Safeguarding Policy
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Child Protection: — Policy — Procedures — Child concern form — Child protection representative guidelines |
Policy Statement
Wikimedia UK is committed to practice which protects children from harm. Staff and volunteers within this organisation accept and recognise our responsibilities to develop awareness of the issues which cause children harm.
The organisation is also committed to reviewing our Child Protection Policy and Procedures at regular intervals.
This policy and associated documents are designed for the guidance of all staff and volunteers of the chapter, as well as all children and their families, schools and other educational institutions who are utilising the services of the charity. The policy and procedures will be made available to all of the above mentioned individuals/groups.
Legislation and Guidance
These documents are based on the following detailed legislation and guidance, which can be found online:
- Department of Health/Home Office/DfEE:
‘Working Together to Safeguard Children’ 1999
- Volunteer Development Agency
‘Our Duty To Care’
Definitions
Definition of a child
- A child is defined as any individual under the age of 18 years.
- The policy and procedures may also be relevant for use in the case of any vulnerable young person over the age of 18 years who is utilising the services of the charity.
- The charity’s Child Protection policy and procedures apply to all children and young people regardless of gender, ethnicity, disability, sexuality or religion.
Definitions of abuse
Child abuse occurs when the behaviour of someone in a position of greater power than a child causes harm. Harm cannot always be easily categorised as children can be abused in a number of ways, but four broad definitions of abuse can be identified:
- Physical – where children are hurt by ill-treatment, or deliberate or neglectful failure to prevent injury or harm.
- Emotional – where children are persistently or severely emotionally neglected or rejected, for example, by not being given enough love or attention, made to feel worthless, or being intimidated by threats or taunts.
- Sexual – where children are encouraged or forced to observe or participate in any form of sexual activity.
- Neglect – where children’s physical and/or psychological needs are persistently or severely neglected, or the failure to protect a child from exposure to any kind of danger.
Who to contact?
Wikimedia has designated senior members of staff to take specific responsibility for child protection matters within the charity. These designated people are:
- Schools Project Leader
CONTACT DETAILS
- Chair of Trustees
CONTACT DETAILS
- Wikimedia UK Directors
CONTACT DETAILS
All cases of alleged or suspected abuse should be immediately reported to your designated Child Protection Representative, or to the Director in their absence. In the absence of any of the above named Representatives, you should contact your local Social Services office.
The appropriate external contacts are:
Social Services Office – Child Care Help Desk
Police Station
Other localities: Contact your local Social Services Office or Police Station
National advice – NSPCC Helpline – 0800 800500 (24 hr)
Appendices
Appendix (i)
Name of Child:
Age:
Child’s Address:
Name of Parent/Carer:
Telephone no:
Is the person making this report expressing his/her own concerns or passing on those of someone else?
What is said to have happened or what was seen?
When and where did it occur?
Has the child been spoken to? If so, what was said?
Who else, if anyone, was involved and how?
What was said by those involved?
Were there any obvious signs, e.g. bruising, bleeding, changed behaviour?
Has anybody been alleged to be the abuser?
Have the child’s parents been contacted?
Who else has been told about it and when?
Signed………………………………… Date……………….
Print Name …………………………………………………….
APPENDIX 2: GUIDELINES FOR CHILD PROTECTION REPRESENTATIVES
The responsibilities of a designated Child Protection Representative are:
- To ensure that the charity’s Child Protection Policy and Procedures are followed
- To undertake training in the recognition and investigation of child abuse
- To develop knowledge of the procedures involved in reporting abuse
- To make this knowledge available to all staff, volunteers, parents, carers and children as appropriate
- To manage the process of referring cases or suspected cases of abuse to Social Services by:
- Ensuring all staff, volunteers, parents, carers and children know who is the designated Child Protection (CP) Representative
- Ensuring that all staff, volunteers, parents, carers and children know that concerns about abuse or possible abuse must be brought to the designated CP Representative or in his/her absence, the most senior member of staff
- Deciding, after discussion with the relevant parties, if the case should be referred or not, or if further clarification should be sought from the parents/carers at any point
- Ensuring decisions and facts are recorded using a Record of Concern
- Reporting the case to Social Services, confirming the referral in writing under confidential cover
- To ensure all staff and volunteers undergo basic Child Protection awareness training as appropriate
- To be a contact point for external agencies needing to contact the charity about child protection matters
- To ensure written records are stored securely with access available to designated people only
- To ensure charity recruitment procedures are followed and CRB Enhanced Disclosures are obtained for all new staff and volunteers
- To identify the need for support that any employee or volunteer may have when involved in an abuse case and to liaise with necessary parties to establish how this support can be offered.