Good practice guidelines.

All users should be encouraged to demonstrate exemplary behaviour in order to protect themselves from false allegations. The following are examples of setting a positive culture and climate.

• • Always work in an open environment, avoiding private situations and encourage open communication.
  • Treat all young people and vulnerable adults equally and with respect and dignity.
  • Put the welfare of each young person first.
  • Maintain a safe and appropriate distance with children. For example, it is not appropriate for staff or volunteers to have an intimate relationship with a child or to share a room with them.
  • Build balanced relationships, based on mutual trust and empower children to share in decision-making.
  • Ensure that if any form of physical support is needed, it should be provided openly and young people should always be consulted and their agreement gained.
  • Keep up to date with skills qualifications and insurance.
  • Ensure that if children are involved in activities requiring overnight accommodation they are accompanied by volunteers or staff who have been CRB checked and trained.
  • Adults in charge of children or young people should not smoke or drink alcohol while working with the children.
  • Try to give constructive feedback rather than negative criticism.
  • Recognise the developmental needs and capacity of a young person involved in an activity.
  • Secure parental consent in writing to act ‘in loco parentis’ if the need arises to administer emergency first aid until medical treatment can be sought and parents informed.
  • Keep a written record of any injury, which occurs during a project activity along with written details of any treatment given.
  • Secure parental/carer agreement in writing if young people are transported in project staff cars. Check that all cars are appropriately insured.

Practices to be avoided

The following should be avoided except in emergencies. If a situation arises where these situations cannot be avoided, action taken should be with the consent of the leader of the project activity at the time. In general avoid

• • Spending excessive amounts of time alone with children away from others.
  • Collecting or dropping off a child after an event except with parental consent.

Always avoid

• • Engaging in rough physical or sexually provocative games.
  • Sharing a room with a child.
  • Allowing or engaging in any form of inappropriate touching.
  • Allowing children to use inappropriate or abusive language unchallenged.
  • Making sexually suggestive comments to children even in fun.
  • Allowing allegations made by a child to go unchallenged unrecorded or not acted upon.
  • Do things of a personal nature for a child, which they can do for themselves.
  • Invite or allow children to stay at your home unsupervised.
    NB There are occasions when it may be necessary to help a child with a personal task. Obtain the consent of the parent for this purpose and explain what you are doing to the child concerned. Avoid taking responsibility for tasks for which you are not appropriately trained.

Incidents, which must be reported

If any of the following occur, you should report this immediately to another colleague and report the incident. You should also ensure that the parent/carer is informed.

• • If you accidentally hurt a child.
  • If a child seems distressed in any way.
  • If a child behaves in an inappropriately sexual way.
  • If a child misunderstands or misinterprets something you have done.

Recruitment and Training of Staff and Volunteers

The Trustees will ensure that all reasonable steps are taken to prevent unsuitable people from working with children.

Interview and induction

All employees will be required to be interviewed following an appropriate protocol. All employees should receive an induction during which:

• • Their qualifications are substantiated.
  • The job requirements should be clarified.
  • Child Protection procedures are explained and training needs identified.

Training

The safeguarding process includes training after recruitment to help staff to:

• • Keep their own practice under review and ensure that they practice in such as way as to protect themselves from false allegation.
  • Recognise that their responsibilities are to report any concerns about poor practice or vulnerable situations.
  • Respond to concerns expressed by a child.
  • Work safely and effectively with children There is a legal responsibility placed on the Strensall Sports Club and any staff member user to act on any concerns through contact with the appropriate authorities. All such concerns must be discussed with the Chairman who will contact the appropriate agency. There are three types of investigation when there is a complaint against a member of staff.
  • A criminal investigation.
  • A Child Protection investigation
  • A disciplinary or misconduct investigation.
  • The results of the police and child protection investigation may well influence the disciplinary investigation but not necessarily.

Action

1. Concerns about poor practice

If, following consideration, the allegation is clearly about poor practice, the Trustees will deal with it as a misconduct issue.

2. Concerns about suspected abuse

• • Any suspicion that a child has been abused by a member of staff or volunteer should be reported to a Trustee who will take steps to ensure the safety of that child and any others who may be at risk.
  • The Trustees will refer the allegation to Social Services.
  • The parents or carers of the child will be informed as soon as possible following advice from the Social Services Department.
  • If a Trustee is the subject of suspicion or allegation, the report must be made to the Chairman, who will refer the matter to Social Services.

Confidentiality

Every effort will be made to ensure that confidentiality is maintained for all involved. Information should be handled and disseminated on a ‘need to know’ basis only.
This includes the following.

• The Safeguarding person nominated by the Trustees.
• The parents of the person who is alleged to have been abused.
• The person making the allegation.
• Social Services staff and the Police
• The alleged abuser (and parents if the alleged abuser is a child) Information should be stored in a secure place with limited access to designated people, in line with Data Protection laws i.e. that data is accurate, updated, relevant and secure.

Internal enquiries and suspicion

The Trustees will make an immediate decision about whether any individual accused of abuse should be temporarily suspended pending enquiries by Social Services and the Police. Notwithstanding the enquiries of the official bodies, the trustees will assess all individual cases to decide whether a member of staff or a user can be reinstated and how this may be carefully managed. In some cases, there is insufficient evidence for the Police to proceed. In such cases the Trustees must reach a decision based on all the available information. The welfare of the child must remain paramount throughout.

Support to deal with the aftermath of abuse

Consideration should be given to the kind of support that children, parents and members of staff, or users may need. Use of helplines, support groups and open meetings will maintain an open culture and help the healing process. The British Association of Counselling Directory is available from The BACP. Consideration should be given to the support that may be available for the alleged abuser.

Allegations of previous abuse

Allegations of abuse may be made some time after the event, e.g. an adult who was abused as a young person with whom the member of staff was working. Where such an allegation is made the Trustees will follow the procedure as detailed above and report the matter to Social Services. Anyone who has a previous criminal conviction for offences related to abuse is automatically excluded from working with children. This is detailed in the Protection of Children Act 1999.

Action if bullying is suspected

• • Take all signs of suspected bullying very seriously.
  • Encourage children to speak and share their concerns. Help the child to speak out and tell someone in authority.
  • Investigate all allegations and take action to ensure that the child is safe.
  • Speak with the victim and the bully separately.
  • Reassure the victim that you can be trusted but that you cannot promise not to tell anyone else.
  • Keep records of what is said (what happened, by whom and when).
  • Report any concerns to the Trustees.