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Child Protection Guidelines
This document is aimed at any BIPHA member volunteer who is directly or indirectly involved with the provision of Sporting or recreational opportunities for children. A child for the purpose of the Child Protection Act is any person under the age of 18 years. MISSION STATEMENT To help raise awareness of the responsibilities relating to the protection of children in Sport; To avoid situations where abuse or allegations of abuse may occur; To promote guidelines for the development of good practice To achieve the above aims we need to ensure that all volunteers acquire a basic level of knowledge and have the confidence to recognise signs and indications of what constitutes child abuse. The following guidelines should be followed by any individuals who work with children on a regular basis so as to assist in identifying a child who has been or is at 'at risk' of being harmed. By following the guidelines individual volunteers should also be able to reduce the possibility of facing an allegation of abuse made against them. OBJECTIVES · To be informed and to be able to recognise signs and indications of abuse · To respond sensitively to a child who may disclose information alleging abuse has occurred · To be able to take appropriate action if concerns are raised which might suggest that a child may have been abused · To maintain a level of good working practice at all times and thereby reduce risks to children under the care of individual volunteers PRINCIPLES · A child's welfare is of paramount importance in all issues relating to child protection · All children irrespective of culture, disability, gender or racial origin have the right to protection from abuse · Anyone under the age of 18 years should be considered as a child for the purposes of this document WHAT IS CHILD ABUSE ? Physical Abuse - In a sporting situation physical abuse might occur when the nature and intensity of the training exceeds the capacity of the child's immature and growing body Emotional Abuse - In a sporting situation emotional abuse may reduce a child's self-esteem where a child is subjected to constant criticism, bullying or unrealistic pressure to perform to consistently high expectations Neglect - In a sporting situation neglect could include children being exposed to undue cold or extreme heat conditions whilst training or playing. Sexual Abuse - occurs when children are forced/coerced/observe/or participate in any form of sexual activity for the gratification of the abuser The most important fact to remember however is that it is not our responsibility to decide whether any form of abuse has taken place but we must report and record any concerns that are raised to us. RESPONDING TO SUSPICIONS OR ALLEGATIONS It is important to be Aware that individuals may have to respond to allegations of abuse, or act on their own suspicions or concerns including issues of poor practice relating to Coaches or other responsible adults. If the concern is one of poor practice then you should report your concerns to the appropriate person in charge who may deal with this matter as a misconduct issue. It must be stressed that TACT, DIPLOMACY AND CONFIDENTIALITY are required when responding to reports or allegations. Should concerns be raised from a third party, UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES should the individual taking the report indicate to the child concerned that they suspect abuse is taking place or may have taken place. The questioning and interviewing of children who may/may not have been abused is a skilled job and should not be attempted by those who do not have specialised training. However as the first point of contact the main issues to remember are: · Create a safe environment by staying calm, not rushing to any conclusions or into taking inappropriate actions. · Try to control your own feelings. · Reassure the child stressing that they have done the right thing by telling you · Be honest. Do not make any promises you can't keep - or promise to keep secrets · Be sure that you are quite clear on what is said particularly by a child - if at all possible do not make the child repeat the story. REPORTING AND RECORDING Whatever the circumstances NO INDIVIDUAL SHOULD ATTEMPT TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEM OF ABUSE ALONE. Always contact the appropriate person in charge who will assess your report and consider the best action to take. A detailed report of the information to be passed on must be as helpful as possible in the event that action is to be required. Therefore a detailed record should be made including the following:- · The nature of the allegation · A description of the incident · A description of any visible signs of distress including bruising or other injuries · The child's account, IN THEIR OWN WORDS, if he/she can give this · Or a third party's account - of what they have seen or been told · Any times, dates or other relevant information · A clear distinction should be drawn between what is being expressed - for example whether this is fact, opinion, or hearsay (i.e. something said by another person outside of the presence and hearing of that person ) The person receiving a report of this nature should assess the information promptly and carefully, and consider the best action to take. · In the first instance a report should be made to the Sporting Organisations' nominated Child Protection Co-Ordinator · Where there is any doubt or uncertainty the Child Protection Co-ordinator will be responsible for consulting initially with the Child Protection Unit of the Social Services on an INFORMAL BASIS in order to request guidance, advice and to seek support. · After receiving advice the Child Protection Co-Ordinator will confer with the regional Executive Committee as to whether there should be a formal referral to Social Services/ and or the Police. Based on the information received where there has been a report of an allegation made against any Team Official response to such an allegation could be all or one of the following:- · A disciplinary or misconduct investigation by the Regional Executive Committee/and or referral to Officers of the BIPHA NEC · A child protection investigation - by the Organisation alone -or jointly with the Social Services or Police · A criminal investigation by the Police If the allegation is clearly one of 'poor practice' then the Organisation can deal with this issue through its own disciplinary procedures. Voluntary Sports Bodies should also contact the appropriate NGB. However if the concern is one identified as child abuse then the person in charge concerned, i.e. Child Protection Co-ordinator, must immediately notify the Child & Family Services Team Leader on duty at Social Services. SOCIAL SERVICES & POLICE REFERRALS All referrals outside of office hours should also be made to the Emergency Duty Team Leader at Social Services. If the concern raised requires immediate Police intervention in order that enquiries may be pursued without delay the Child Protection Co-Ordinator is responsible for informing the Police and ensuring that this information is likewise passed onto the Duty Team Leader. Where there are concerns or where allegations have been made it is natural to feel very apprehensive about making contact with the Child Protection Co-Ordinator, Social Services or the Police and to be concerned about being wrong. It is very possible that there is some other explanation for the cause of concern but individuals should not be afraid to act. Every child has the right to be free from the damaging effects of abuse and we cannot afford to take the chance in not reporting any concern as a failure to act could have serious detrimental effects to the welfare of the child. THE NATIONAL CHILD PROTECTION HELPLINE The National Child Protection Help-line Telephone Number is 0800- 800 -500 - it's free and it's Open 24 hours a day 7 days a week. CHILDLINE Childline is a free confidential telephone help-line for children. The service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and Counsellors are available to listen to children. The telephone number is available from 9.30am until 9.30pm on 0800-400-222. |
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