Introduction

The Center for Social Innovation, Ltd., values young people and children as being a vital part of the organisation’s actions, and desires to see them grow, mature and be challenged in a healthy and safe environment. CSI’s work is underpinned by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), and we are committed to ensuring the fulfilment of children’s rights as outlined in international conventions and specifically Article 19 of the UNCRC. All CSI full time and part time Staff, External Collaborators, Volunteers are committed to ensure that children rights are protected. The child protection officer (CPO) designated to be responsible for the proper implementation of this policy is the Managing Director, and a copy of this policy is kept with the CSI Finance Team.

Purposes

The purpose of this policy is to ensure the implementation of Article 19 of the UNCRC and to educate anyone who is working on behalf of CSI at any capacity as described above, the overarching principles that guide our approach to child protection, and to adhere to Article’s 19 principles.

Aims

Any time that our actions involve children, CSI is committed:
  • To provide activities for children and young people to help them develop from childhood into adulthood and to provide support for them.
  • To enable the children to express themselves.
  • To assist the children in integrating into the community.
  • To help children/young people appreciate the diversity of their cultures.
  • To provide an environment where children feel safe, empowered, and comfortable to flourish.

Organisation

  • Each child engaged with CSI should be formally registered. The information includes an information/consent form which their parent/guardian must complete and sign. These forms have vital information about health and emergency contacts and should be kept securely.
  • Attendance and any other contact information that CSI has with each child should be registered and kept for each
  • For activities that are longer than two consecutive hours, the activity should be described in detail and the information should be saved.

Child Protection Representative

CSI has appointed its Managing Director as a child protection representative. The Managing Director has the right to assign this responsibility to the person who is directly running and activity where minors and children in general are engaged.  The appointed representative has an obligation to adhere to this policy.

Responsibilities:

  • Ensuring that the policy is being put into practice;
  • Being the first point of contact for child protection issues;
  • Keeping a record of any concerns expressed about child protection issues;
  • Bringing any child protection concerns to the notice of the Management Committee and contacting the Local Authority if appropriate;
  • Ensuring that paid staff and volunteers are given appropriate supervision;
  • Ensuring that everyone involved with the organisation is aware of the identity of the Child Protection Representative.

Safety:

  • Children should not be left unattended at any time.
  • Avoid being alone with an individual child for a long time. If there is a need to be alone with a child or young person (e.g. first aid or he/she is distressed) make sure that another staff member accompanies whenever is possible or knows where you are and why.
  • At no time should anyone from any external organisation arrange to meet a young person away from the activity without someone else being there.
  • As such meetings should be planned and have the approval of
  • Teenage assistants should always be supervised.

Physical Safety:

  • Make sure that the area you are using for activities is fit for the purpose, e.g. remove anything which could reasonably cause injury.
  • Ensure that all staff know
    • What is the emergency phone number
    • Location of a First Aid Kit
    • Who is responsible for First Aid
    • How to keep record if someone is injured
    • What to do in the event of a fire or other emergency
  • Do not let children go home without an adult unless the parent has specifically given written consent
  • If private cars are used for transportation of children, the transportation should be authorized and should be meeting all safety and legal requirements. The drivers must be officially licensed to operate the vehicle, have a clean driving record, the vehicle must be insured, and the driver must be rested
  • No transportation with private cars is allowed

Awareness

All CSI related staff, External Collaborators, and Volunteers are made aware of this policy and everyone is asked to acknowledge and sign this policy

What is child protection

Child protection is the framework to the different ways in which a child’s physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual health may be protected.

What you should do

  1. Listen to the child/young person
  2. Look at them directly and do not promise to keep any secrets before you know what they are. Always let the child know if, and why, you are going to tell anyone
  3. Take whatever is said to you seriously. Take notes of exactly what is said to you avoiding assumptions and conjecture
  4. It is not the role of the staff to investigate any allegations
  5. Inform immediately the CPO for further advice and guidance

What you should not do

  1. Do not investigating the matter. Just report
  2. Do not discuss the matter with anyone except the people who are authorized
  3. Do not form your own opinions and decide to do nothing
  4. Do not ask leading questions – Why? How? What?
  5. Do not show your own emotions e.g. shock/disbelief
  6. Do not make false promises
This policy was adopted by the Center for Social Innovation, Ltd.,  on August 1, 2023

Contact Us

If you have any questions about this CHILD PROTECTION POLICY, please contact us:

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