Child Protection Policy

Child Protection Policy

Introduction:

The purpose of this Child Protection Policy is to outline SEAL CYPRUS’s commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all children who come into contact with our organization. The policy provides guidelines and procedures for all staff, volunteers, contractors, and anyone associated with our organization on how to recognize, report, and respond to concerns of child abuse or neglect.

  1. Policy Statement:

At SEAL CYPRUS, we are committed to providing a safe and supportive environment for all children who come into contact with our organization. We believe that every child has the right to be protected from harm and to have their welfare promoted. We are committed to implementing effective child safeguarding measures in all areas of our work to ensure that children are protected from all forms of abuse, neglect, and harm.

  1. Definitions:

Child: A child is defined as any person under the age of 18 years.

Child Abuse: Child abuse is defined as any act of commission or omission that results in harm or potential harm to a child’s health, survival, development, or dignity.

Neglect: Neglect is defined as a failure to provide for a child’s basic needs, including but not limited to, food, shelter, medical care, and education.

Physical Abuse: Physical abuse is defined as any non-accidental physical injury caused to a child by another person.

Emotional Abuse: Emotional abuse is defined as any act of commission or omission that results in a child’s emotional or psychological harm.

Sexual Abuse: Sexual abuse is defined as any sexual activity or behavior involving a child that is exploitative, abusive, or involves coercion.

  1. Roles and Responsibilities:

3.1 Board of Trustees:

The Board of Trustees is responsible for ensuring that SEAL CYPRUS has effective child safeguarding policies and procedures in place, and that these are regularly reviewed and updated.

3.2 Designated Safeguarding Officer (DSO):

The Designated Safeguarding Officer (DSO) is responsible for overseeing and coordinating all child safeguarding matters within SEAL CYPRUS. The DSO is responsible for:

  • Ensuring that all staff, volunteers, and contractors receive regular child safeguarding training and are aware of the organization’s child protection policies and procedures.
  • Ensuring that all concerns or allegations of child abuse or neglect are reported to the relevant authorities and that appropriate action is taken.
  • Ensuring that all child safeguarding policies and procedures are regularly reviewed and updated to ensure that they are effective and in line with current best practices.

3.3 Managers and Supervisors:

All managers and supervisors are responsible for ensuring that child safeguarding policies and procedures are implemented within their areas of responsibility. They are responsible for:

  • Ensuring that all staff, volunteers, and contractors under their supervision receive regular child safeguarding training.
  • Ensuring that all concerns or allegations of child abuse or neglect are reported to the DSO and that appropriate action is taken.
  • Ensuring that all child safeguarding policies and procedures are implemented effectively within their areas of responsibility.

3.4 Staff and Volunteers:

All staff and volunteers are responsible for ensuring that they are aware of the organization’s child safeguarding policies and procedures and that they implement them effectively in their work with children. They are responsible for:

  • Reporting any concerns or allegations of child abuse or neglect to their manager, supervisor, or the DSO.
  • Attending regular child safeguarding training to ensure that they are aware of the signs and indicators of child abuse and neglect, and know how to respond appropriately.
  1. Procedures:

Procedures are the practical steps that need to be taken in order to implement a child protection policy effectively. These procedures should be detailed, comprehensive, and easy to follow. In this section, we will outline the procedures that should be in place to support the implementation of a child protection policy.

  1. Identification and Response to Child Protection Concerns:

1.1. All staff, volunteers, and contractors should receive child safeguarding training and should be able to recognize signs and symptoms of abuse, neglect, and exploitation.

1.2. If a child protection concern is identified, the staff member should immediately report the concern to the Designated Safeguarding Officer (DSO).

1.3. The DSO should investigate the concern and decide whether it meets the criteria for child abuse, neglect, or exploitation. If so, the DSO should report the concern to the appropriate authorities, following local child protection procedures.

1.4. If the concern is not deemed to meet the criteria for child abuse, neglect, or exploitation, the DSO should take appropriate action to support the child and their family.

  1. Recruitment and Selection:

2.1. All staff, volunteers, and contractors who will be working with children should undergo a thorough screening process before being appointed.

2.2. The screening process should include a criminal record check, reference checks, and an assessment of the individual’s suitability to work with children.

2.3. All staff, volunteers, and contractors should be required to sign a code of conduct that outlines expected behaviors when working with children.

  1. Training and Development:

3.1. All staff, volunteers, and contractors should receive regular child safeguarding training.

3.2. The training should cover topics such as recognizing signs of abuse, reporting child protection concerns, and responding to disclosures.

3.3. The training should be tailored to the specific roles and responsibilities of the individual and should be regularly updated to reflect current best practices.

  1. Code of Conduct:

4.1. A code of conduct should be developed for all staff, volunteers, and contractors who work with children.

4.2. The code of conduct should outline expected behaviors, including appropriate boundaries, appropriate language, and guidelines for physical contact.

4.3. The code of conduct should be regularly reviewed and updated to ensure that it reflects current best practices and local child protection procedures.

  1. Supervision and Support:

5.1. All staff, volunteers, and contractors who work with children should receive appropriate supervision and support.

5.2. Supervisors should provide regular feedback on performance and offer guidance and support to ensure that staff are following child protection policies and procedures.

5.3. Supervisors should be trained to recognize signs of burnout or stress in staff and should provide appropriate support.

  1. Record Keeping:

6.1. All child protection concerns, reports, and investigations should be recorded and kept confidentially.

6.2. Records should be stored securely and only accessed by authorized staff.

6.3. Records should be regularly reviewed and updated to ensure that they reflect current best practices and local child protection procedures.

  1. Communication and Awareness:

7.1. The child protection policy and procedures should be communicated to all staff, volunteers, and contractors.

7.2. The policy and procedures should be reviewed regularly to ensure that they reflect current best practices and local child protection procedures.

7.3. All children who come into contact with the organization should be made aware of the child protection policy and procedures.

Conclusion:

Effective procedures are critical to the successful implementation of a child protection policy. By implementing the procedures outlined above, SEAL CYPRUS can ensure that all children who come into contact with our organization are protected from harm, abuse, neglect, and exploitation.