Child Protection – Policy Framework

The Salvation Army

The Salvation Army International Headquarters Child Protection Confidential e-mail: IHQ-ChildProtection@salvationarmy.org

CHILD PROTECTION: POLICY FRAMEWORK BACKGROUND Aim of the Policy Framework Every Salvation Army territory, command and region is expected to implement a Child Protection Policy, with a process of reviewing this regularly. Some territories have developed and implemented their own child protection policies. This framework is designed to bring consistency to our practice globally, and will be used to measure current territorial policies against, ensuring that The Salvation Army works to the same standards in protecting children.

This International Child Protection Policy Framework aims to set out the expectations of what should be included in child protection policies for each territory/zone within The Salvation Army, and includes draft practice guidance available for implementation by territories, should that be required. The laws and government policies within each territory/country will vary, and this information can be added to the local policy. However, the approach of this International Policy Framework is to apply a high level of practice and behaviour with our children/young people, as the International Policy Framework will be higher, or as high, as the threshold of government policies and local laws.

Key definitions Child protection The actions that individuals and organisations, countries and communities take to protect children from acts of harm, maltreatment (abuse) and exploitation.

Child abuse The World Health Organization (WHO) defines child abuse and child maltreatment as ‘all forms of physical and/or emotional ill-treatment, sexual abuse, neglect or negligent treatment or commercial or other exploitation, resulting in actual or potential harm to the child’s health, survival, development or dignity in the context of a relationship of responsibility, trust or power.’1 Children This is anyone under the age of 18, as defined by the United Nations 2, Article 1.

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‘Child abuse and neglect by parents and other caregivers’ (PDF).

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https://www.unicef.org/crc/files/Guiding_Principles.pdf

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It is acknowledged that in many countries there will be different legal ages in respect to defining a child, but this policy aims for the expectation that anyone under the age of 18 is offered the level of protection within this policy.

Legal framework United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989), Article 19 (1) 3: ‘States Parties shall take all appropriate legislative, administrative, social and educational measures to protect the child from all forms of physical or mental violence, injury or abuse, neglect or negligent treatment, maltreatment or exploitation, including sexual abuse, while in the care of parent (s), legal guardian (s) or any other person who has the care of the child.’

Child protection policy A policy is a course or principle of action proposed by an organisation.4 A child protection policy is a statement that makes it clear to staff, officers, parents, carers, volunteers, children and young people what The Salvation Army will do to keep children/young people safe. A policy sets out what The Salvation Army wants to say about keeping children and young people safe and the reasons for saying this, how it is going to meet this responsibility, who the policy applies to, and how The Salvation Army will put this into action. This policy aims to ensure all staff, officers, carers and volunteers are aware of their responsibilities, and that therefore good practice will protect them also. This policy goes alongside other appropriate organisational policies of the territory where there may be a crossover, such as whistle-blowing policies, safe recruitment policies and Internet use.

A policy should not be a long document, but should include principles, processes and standards. The standards should be underpinned by practice guidance which is more detailed and offers a step by step approach to child protection issues. Practice guidance relating to specialist cultural and child protection issues such as child trafficking, sexual exploitation and female genital mutilation will be developed as additional guidance. The aim is for the policy and practice guidance to be written using phrases and words which everyone will understand, and this policy framework with the underlying practice guidance will be translated into the key languages used by The Salvation Army.

https://downloads.unicef.org.uk/wpcontent/uploads/2010/05/UNCRC_PRESS200910web.pdf?_ga=2.206761043.1703070319.1507885767158391670.1507885767 4 https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/policy 3

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WHAT EACH POLICY ON CHILD PROTECTION SHOULD CONTAIN

1. Theological basis for child protection GOD’S VIEW OF CHILDREN God declares the value and dignity of all human beings (and therefore children) as made in his own image (Genesis 1:27). God affirms that the children of his people are members of his covenant and one of his most precious gifts (Genesis 17:7; Psalm 127:3). God prioritises children’s spiritual development by outlining the responsibilities and efforts Christian communities must devote to children (Deuteronomy 6:4-9). Jesus’ own life demonstrates God’s love for children, placing them at the centre of his Kingdom (Mark 10:13-14; Luke 18:17). Conversely, Jesus reserves some of his harshest words for those who diminished the value of children. Jesus publicly rebuked his disciples in righteous anger when they tried to prevent children from coming to him (Mark 10:14). He pronounced the most serious woe upon those who would cause a child to stumble, saying it would be better for that person to have a great millstone fastened around their neck and be drowned (Matthew 18:5-6). The act of harming a child is a direct affront to the God who has made that child in the divine image.

THE VULNERABILITY OF CHILDREN Despite their inherent dignity, children occupy a vulnerable place in life. Children are in the process of developing spiritually, physically, mentally and emotionally. During this period of time, they are often unable to defend themselves against threats to their well-being. This vulnerability extends far beyond the lack of physical strength. Children are in a period of formation where their understanding of God, right and wrong, sexuality and more is both extremely limited and malleable. Therefore every influence upon their lives in childhood for good or ill has a significant and lasting impact in later life, as well as in their early years (Proverbs 22:6). They are not simply naïve; they are being shaped. Children are likely to believe what older children and adults tell them is true; therefore adults who interact with children must understand the great responsibility they bear to shape children in truth and love. Sadly, there are those who misuse this responsibility to prey upon vulnerable children.

THE ABUSE OF POWER One of the Bible’s central ethical themes is that those with power and authority must not take advantage of the weak and vulnerable. Scripture bluntly acknowledges humanity’s ‘bent’ towards using power for our own sinful ends. The powerful can easily target those with little power.

Because God knows an imbalance of power can easily turn to sin, he commands his people not to wrong sojourners or oppress (Exodus 22:21-22; Deuteronomy 27:19) and instead to reflect his love and care for the vulnerable (Deuteronomy 14:28-29, 16:10-14, 24:17; Leviticus 19:13-15).

The abuse of power contradicts the heart of the gospel which teaches that Christ, who has all power, used it to serve and rescue humanity. Scripture exhorts anyone with authority over the weak to use that authority to protect and strongly condemns those, particularly spiritual leaders, who might use their authority to harm the vulnerable (Ezekiel 34:1-10; Proverbs 31:8; Psalm 72:4).

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Children are abused and mistreated in several ways, all of which are abhorrent to God. The Bible prohibits child abuse in its warnings against improper anger. Too many children are the victims of angry beatings and other physical abuse as their parents take out their anger and frustration on their children. Discipline should never be administered in anger, as Paul reminds the Ephesians: ‘In your anger do not sin’ (4:26-27). Similarly, Proverbs 29:22 reminds that ‘a hot-tempered person commits many sins’.

PRACTISING JUSTICE The Salvation Army believes that God’s love for all children is equal and all are of equal worth. It is, therefore, imperative that all children should have access to at least a minimum standard of protection. Such protection must include a legislative framework that clearly outlaws abuse. It must also entail access to properly trained and funded child and youth services and to the means to voice concerns.

Practising justice for children is but one demonstration of God’s love and a sign that Scripture has meaning and life. As a Christian organisation working with millions of children around the world, it is inconceivable that advocacy against injustice should not include a special focus on the needs of children. As a result, The Salvation Army embraces its sacred obligation to defend the Godgiven rights of children and be part of a team response to the lasting harm caused by abuse.

2. Rights of children • • • • •

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All children have equal rights to protection from harm.

All child abuse involves the abuse of children’s rights.

Everybody has a responsibility to support the protection of children, and the child protection policy will apply to all staff, officers, volunteers and anyone who comes into contact with The Salvation Army.

Organisations such as The Salvation Army have a duty of care to children whom they work with, are in contact with, or who are affected by their work and operations.

If The Salvation Army partners with organisations, The Salvation Army has to ensure that the organisation’s child protection policy is at the same standard as its own, as far as is reasonably possible. The aim is that The Salvation Army policies are upheld.

All actions on child protection and in The Salvation Army’s children’s’ resources and activities are taken in the best interests of children, which are paramount.

3. Processes The Salvation Army will meet its commitment to protecting children from abuse through the following means: a. Awareness and training: We will ensure that all staff, officers, volunteers and others are aware of the issue of child abuse and the risks to children, and that people working with children are suitable for the role, and are well supported and managed. We will ensure that all of those working with children and young people know the child protection policy of that territory.

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b. Prevention: We will ensure, through awareness and good practice, that staff, officers, volunteers and others work to minimise the risks to children, and that physical and online environments are designed to minimise the opportunity for abuse to occur. c. Reporting: We will ensure that staff, officers, volunteers and others understand what steps to take where concerns arise regarding the safety of children. This will involve taking concerns seriously, acting appropriately and effectively in referring the information to the agencies in the countries responsible for investigating and taking action on child abuse. d. Responding: We will ensure that action is taken to support and protect children where concerns arise regarding possible abuse. We will support all children, staff, officers, victims, survivors and others affected by information about child abuse, when reports are made. e. Listening and involving: We will listen to children and young people and take seriously what they say and demonstrate to us. We will make sure that disabled children and those with additional needs are able to communicate with us, and that we create opportunities for children and adults from different cultures, languages, ethnic backgrounds, faiths, experiences of poverty and communities to report child protection concerns. We will ensure that there are processes for all children to participate in decisions affecting them. f.

Review, measurement and improvement: We will aim for clarity on how we measure our child protection practice, both within territories and in the global organisation. We will measure our impact of child protection process on how we operate, and continuously review, evaluate and improve our child protection practice. We will report regularly on what we still need to do to protect children from abuse. We will evidence our awareness of the child protection policy and ensure that the child protection policy is applied, and where there are issues establish a plan to improve and sustain our ability to protect children.

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POLICY FRAMEWORK Application This policy applies to everyone who comes into contact with The Salvation Army and carries out an activity on its behalf. This policy applies to all officers of every rank, all staff, all volunteers, all interns, all people on placement, and should also be used as a reference point for any partner agency The Salvation Army works with in delivering services.

Standards This is a list of the standards, with the appropriate practice guidance, that must be in every Child Protection Policy for every territory. Protecting children requires that all seven standards are fully realised across the whole of The Salvation Army. They should not be considered in isolation and must be read in conjunction with the one another. Below is a chart that outlines this relationship.

1. Creating and maintaining safe environments 2. Training to keep our children safe 3. Responding to child protection concerns 4. Care and support for victims 5. Care and support for others 6. Communicating The Salvation Army’s child protection message 7. How we know we are protecting children: quality assurance and outcomes

Standard 1 Creating and maintaining safe environments

Standard 6 Standard 2

Communicating The Salvation Army’s child protection message

Training to keep our children safe

Standard 7 Quality assurance and outcomes

Standard 5

Standard 3

Care and support for others

Responding to child protection concerns

Standard 4 Care and support for victims

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STANDARD 1: CREATING AND MAINTAINING SAFE ENVIRONMENTS The Salvation Army provides environments for children that are welcoming, nurturing and safe. They provide access to good role models whom children can trust, who respect, protect and enhance their spiritual, physical, emotional, intellectual and social development. All staff, whether paid or voluntary, have a duty to keep children and young people safe and to protect them from physical and emotional harm. This duty is in part exercised through the development of respectful, caring and professional relationships between staff and children and behaviour by staff that demonstrates integrity, maturity and good judgement.

A safe environment is one where the possibility of abuse is openly acknowledged, volunteers and employees are appropriately recruited and trained, and those who report suspicions and concerns are confident that these will be treated seriously and confidentially. Communication is central to maintaining a safe environment and this includes information given to children and parents/carers, choosing the correct and appropriate method (email/phone/face-to-face) of providing information to children and parents/carers, listening to children’s views on matters that affect them, as well as considering how to communicate in an emergency.

Creating and maintaining safe environments also involves safer recruitment processes which includes the following: a. Background checks and references Children are entitled to be safe and welcomed when involved with Salvation Army projects and activities. The Salvation Army should have a suitable children’s workforce and all reasonable steps should be taken to exclude anyone who may pose a threat to children. Safe recruitment procedures will enable The Salvation Army to reduce the risk of abuse to children. When recruiting employees or volunteers, all reasonable steps should be taken to ensure only suitable people are selected. Safer recruitment often concentrates on official vetting procedures and checks. These procedures are obviously an important part of staff and volunteer selection, but they are only one aspect of recruiting and supporting people to work safely and appropriately with children, young people and young adults.

They are also not available in all countries The Salvation Army operates within. Where possible, background checks must be carried out on paid staff as well as volunteers, and references sought accordingly. b. Interview process with staff and officers appointed to roles working with children Safer recruitment also includes an interviewing process to fill the role. This includes a detailed job description outlining specific job requirements and expectations, which will form the basis of the interview questions. Where possible and appropriate, children and young people should be consulted to help develop a job description and even sit on the interview panel to be further involved in the recruitment process. c. Induction and supervision On their own, official checks and vetting procedures will not be enough to protect children and young adults, and they need to be carried out in the context of a wider set of practices and an organisational culture that supports safe practice. Good induction and supervision processes help to show staff, volunteers and those interested in working for The Salvation Army how much they are valued. A comprehensive induction programme about the organisation, and induction to their role and child protection/safeguarding should be provided to all new staff and volunteers. In addition, supervision (formal, informal, or both) should be arranged at appropriate intervals to ensure staff are able to raise concerns, ask questions and receive guidance and support.

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All paid and voluntary staff who are successful in the background checks and interview process must: • • • •

know and understand the responsibilities which are part of their employment or role always act, and be seen to act, in the child’s best interests avoid any conduct which would lead any reasonable person to question their motivation and intentions take responsibility for their own actions and behaviour.

To ensure effective practice guidelines and appropriate legislative requirements in the recruitment of all staff (paid and voluntary) and in assessing their suitability to work with children, the territory/zone will implement and ensure the following: 1) 2) 3) 4)

effective practice on the expected standards of adults’ behaviour towards children* effective practice in encouraging children’s positive behaviour* effective practice in safe care for all children, including those with specific needs* training and written guidance on safer recruitment practice for those responsible for recruiting and selecting staff* 5) clear whistle-blowing procedures to support and assist territorial/zonal personnel to raise concerns about possible dangerous or unethical conduct by others towards children involved in Salvation Army activities, including social programmes/institutions* 6) clear complaints procedures regarding safeguarding concerns that are not allegations of abuse* 7) effective practice for the appropriate use of information technology, including social media, and visual images of children by Salvation Army personnel and by children* Safeguarding children requires that all of the standards are fully realised across the whole of The Salvation Army. This standard should not be considered in isolation and so must be read in conjunction with the following: Standard 2: Training to keep our children safe Standard 6: Communicating The Salvation Army’s child protection message * Additional policies to be developed/discussed

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STANDARD 2: TRAINING TO KEEP OUR CHILDREN SAFE Through the provision of appropriate and continuing learning opportunities, Salvation Army personnel must be trained and supported in all aspects of child protection and safeguarding relevant to their role, in order to develop and maintain the necessary knowledge, attitudes and skills to safeguard and protect children. Everyone in contact with children has a role to play in their protection. They can only carry out this role confidently and effectively if they have the right attitude towards children. Training also ensures that officers and staff are aware of their duties and responsibilities and good practice in child protection also protects staff. The Salvation Army has a responsibility to provide training and development opportunities for their officers and staff and to ensure that children are also included in programmes to learn more about keeping children safe.

So that officers, staff and volunteers receive the necessary training to keep children safe, each territory/zone will implement and ensure the following: 1) basic child protection/safeguarding training as part of their induction when they join, which includes an introduction to The Salvation Army’s child protection policy and procedures 2) opportunities to learn how to recognise and respond to concerns about child abuse 3) children are provided with advice and support on keeping themselves safe 4) relevant training and regular opportunities to update skills and knowledge 5) training is provided to those responsible for dealing with complaints and disciplinary procedures in relation to child abuse and inappropriate behaviour towards children 6) opportunities exist for learning from practical case experience which can be fed back into organisational training and development programmes 7) raising awareness of child protection with children and their parents/guardians in the territory/zone 8) officers, staff and volunteers have access to appropriate support and supervision.

Disabled children and their families may need additional information, help and support. The Salvation Army’s paid and volunteer workforce may require additional and specialist training and advice to ensure they include and protect them accordingly. Some children may be more susceptible to harm than other participants because they may: • • • • • • •

lack the mutual support and protection of a peer group require higher degrees of physical care and support have limited communications skills find it difficult to resist inappropriate interventions have several carers making it difficult to identify an abuser have a history of limited or no choice have a degree of dependency on a carer conflicting with the need to report harm or raise concerns.

It is also important to be aware of the additional vulnerability some children experience as a result of a wide spectrum of issues such as autism, attention deficit disorder and a variety of other disorders.

In addition to the above points, Child Protection Practice Champions will be identified who are experienced in child protection and can provide training in their respective territories. A ‘Train the Trainers Toolkit’ will be provided to offer guidance and practical tools to promote the safeguarding of children. There is guidance on how to deal with some specialist safeguarding issues related to children with disabilities (see Appendix).

Protecting children requires that all of the standards are fully realised across the whole of The Salvation Army. This standard should not be considered in isolation and must be read in the context of the following: 9

Standard 1: Creating and maintaining safe environments Standard 3: Responding to child protection concerns Standard 4: Care and support for victims Standard 6: Communicating The Salvation Army’s child protection message Standard 7: How we know we are protecting children: quality assurance and outcomes

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STANDARD 3: RESPONDING TO CHILD PROTECTION CONCERNS The Salvation Army works with many children in different contexts and from a range of backgrounds.

Children can be harmed and hurt in many ways. People known to children may abuse them - in their family, institutional or community setting. It is much rarer that a stranger abuses a child. They may be abused by an adult or adults, or by another child or children. Child abuse affects girls and boys, babies and young people of all ages up to 18, including children with learning difficulties, children with physical disabilities and children from all kinds of family background. It occurs in all cultures, religions and classes. An adult, male or female, who is well known to the child, perpetrates most abuse. Such trusted adults may be in the child’s community, they may be trusted professionals, leaders or members of a child’s Salvation Army corps (church). Abuse can be an act of commission, such as physical abuse, or omission, such as neglect or failure to protect.

Children also suffer both directly and indirectly if they live in households where there is domestic violence, which can include any incident of threatening behaviour, violence or abuse between adults or young people who are, or who have been, intimate partners, family members or extended family members, regardless of gender and sexuality. If there is domestic violence, it is accepted that there will always be at least emotional abuse of any children in the household, and there may be direct abuse of them. Recent developments in the use of computers, the Internet, mobile phones and digital cameras present new challenges in identifying abuse and acting on child abuse.

Child abuse can also be perpetrated by children against other children. This is referred to as ‘peer abuse’. These child perpetrators will have greater power than their victims, perhaps due to age, gender, physique or ability. There is no clear dividing line between this form of abuse and bullying.

The consequences and the pain of child abuse are almost always long-lasting and likely to affect the children when they become adults. The damage may be apparent in many aspects of their lives, including their relationships and the care of their own children. When abuse occurs within the context of the corps or by a Christian, it may affect the person’s faith and spiritual development.

These are the main categories of abuse, as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO, 1999) 1. Physical abuse Physical abuse of a child is the actual, or potential physical harm from an interaction, or lack of interaction, which is reasonably within the control of a parent or person in a position of responsibility, power, or trust. There may be single or repeated incidents.

2. Sexual abuse Is the involvement of a child in sexual activity that she/he does not fully comprehend, is unable to give consent to, or for which the child is not developmentally prepared and cannot give consent, or that violates the laws or social taboos of society. It includes the inducement or coercion of a child to engage in sexual activity.

3. Emotional abuse Includes the failure to provide a developmentally appropriate, supportive environment, including the availability of a primary attachment figure so that the child can reach their full potential in the context of the society in which they live. There may also be acts towards the child that cause a high probability of causing harm to the child’s physical, mental, spiritual, moral or social development.

Some level of emotional abuse is involved in all types of maltreatment of a child, though it may occur on its own as well.

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4. Neglect Neglect is the inattention or omission on the part of the caregiver to provide for the development of the child in; health, education, emotional development, nutrition, shelter and safe living, in the context of resources reasonably available to the family/caregivers and which causes harm to the child’s physical, mental, spiritual, moral or social development.

Neglect may occur during pregnancy as a result of the mother’s drug or alcohol abuse, mental ill health or learning difficulties. Where there is domestic abuse and violence towards a carer, the needs of the child may be neglected.

Once a child is born, neglect may involve a parent failing to: • • • •

Provide adequate food, clothing and shelter (including exclusion from home or abandonment) Protect a child from physical and emotional harm or danger Ensure adequate supervision (including the use of inadequate caregivers) Ensure access to appropriate medical care or treatment.

It may also include neglect of a child’s basic emotional, social and educational needs.

5. Sexual exploitation Is the abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust for sexual purposes; this includes profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the exploitation of another. Child prostitution and trafficking of children for sexual abuse and exploitation are examples.

6. Commercial or other exploitation of a child Refers to the use of the child in work or other activities for the benefit of others. This includes, but is not limited to, child labour. These activities are to the detriment of the child’s physical or mental health, education, moral or social-emotional development.

7. Spiritual abuse Occurs when a spiritual leader or someone in a position of spiritual authority misuses their authority with the intention of controlling, coercing, manipulating or dominating a child.

There are additional areas of concern in relation to child abuse: Disabled children Disability/additional needs in children can make them more vulnerable to child abuse. Disabled children are more at risk of abuse, because people say their injuries may have another cause, and that disabled children may not be able to communicate their abuse.

Witchcraft/ritualistic abuse Practices which are based on a belief of evil spirits in a child and are harmful to the child.

Child-on-child abuse This is a situation when a child under the age of 18 abuses another child under 18. This needs to be taken seriously and children who are being hurt by other children need to be believed. Specialist practice guidance on this area will be developed.

Past, historic, non-current abuse 12

Such terminology refers to abuse disclosed by an adult which happened to them in the past, either as a younger child or as younger adult; and abuse disclosed by a child which happened to them in the past as a younger child.

Grooming This is the deliberate action or actions undertaken with the aim of influencing staff/child/volunteers, or in some circumstances members of the child’s family, for the purpose of sexual activity with a child.

Typically, grooming involves accessing the victim, initiating and maintaining the abuse and concealing the abuse. It is the ‘predatory’ conduct to prepare a child for sexual activity, a pattern of conduct to prepare a child for sexual activity and communication with the child or someone who cares for the child with the intention of facilitating sexual conduct with the child.

Online abuse This is defined as any type of abuse that happens on the Web, whether through social networks, playing online games or using mobile phones. Children may experience cyberbullying, grooming, sexual abuse, exploitation and emotional abuse.

PROCESS IN RESPONDING TO CHILD PROTECTION CONCERNS

There are four steps in the process of responding to child protection concerns: 1) 2) 3) 4)

Identifying child abuse Reporting child abuse Supporting and protecting those involved in the child abuse allegation Documentation.

Step 1: Identifying child abuse Sadly, some children will have been abused in their homes, some may have been abused in Salvation Army programmes. Others have been hurt by people not connected with their family or The Salvation Army, and some will be frightened of being abused. There may also be concerns when adults have suspicions about something or someone, from seeing or hearing something. All of these are child protection concerns.

When a child tells an adult something about abuse that has happened, or that they are frightened that abuse may happen, this is referred to as a ‘disclosure’. Children may also tell other children, and then it is passed on. Adults may be suspicious because they see an injury, that a child looks as if they are ‘neglected’, that a child’s behaviour changes or they are withdrawn.

When information about abuse to a child is reported to The Salvation Army, action needs to be taken straight away. It does not matter if this is reported to a corps officer or to the General – the information must be acted on. This may be if there is a ‘suspicion’ of abuse – which is that you think abuse has happened because there are emotional, physical, behavioural or physical symptoms that indicate a child may have been abused. Alternatively, that there is an allegation of abuse – when there is a direct statement by someone that abuse has taken place.

This is the first stage, and is about making sure that we feel confident in identifying child protection concerns. If you are unsure if child abuse is happening, you should always err on the side of caution – that is, if you have suspicions about child abuse, refer them on.

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Situations where you may identify concerns about child abuse include (this is not exhaustive): • • • • •

A child may disclose something that has harmed or upset them Someone else may report something a child has told them, or they believe a child is being harmed A child may show signs of being physically hurt, or the child’s behaviour may show that they are being hurt The behaviour of a worker, officer or volunteer towards a child may cause concern A resource/activity may not be safe.

This is not a complete list, but these are things you must act on: • • • • • • • • • • • • •

A child directly tells you something about being abused, or that they are frightened they may be abused A child, or another adult, tells you that a child has told them about suffering abuse, or that they may be abused A child has bruises, or other physical marks, in usual places that do not look as if they are from play, for example burns, fractures, injuries to the stomach/abdomen, head injuries, strap marks, marks that look like finger marks, and any other unusual marks A child looks undernourished, thin, perhaps eats a lot when food is put before them A child is not wearing enough clothes, is cold, not living in a warm place A child is not being looked after, is on their own when young, and/or for long periods of time, looks after themselves and/or other children more than should be expected A child has medical and health needs that are not being attended to, health appointments are missed, or the child is not taken to the doctor/hospital when they should be A child is used to beg for money, is exploited, is made to do things for other people that will bring adults financial gain A child becomes withdrawn and/or is frightened around certain people or in certain situations A child talks about/demonstrates sexual things/acts A child hides something on their phone/computer/electrical device, or is very secretive about what they are doing/who they are in contact with on their phone A child is constantly tearful and upset when there is no clear explanation You see or hear something that is not right, including direct abuse.

This is called identifying child abuse.

Sometimes a child may talk with you about the abuse, and this is called a ‘disclosure’. If a child talks with you/communicates with you about abuse, here are some helpful things to remember: • • • • • • •

Take the information seriously. The child has been brave enough to tell you information about abuse, and it is important that the child knows that they have done the right thing in telling you.

Listen, but do not press for information. Do not question the child about the truth of what they are saying.

Try to find out who abused the child and where this person may or may not be now Stay calm and try not to express shock or embarrassment Do not promise to keep a secret. Tell the child what you plan to do with the information they have given to you.

If a child starts to tell you and then stops, respect this. You may still need to do something about the information you do know.

As soon as you can, take a careful note of what the child has told you.

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Step 2: Reporting child abuse It is not the responsibility of The Salvation Army to decide how child abuse needs to be investigated.

The immediate action when child abuse has been identified is that it needs to be shared internally, if appropriate, with the person who has responsibility at a senior level for child protection within the corps or territory. This then needs to be reported to the local authorities – police and social services.

If it is felt that the child is in immediate danger, contact the police or the agency which can take immediate action to protect the child.

Write down what you have seen and heard as quickly as possible. Pass this on to the police/local social services and include as much information as you know. This may be the child’s full name, address, date of birth, family and anything else you know. Provide any more information, as requested by the police and social services. If they need to know information about officers or/and staff in The Salvation Army in relation to a child protection case, tell them everything. The safety and protection of the child, and possibly other children, is paramount.

The other way that The Salvation Army may become involved in a case of child abuse is when an agency such as the police informs The Salvation Army that someone may be a perpetrator/witness to abuse, or there is concern that they have been involved in child abuse. In this case, all information available to The Salvation Army should be passed to the police and the appropriate authorities.

Inform the person in your territory who has a responsibility for child protection about any cases of abuse in The Salvation Army so that they are fully aware of cases and the individuals involved. Your corps/territory will have a procedure for ensuring that there is a management process for reporting abuse, and who needs to be aware (see Standard 5 – Care and support for others) There may be a situation in a territory where the victim/survivor does not want their name to go to the police, and/or passing the name to the police may present a risk. If this is the case, consider passing on the case details whilst keeping the name of the victim/survivor anonymous.

Finally, in all these situations and others, please talk with the IHQ Child Protection Team who can offer assistance and guidance in what can be difficult and complicated situations.

Step 3: Supporting and protecting those involved in the child abuse allegation The child/children: Ensure that support is offered to a child/victim (see Standard 4) and that they are safe, and feel safe.

The perpetrator/alleged perpetrator needs to be removed from the setting in which they work/serve and should not work in another similar/related environment. This may be felt to be a difficult process, but it protects both The Salvation Army and the individual. This should last for at least the duration of the investigation (see Standard 5).

Anyone else involved: There may be other people affected by finding out about abuse, knowing the victim and alleged perpetrator, or who may have been affected in another way. These people need the opportunity to ‘debrief’ in order to help them to talk through what has happened. There may be a need for some people to have some more formal counselling. Ensure that people are aware that they may not know the outcome of any child abuse reports, as this will be confidential (see Standard 5).

No internal investigation should take place by The Salvation Army until there has been a completion of the investigation by the police/local authority – if they are involved – and the appropriate action

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has been taken. It would be important to establish with the police, or whoever is investigating, what information can be shared with who and when.

Legal counsel may need to be involved if there are requests made to The Salvation Army for information concerning personnel, but the general principle is that The Salvation Army must cooperate and work with the police and local authority. See Standard 3.

Step 4: Documentation All discussions, decisions and actions made in relation to a child protection concern must be recorded and kept in a confidential system. Record everything as quickly as possible and it may be that your territory can use a model form (see Appendix) on child protection incident reporting. This ensures that consistent information is recorded and is a helpful checklist of things to be recorded. Also ensure that you know what the expectations are on retention of documents relating to child protection.

Safeguarding children requires that all of the standards are fully realised across the whole of The Salvation Army. This standard should not be considered in isolation and must be read in the context of the following: Standard 2: Training to keep our children safe Standard 7: How we know we are protecting children: quality assurance and outcomes

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STANDARD 4: CARE AND SUPPORT FOR VICTIMS A disclosure (information relating to abuse) may come from a child or an adult who informs The Salvation Army about abuse they have suffered. In the case of adult survivors, the abuse may have been perpetrated by someone in The Salvation Army, or by someone else. The following information outlines how we can care and support child and adult victims should they disclose current or historical allegations of abuse: If a child tells you about abuse Telling someone information about being abused, or that you are scared of abuse, or that someone has found out, can be very difficult for anyone, and although there may be some relief, there will be uncertainty about how people will see it and what will happen. Sadly, there are many cases where children have not been taken seriously when they have reported something (and we have examples in The Salvation Army) and children have not been believed. Some children suffer further abuse for telling others about their abuse, so it is so important that it is taken seriously and acted on, and that we aware of how we can support the child/family in situations when they have disclosed.

To reiterate, these are some of the things to remember when listening to a child who has been abused, or is fearful of being abused: • • • • • • • • • •

•

Listen to and support the child during and after the disclosure. More information may come to light from the child, so it is important to make yourself available to them perhaps at a later date.

Make it clear that what has happened to the child is not their fault Do everything possible to reassure the child and that they did the right thing in telling you If you can, explain to the child what action you are taking, what has happened, and what The Salvation Army will be doing/has done and why Do not make promises that you cannot keep, nor promise the child confidentiality If the child tells you some information and does not want to tell you everything, respect this. The child needs to tell you at their pace. Report what you know.

Ensure that the child is safe and continues to be safe, and that you are aware of how they will be protected, particularly after information about abuse has come out Ensure that the medical needs of the child are being met and that there is emotional support, which should be consulted on with the police/local social services If the child has a disability (there will be separate practice guidance on this important issue) or mental health difficulties, ensure that they have access to communication aids/specialist support to help them Ensure the child has access to a support person during the process. If the child is living with parents it may be – depending on the nature of the abuse – that the parents also need support. Or it may be that one person from the corps/territory is available to the child and helps the child with any interviews/meetings If it is the case, offer support to the child’s family and parents, including pastoral support. This may be specialist pastoral support and counselling.

If an adult tells you about abuse that has happened in the past This information needs to be treated in exactly the same way as a recent abuse disclosure, so it should be listened to and acted upon in the same way as a child who tells you about abuse. This is called historic or non-current abuse and should be taken seriously as action may need to be taken to protect others. Follow the same guidelines outlined above; to disclose information about abuse as an adult is an emotionally difficult thing to do, taking bravery and courage. Adults have many reasons for disclosing past abuse as adults, and they may say they informed someone about it at the time, possibly as a child. If possible, it would be important to confirm that this is so. There have been cases where 17

there was information about abuse in the past but it was not acted on, or the action was not adequate to the standards of today.

It is important to review the action and ensure that any perpetrators identified have been referred to the police and authorities and that there is no further risk to children. All information needs to be reviewed by the standards in child protection of the current time, and it may be that further action needs to be taken.

It is important to respect the adult who has come forward. Many will need one or more meetings with an appropriate person to talk about the disclosure of abuse. In The Salvation Army, even if the victim does not want us to take action, we need to be clear that we are duty-bound to do so. This is in order to ensure that others are protected. It may be that the adult who has made the disclosure does not want to give a statement to the police, or have their name passed on to the police. However, The Salvation Army will, at some point, need to report the details of the case to the police, including any names of victims and alleged perpetrators. In most territories, this cannot be done anonymously. If the police approach the victim/survivor and that person is not willing to be involved with the police and/or make a statement, that is their choice, but they may change their position in the future.

For both adults and children who disclose abuse, the elements required for them to begin any recovery from the abuse are: • • • • • • •

The opportunity to give their account The opportunity for someone to hear their account To receive a compassionate response An effort is made to protect the vulnerable – adults and children – from further harm The community holding the alleged perpetrator to account An act of restitution, as far as that is possible Unambiguous vindication.

Pastoral/emotional support should be top priority and must be separated from management and legal/insurance processes. Any support offered must be with the full knowledge and approval of the police when there is a criminal investigation. Emotional support must not be from anyone who is involved in the case or who may give evidence to the police. Other members of the family may be affected by the information and should also be offered support.

Emotional Support Try to identify an appropriate person to act as a support person to the victim – be it a child or an adult, ensuring that this person has an awareness of the needs of victims of child abuse, including children.

Providing pastoral support may not be the responsibility of one person. People who have been abused want to be heard and to have their real pain acknowledged. For adults, this may be something that they have lived with for many years, and it is possibly the first time that they have informed someone of the abuse. Children/adult survivors should have a compassionate response from The Salvation Army, whoever is responsible for their abuse. They want to see that other children are being protected and that they may be coming forward to make sure that more children are not being abused.

Those who have made an allegation of child abuse should receive a compassionate response from corps/social programme/social institution personnel and be offered access to appropriate care, advice and support. A person who has suffered abuse will have significant strengths, as well as potential complex needs. Disclosing abuse takes enormous courage and calls for a high level of trust. Child abuse, by its very nature, can damage trust; it is therefore imperative that when a child/adult survivor is ready to give their account, the listener responds with great sensitivity and compassion. There will be a complex mix of feelings and emotions where abuse has been at the hands of someone the complainant has trusted, and even more so if the respondent holds or has held a position of spiritual 18

or moral responsibility. This may then include the challenging process of re-establishing relations with a faith community and with God. Adult survivors may wish to claim financial compensation for the harm they have suffered. All adult survivors should be listened to and be advised of their right to seek legal advice if they wish to pursue a civil case against their alleged abuser and/or the corps/authority.

Offering to fund counselling or any other form of support/therapy should not be seen as an admission of liability. At the conclusion of a case, unless the allegation is found to be malicious or unfounded, consideration should be given to offering the survivor an apology and support to their long-term needs for recovery. There may also be circumstances when the allegations are not founded in a court of law, but when there is evidence that the allegation may be true, that an apology is offered.

Protecting children requires that all of the standards are fully realised across the whole of The Salvation Army. This standard should not be considered in isolation and must be read in the context of the following: Standard 2: Training to keep our children safe Standard 3: Responding to child protection Concerns Standard 7: How we know we are protecting children: quality assurance and outcomes

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STANDARD 5: CARE AND SUPPORT FOR OTHERS As highlighted in the two standards above, the most important issue is that immediate safety and protection arrangements are in place ensuring the victims, alleged perpetrators and their families are in safe arrangements to minimise the risk of further abuse. This responsibility should be shared with the local agencies. Outlined below are specific steps to take when abuse allegations have been made to ensure a proper response and adequate care and support are given to others in a timely manner. a. People accused of abuse who are associated with The Salvation Army An allegation of abuse against a Salvation Army officer, staff member or volunteer is always distressing and will affect the alleged perpetrator, their family and their place of work and worship. Any contact with an alleged perpetrator concerning an allegation of abuse needs to be done in liaison with the authorities and it is important not to put the case at risk, nor the survivor. Careful consideration needs to be made before an alleged perpetrator is made aware of an allegation of abuse. Remember that The Salvation Army is not responsible for the investigation of the case until there has been completion of the case by the authorities, which may take time.

Following an allegation against a staff member and/or officer, either of current or non-current abuse, it is good practice to set up a small internal group of people to manage a serious child protection case.

The definitions of a ‘serious child protection case’ are when a Salvation Army officer/staff member has: • • •

Behaved in a way that has harmed a child, either currently or in the past Possibly committed a criminal offence that relates to a child, either currently or in the past Behaved towards a child or presented himself/herself in a way that indicates they may pose a risk to children and adults.

This is to ensure that there is management of the information and a clear plan. The people on this small group – a ‘core group’ – would be the person with overall management responsibility for the case, the person supporting the survivor, someone who is aware of the issues in any investigation, a person who has contact with the alleged perpetrator and anyone who may have information pertinent to protecting the survivor and the safety plan.

The role of the core group is to ensure: • • • • • •

Adherence to the policy of The Salvation Army Collaboration between key people and co-ordination of support to those involved A clear plan of action, ensuring safety and reporting to the authorities A good response to both victims/survivors and others involved An assessment of risk in relation to the alleged perpetrator A process of learning from the situation.

The tasks of the core group are to: • • • • •

Accurately share information with the members in the group Communicate regularly with external agencies and provide feedback to those agencies Ensure there is support to victims, alleged perpetrators, staff and others affected by the case and that this is reviewed regularly Manage communications internally within The Salvation Army, and externally Review the progress of the case and learn lessons at the same time, and at the conclusion of the case.

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A complete record should be kept of the core group meetings, including decisions made and action points agreed.

b. Support to the alleged perpetrator/their families An allegation of abuse made against a Salvation Army officer or staff member causes distress to the officer/staff member, their families, their corps and the workplace. It is always important to ensure that any offers of support are co-ordinated with the police/other agencies. Any support offered must explain the process, but also make arrangements for alleged perpetrators to worship in a corps where there will be no contact with the survivors/victims. This may involve them visiting another corps for the period of time that the case is being investigated, with transparency about the reason for this with those who are in a management role. Appropriate safety processes need to be put in place for this period of time.

When allegations of abuse are made, many people are affected. If the allegation concerns an individual/s who is an officer of The Salvation Army, there is a duty of care to that person, and their family, pending the outcome of any investigation. These arrangements may need to change as the process moves on, but may involve the removal of the alleged perpetrator from the environment and probably suspension. Any arrangements would need to emphasise that there should be no contact between the survivor and the alleged perpetrator. Anyone offering support to the alleged perpetrator must not have any contact with the survivor, and must be a different person to the supporter for the survivor. The alleged perpetrator and their families should be given a choice about the type of support they require, and from which agency.

At no point should there be any meeting, facilitated or not, between the survivor and the alleged perpetrator. This option is not appropriate in any circumstance, nor at any time during or after the investigation.

If there are immediate concerns about the safety of alleged perpetrators in relation to suicide/selfharm, ensure that there is an assessment and linking to appropriate services. It is not possible for The Salvation Army to provide the expert resources for this issue, so local resources and support services should be engaged.

c. A Salvation Army officer/staff member who discloses that they are at risk of harming children If a Salvation Army officer/staff member discloses that she/he is at risk of harming a child, she/he should be referred to a specialist agency for support in preventing the abuse taking place.

Consideration should be given to whether, taking into account the information shared in addition to any past/current history, a referral to the local authority services should be made and, if so, the officer/staff member should be encouraged to do this herself/himself, and supported in doing so.

A risk assessment of harm should be completed, and measures taken. It would be advisable that the officer/staff member be suspended from their role to ensure that children are protected. Support should be offered to them as above in order to ensure that they have pastoral care.

d. A Salvation Army officer/staff member who was made aware of abuse/has a concerning attitude to abuse There are occasions, either in relation to current or non-current abuse, when staff/officers who are aware of the abuse have not acted to protect children. Staff/officers may be aware of the abuse 21

because they have observed something of concern, have been told about abuse, or have suspicions about an abusive situation. It is important that The Salvation Army is transparent and open in its awareness of people who may have ‘covered up’; survivors want to be respected and their pain and trauma from the abuse is hurting them. They will want to see their abusers brought to justice, but if they are also aware that there are officers/staff who may have been able to do something about the abuse at the time, they will want to see that there has been a response from the agency they worked for (if they are still employed), and possibly the authorities.

There must always be recognition that as policies and practice change, there is a growing awareness of how child abuse should be responded to. If there are officers/staff members who did not protect children when there is evidence that they were aware of abuse, this needs to be reviewed alongside the position of power and status of the abuser to the person who is aware.

If there is a concern that there was an active cover-up – that is, that an officer/staff member was aware of abuse, was in a position to action it/report it, and did not – this is concerning and action needs to be taken to address the cover-up. There should be a review of the officer/staff member’s position. It is difficult to be prescriptive, but it would be the case that, minimally, a risk assessment and retraining would need to take place. If the issue is more serious, the officer/staff member may go through a disciplinary procedure, and may be suspended/dismissed.

If officers/staff display a concerning response to allegations of abuse, they may be deemed professionally dangerous. The scenario may arise that a child/adult approaches them about abuse, and they do not act on this due to their attitude of perhaps not taking abuse seriously. Until an assessment of their level of professional danger/risk/threat is made, they should also be asked to stand down from their role.

In all of the above cases, it is essential that the investigation is able to run its course unhindered by any other issues.

FOLLOWING THE OUTCOME OF THE INVESTIGATION BY THE AUTHORITIES, THE FOLLOWING MAY HAPPEN: The alleged perpetrator is found guilty after a court process In these situations, The Salvation Army has a duty of care to the perpetrator if they are from The Salvation Army and to their family, and should continue to offer safeguards and support, in full liaison with the authorities. The appropriate Salvation Army processes in relation to discipline would need to be followed.

The alleged perpetrator is found not guilty/police do not pursue charges, but there are child protection concerns It may be that there remain concerns in relation to an officer/staff member following allegations of abuse. The allegations may have gone to the police but are not taken forward, even though there is information of concern. Or it may be that the case has gone through a court, and the alleged perpetrator has been acquitted, but there is still concern about the individual. The final scenario is that someone has covered up a case and this information has come out in a court process; this person needs to be seen as a risk within the organisation.

In all of these situations, if there are not grounds for the person to be suspended/dismissed, there needs to be a risk assessment of the individual – preferably independent – which will indicate areas of concern and a plan to manage the individual in their organisation/corps/community.

See Appendix for an outline of the principles in a model risk assessment.

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The alleged perpetrator is found not guilty/police do not pursue charges, and there are no child protection concerns There are occasions when allegations are made and, after an investigation by both the police/authorities and The Salvation Army, there are no concerns in relation to an officer/staff member. These are very difficult situations for everyone, but are rare. When this situation arises, everyone in the process can feel upset and distressed, and it is important to look at support that can be made available to those affected. It is also essential to move things forward for the person who made the allegations, the person against whom the allegation was made, any other staff/officers and the corps (if it has been made aware of the situation). There may be a need to look at a ‘healing’ response which brings together different people. Each situation is different, and advice and support can be sought from the International Child Protection team at IHQ.

e.

Staff/Officers who work with cases of child abuse

The support needs of people working on the case may be varied, and it is important to ensure that these are met. Staff/officers may need a period away from their workplace and professional counselling. In all cases, a process of debriefing and an opportunity to talk through what has happened and the emotional affect the case has had on them is essential.

f.

The Salvation Army corps/place of work of the alleged perpetrator

The prime responsibility for The Salvation Army corps/place of work for the alleged perpetrator lies with the corps leader and the manager of the work environment in which the officer/staff member worships/works. However, if the information concerning an alleged perpetrator has been made public, it is important that care is taken about the information shared, as reaction to a disclosure may vary. Some may fear there are other victims, some may be angry that the abuse has been allowed to occur, and some may feel that the victim is to blame. There may be further victimisation of victims and survivors, the possibility that the culture of the corps/workplace becomes difficult, and some may choose to leave the corps and deliberately fracture the unit.

Careful thought needs to be given about the response to people in a corps/workplace, and there is some helpful information about how to ‘heal’ places of work from external agencies which are specialists in this area.

Safeguarding children requires that all of the standards are fully realised across the whole of The Salvation Army. This standard should not be considered in isolation and must also be read in the context of the following: Standard 1: Creating and maintaining safe environments Standard 2: Training to keep our children safe Standard 3: Responding to child protection concerns Standard 7: How we know we are protecting children: quality assurance and outcomes

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STANDARD 6: COMMUNICATING THE SALVATION ARMY’S CHILD PROTECTION MESSAGE Systems and processes must be put in place to ensure that everyone The Salvation Army knows how to keep children safe, are asked their opinion on keeping children safe and have those opinions listened to. Policies and procedures put in place by The Salvation Army to keep its children safe are only effective if people are aware of them, can contribute to their development and have the opportunity to express their views on how they are working. However, there is also a need for our communities and those that we work with to be aware of our commitment to protecting children, and the processes that are in place for everyone to be able to raise concerns.

Information about The Salvation Army’s commitment to keeping children safe should be openly displayed and available to everyone. Children must be made aware of their right to be safe from abuse and information for children and parents/carers must be made available about where to go for help in relation to child abuse. All information provided must be in a format and language that can be easily understood by everyone, including children.

Every employee and/or volunteer should know who has responsibility for child protection and how to contact them. The contact details must be made readily available for local child protection services, such as safe houses, advocacy services, national authorities, emergency medical help and local telephone helplines. Steps need to be taken to find out the views of children on policies and procedures and how they are working.

It is suggested that there are posters and literature available in appropriate languages, and catering for a range of intellectual abilities to ensure that everyone knows that The Salvation Army is committed to protecting children. Opportunities for the local community, including children and young people, to have input into the policy and practice should be profiled and highlighted. It is also suggested that a small group within the corps, social programme or territory is brought together to focus on child protection issues. This group should have children as part of the membership, as well as people from the community, including possibly survivors and victims of non-current child abuse.

Protecting children requires that all of the standards are fully realised across the whole of The Salvation Army. This standard should not be considered in isolation and must be read in the context of the following: Standard 1: Creating and maintaining safe environments Standard 2: Training to keep our children safe Standard 7: How we know we are protecting children: quality assurance and outcomes

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STANDARD 7: HOW WE KNOW WE ARE PROTECTING CHILDREN: QUALITY ASSURANCE AND OUTCOMES The Salvation Army has a plan of action to review the work it is doing and working alongside territories to help to improve standards and deliver child protection training. This plan will monitor the effectiveness of the steps being taken to keep children safe. This is to ensure that policies and training are used to protect and care for children, and there is a need to review this regularly.

The Salvation Army wants to work with territories to monitor and evaluate each standard to ensure its children are safe and make improvements where necessary. These are the ways which will help The Salvation Army improve the work it is doing to keep children safe.

1) Self-assessment • A review of the work being done on child protection from within the territory • Feedback from children and young people and key partners.

This process may help identify areas of help and improvement needed which can be planned into any future work.

2) Case/allegation monitoring and auditing • Reviews of allegations to ensure correct procedures have been followed and support offered • Reviews of allegations to ensure sensitive case information is documented appropriately and confidentially.

3) Policies and procedure reviews and updates • There is a Child Protection/Safeguarding Policy in place in the territory • Staff (paid and volunteer) have reviewed the Child Protection Policy and Framework/Guidance as part of their induction process • Arrangements are in place to monitor compliance with child protection policies and procedures.

4) Thematic audits - for example of Children’s Homes.

5) Feedback from children, parents/carers • Feedback from children on how safe they feel and what they would do if they had a complaint is sought and reviewed • Feedback from parents on how safe they feel and what they would do if they had a complaint sought and reviewed • Processes are in place to ask children and parents/carers about their views on policies and practices for keeping children safe.

6) Feedback from internal/external professionals (including any complaints of whistle-blowing referrals) • All incidents, allegations of abuse and complaints are recorded and monitored • A summary of the number of incidents of abuse and number of complaints is maintained in each territory and submitted to IHQ quarterly for oversight and quality assurance 25

•

Feedback from staff regarding induction/supervision/training is sought and reviewed.

Protecting children requires that all of the standards are fully realised across the whole of The Salvation Army. This final Standard should not be considered in isolation but must be read in conjunction with all of the preceding six Standards, as this is how we measure the outcomes of our framework and ensure that we are protecting our children.

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APPENDIX Elements of Standard 1 Recruiting and selecting staff and volunteers 1. Do you have a written recruitment and induction policy?

2. Have you included a written policy on the recruitment of ex-offenders?

3. Do you have clear person specifications and role descriptions for all posts?

4. Do you advertise all posts?

5. Do you provide an information pack for people interested in each post?

6. Do you use a standard application form?

7. Do you ask your applicants to complete a separate self-declaration form?

8. Is there a process for shortlisting candidates for interview, involving more than one person?

9. Do you have face-to-face interviews with a panel of more than one person?

10. Have you adopted a transparent scoring system for shortlisting and interviews?

Checks and references 11. Do you ask applicants to provide two references before appointment?

12. Do you ask them to provide proof of identity and original copies of qualifications?

13. Do you seek enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks (and barred list checks for regulated activity) on anyone eligible?

Inducting staff and volunteers 14. Have you developed an induction process for all new staff and volunteers?

15. Do you provide safeguarding training for all staff and volunteers during their induction?

16. Do you have a trial period for staff and volunteers, with a review before they are confirmed in post?

Ongoing support and management of staff and volunteers 17. Do your staff and volunteers get regular supervision, support and annual appraisal?

Elements of Standard 2 1. Induction processes and expectation of organisation for induction training etc 2. Outline of training for all those involved in the territories – basic training for all officers, staff, volunteers, managers, leaders 3. Training for those in programmes, safeguarding officers and working in centres with children – level 2 specialist training 4. Training in specialist areas – child sexual abuse, grooming, emotional abuse, dealing with allegations, working with perpetrators etc 5. Record of training 6. Plan for delivering and re-delivery.

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Elements of Standard 3 Flowchart of child abuse identification, reporting, recording and action Written statements and procedures for dealing with abuse and allegations 1. Have you developed a written safeguarding/child protection policy and/or one for safeguarding adults, as appropriate?

2. Is your safeguarding policy signed by the most senior person in your organisation?

3. Do you have a written procedure for situations where a child is in need of early help services, and/or preventative measures in place to support young adults who may be at risk of abuse?

4. Do you have a written procedure for situations where a child/young adult may be at risk of abuse or neglect?

5. Do you have a written procedure for situations where allegations of abuse are made against an adult in your organisation?

6. Do you have a written procedure for situations where allegations of abuse are made against a young person in your organisation?

7. Do your procedures set out the processes for sharing information with other professionals?

8. Do your procedures cover referrals to the regulating checking authority and local authority designated officer/team, as appropriate?

Designated officers and safeguarding leads 9. Is there a Designated Safeguarding Officer (DSO) in your organisation for children and/or adults, as appropriate?

10. Can your DSO be easily contacted and are there arrangements for cover if the normal DSO is not available?

11. Is there someone at the top level in your organisation who takes responsibility for safeguarding?

Additional procedures and codes of behaviour 12. Do you have a written behaviour code for everyone in your organisation?

13. Do you have a whistle-blowing procedure?

Informing, listening to and supporting the workforce and users of your service or project 14. Can staff, volunteers, families, children and young adults easily access information about how you keep children/young adults safe?

15. Do you have a system for taking children’s and/or young adults’ views into account?

16. Do you audit your safeguarding arrangements?

17. Do you provide ongoing support and training so that your workforce is competent in safeguarding?

18. Do you make sure that everyone feels comfortable about raising concerns?

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What to record and how to do it

19. Do you keep a record of each contact that you have with a child or young person/young adult and their family/carer?

20. Do your records clearly distinguish between fact and opinion?

21. Do you keep personal information, other than the individual’s name, separate from information about other people?

22. Are your records signed and dated by the person who makes them?

23. Do the children, young people, young adults and families/carers in your organisation know that you keep records and the reasons why?

24. Do you have a policy for granting children, young people/young adults and families access to their records? Storing your records securely and conveniently.

25. Do you store hard copies of personal records and portable electronic equipment securely?

26. Do you protect your records by security measures like user names, passwords and encryption?

27. Do you make sure that information needed in an emergency is readily available? Recording concerns and passing them on.

28. Do you record any concerns that a child or young person/young adult may be in need or at risk of abuse?

29. Are records of concerns and your response to them placed on the child’s or young adult’s file?

30. Do you confirm in writing any referrals to a statutory agency within 48 hours?

31. Do you have a clear policy on time limits for retaining records?

32. Do you destroy personal records securely? Support and training for your workforce on record keeping 33. Is your workforce aware of your expectations on the recording and storage of information?

34. Do you support your workforce to meet these expectations?

Elements of Standard 4 1. Working with victims/survivors – how to record and support this work 2. Outline of specialist organisations which can assist/give advice/provide counselling/mental health resources 3. Principles and guidelines in working with survivors/victims 4. Recording processes for working with survivors/victims, and transparency of the information.

Elements of Standard 5 1. Principles and guidance in working directly with perpetrators, including interface with statutory organisations 2. Good principles and guidance 29

3.

4.

5.

6.

Resources on mental health issues/outline of how to register risks and concerns Core group model and the principles and aims Model risk assessment of alleged perpetrators/those who have perpetrated child abuse Record of risk assessment processes.

Elements of Standard 6 1. Model posters for adults, corps children/young people 2. Model processes for updating and informing the local community 3. Flowchart of working with children and young people to help in working with the community and wider area.

Elements of Standard 7 1. Process for self-assessment, including outline self-evaluation questionnaire and action plan to address any areas of development and consolidate areas of strength 2. Outline of key areas of review process across the six standards, including qualitative and quantitative factors 3. Examples of how to work with good practice issues 4. Plan to address areas of development and support available from IHQ.

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