POLICY

Child Protection Appendix B

CHILD PROTECTION POLICY STATEMENT

Responsibilities

include 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, disabled and/or vulnerable adults.
  • Recruit, train and supervise its employees to adopt best practice to safeguard and protect young people from abuse, and themselves against false allegations.
  • Require staff to adopt and abide by the include Child Protection Guidelines, include Equal Opportunities policy and include Code of Ethics and Conduct.
  • Respond to any allegations appropriately and implement the appropriate disciplinary and appeals procedures.

Principles

The guidance given in the procedures is based on the following principles:

  • This policy recognises and builds on legal and statutory definitions of a young person. The distinction between ages of consent, civil and criminal liability are recognised but in the pursuit of good practice in the delivery and management of include Child Protection a young person is recognised as being under the age of 18 years (Children’s Act 1989 definition).
  • An adult has a moral and statutory duty for the care, custody and control of any young person under the age of 16 under their supervision.
  • The welfare of young people 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.
  • All incidents of suspicious poor practice and allegations of abuse will be taken seriously and responded to swiftly and appropriately.
  • All young people have a right to use the include offices and services offered by them in an enjoyable and safe climate.
  • 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.
  • Confidentiality will be upheld in line with the Data Protection Act 1998 and the Human Rights Act 2000.

These guiding principles will be achieved through a commitment of staff to ensure:

  • Appropriate recruitment, employment and deployment procedures are implemented.
  • Individuals involved in the include services undertake appropriate training e.g. child protection, equal opportunities and disability awareness.
  • Best practice is employed at all times to ensure the safety of young people.
  • All agencies and individuals sign up to the include Child Protection guidelines, the include Equal Opportunities Policy and the include Code of Ethics and Conduct.
  • Awareness of good practice is raised with staff, parents and young people.