parties will be informed and it shall be made clear that the member of volunteers or staff is exonerated.

Any allegations against a member of volunteers or staff will be reported to the Management Committee of ACA and they will be kept informed of the outcome of any investigations. We take child protection issues very seriously. It should therefore be noted that action will be taken against any persons making allegations that are found to be malicious, mischievous, vexatious or spurious.

 

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES

 

ACA is committed to equal opportunities both in relation to employment and the delivery of its services. ACA believes that, as providers of community services, it has a responsibility to actively oppose any form of discrimination. The MC and Volunteers of the ACA will reflect the ACA's Equal Opportunities policy in the form of the provision it offers to users, namely that:

 

All members, volunteers, staff and service users, regardless of race, religion, gender, disability or social status will be cared for equally. The designated person who will have responsibility for dealing with Equal Opportunities is the Centre Co-ordinator or Centre Manager who appointed by Management Committee to do so. Discriminatory remarks and/or behaviour made by a child are not acceptable; where this occurs, ACA volunteers or staff will clearly point this out, explain to the child why the remark/behaviour is not acceptable and correct information will be offered. Parents/guardians of all children concerned will be informed of such incidents but the children will not be named.

 

Children will be encouraged to co-operate and respect each other in a caring, and non-aggressive manner, reflected in the forms of activities and behaviour techniques that are promoted. No form of physical punishment or ill treatment will be carried out accordingly. Afar Community Association UK believes that equipments, such as books, pictures, arts or posters display and the celebration of community festivals will reflect a variety of cultures and promote self identities that will enhance the children's self image and home and life experiences positively. Thus, in future, ACA will try to collect a range of learning and paying materials available at Community Centre in order to broaden children's knowledge and developmental skills. The equipment will be used in a way that will not stereotype according to gender and will reflect the multi­cultural/multilingual community in a positive way.

 

ACA sees that bilingualism and multilingualism is seen as positive attributes to learning and community cohesion. We are therefore aware that it is important for a child to maintain this or her home language. Afar Community Association in UK will therefore find out about the languages our families speak and provide educational resources to support development in the home language. We will support their learning by offering them real experiences in the play environment such as planning activities around favourite stories and rhymes that offer a good model for learning language. We will use home language script in the Community Centre produced by ACA Learning Resource Centre, in Roman script, instead of Arabic letters. We will encourage the involvement of parents, volunteers, staff, service users and supporters in developing the existing learning resources and services available for promoting the social welfare, the advancement of learning and education and good health of the Afar Community in the UK.

 

This policy was reviewed and approved by the Management Committee of the Afar Community Afar Community Association in UK on 2nd June 2015.