THE ZUBIN FOUNDATION
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THE ZUBIN FOUNDATION CHILD SAFEGUARDING POLICY
(Reviewed by Jain Brown on 31st October 2023)
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COMMITMENT TO CHILDREN SAFEGUARDING
The Zubin Foundation serves the marginalised ethnic minority communities in Hong Kong and children are one of our core service audiences. We are fully committed to safeguarding the welfare of children and young people. It is our responsibility to take all reasonable steps and measures to promote safe practice and to safeguard children from harm, abuse and exploitation.
All employees and volunteers who come into contact with children and their families will:
• Be vigilant about any potential indicators of abuse or neglect
• Know their roles and responsibilities within their team
• Know how to communicate and record concerns
• Know how to act upon concerns in line with the principles and procedures for child safeguarding management
We will make our best endeavor (subject to applicable laws) to allow children in contact with The Zubin Foundation, regardless of their race, gender, ethnicity or social origin, place of birth, language, religious or other beliefs, disability, sexual orientation or other status to:
• Be free from all forms of harm, abuse and/or exploitation
• Be treated with respect and afforded full civil and legal rights
• Be listened to and taken seriously, whatever their level of development or communication
• Be given time to do things for themselves, to understand and be understood
• Be involved in decisions that affect them
• Have their privacy respected
• Have a right to confidentiality – information about them will be treated carefully, be kept safe and only shared with those people who need to know
The wellbeing of a child is very important to The Zubin Foundation.
DEFINITIONS
• CHILD SAFEGUARDING refers to all actions and efforts to prevent and respond to abuse against children.
• A CHILD is any person under 18 years of age.
• STAFF applies to all those working in an individual capacity with The Zubin Foundation, irrespective of the type of contract used. This covers paid and unpaid employees and volunteers engaged on a one off, short- or long-term basis. It also covers consultants and comensura contracted temporary personnel.
• Partners, Suppliers & Contractors relates to all those we have a contract or agreement with to provide goods or services or collaboration. There may be financial or some other benefit, but this is not essential. It includes implementing partners who carry out work on our behalf and also other stakeholders with whom The Zubin Foundation may establish a working relationship, such as Ministries and Donors / Funders.
What is a Child Safeguarding Policy?
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A Child Safeguarding Policy is an organisation’s commitment to protect children from abuse, exploitation and organisational negligence – i.e. how it safeguards children. This Child Safeguarding Policy sets out the broad framework and expectations relating to safeguarding children.
The Zubin Foundation has a zero-tolerance risk approach to child safeguarding. In practice this means that all necessary efforts must be made to comply with the Policy, irrespective of cost implications or operational inconvenience.
Our Policy considers two axis of intervention:
• PREVENTATIVE – to reduce the likelihood of a child being harmed or abused.
• RESPONSIVE – taking actions to make sure that where concerns are raised or situations of suspected harm or abuse are identified, appropriate action is taken to ensure the child is assisted and to prevent similar situations occurring again.
Principles underpinning the Child Safeguarding Policy
Child Safeguarding is the responsibility that organisations have to make sure their staff, operations, and programmes do no harm to children, that is that they do not expose children to the risk of harm and abuse, and that any concerns the organisation has about children’s safety within the communities in which they work, are reported to the appropriate authorities
A number of key principles underpin the provisions of the Child Safeguarding Policy;
• Best interests of the child are paramount and shall be the primary consideration in our decision making.
• Respect for children’s rights, including the right to protection and the right to participate in safety
• Equality of opportunity to ensure that all children have the opportunity to enjoy our activities safely regardless of their gender, ability, race, ethnicity, circumstances or age. Vulnerable children require particular attention in order to optimise their safety and protection and promote their access to opportunities.
• Consultation with children and their families regarding the implementation of the Policy and procedures developed to support its implementation
• Cultural sensitivity and recognition of local context in decision making and in informing our procedures
• Accountability and being responsible in order to meet our obligations regarding our duty of care towards children, and taking action where we have reasonable grounds to suspect that a child is at risk or is actually harmed.
• Providing training and support to those working with The Zubin Foundation so that they are able to recognise, prevent and respond to child protection risks and incidents, and when applicable, to report to authorities as mandated under the Ordinance.
• Working in an honest and transparent way by informing those we work with, including children, about our Child Safeguarding Policy, and how we work to safeguard children.
• Ensuring confidentiality to protect sensitive personal data. Information will only be shared and handled on a need-to-know basis and in accordance with out legal
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obligations - access to information must be necessary solely for the conduct of official duties.
• Working with others to protect children both across The Zubin Foundation and with other organisations. This includes law enforcement and specialist child welfare agencies where necessary.
• Monitoring the implementation of the Child Safeguarding Policy on a regular basis. The Child Safeguarding Policy will be reviewed on an annual basis for the first two years then on a bi-annual basis.
Who is the audience for the Child Safeguarding Policy?
The Child Safeguarding Policy is both an internal and external document. The Policy is mandatory for all staff of The Zubin Foundation, and also covers grant and funding partners, community partners and advisors, donors, contractors and suppliers, all of whom are expected to agree to work under the Policy as a condition of their involvement with The Zubin Foundation. Where we are not the lead partner then it is expected that we will encourage and advocate for other partners to either follow The Zubin Foundation Child Safeguarding Policy, or develop their own.
The Policy is also relevant for those with whom we engage – for example children and parents, communities and other stakeholders such as government departments and ministries, civil society and non-governmental organisations. This is to clearly articulate our organisational commitment to protecting children from harm.
What are our responsibilities?
Everyone shares responsibility for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and for supporting the implementation of the Policy generally, irrespective of individual roles. In addition some post holders, such as managers and those with additional responsibilities, have specific responsibilities for child protection, as articulated in this Policy. Irrespective of their role or function, all those working for or on behalf of The Zubin Foundation, in any capacity, have a responsibility to:
• Report all allegations or concerns about actual situations of abuse or any reasonable grounds to suspect abuse, involving a child or children known to The Zubin Foundation.
• Report all allegations or concerns about actual or suspected situations of abuse involving a child or children even if the child is not known to The Zubin Foundation (for example a sibling of a child attending an event / participating with The Zubin Foundation)
• Report all allegations or concerns about actual or reasonable grounds to suspect staff misconduct or criminal activity involving the abuse of a child or children.
Putting the Policy into Practice
Child Safeguarding Procedures articulate how an organisation puts its Policy into action. Details of our Child Safeguarding Procedures (for example incident management, dealing with disclosures, safe recruitment etc.) can be found on The Zubin Foundation Internal Team Site (Team Site / Staff Policies / Child Safeguarding Policy) or by contacting the Child Safeguarding Representative Ms Ravani Lalvani;
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email: childsafeguarding@zubinfoundation.org
Relationship with other policies and procedures
There are numerous policies and procedures that have already been developed by The Zubin Foundation and which are relevant to our work in safeguarding children – for example the Code of Conduct, Health & Safety, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, and this Policy is intended to compliment and reinforce the child protection aims of these standards and procedures.
Considerable work has been done to harmonise the various policies that exist, however if any discrepancy is discovered or there is confusion regarding how to apply a particular policy, guidance should be sought from the Child Safeguarding Representative, who will be able to support in making the best decision for children.
UNDERSTANDING CHILD SAFEGUARDING ISSUES
It is important to have a shared understanding of child safeguarding and what it means so that there is consistency and agreement regarding the application and implementation of our Child Safeguarding Policy.
What are we safeguarding children from?
In the context of this Policy, ‘child safeguarding’ does not mean preventing accidents (covered by our Health and Safety Policy) or making sure that a child’s rights (as defined in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child) are fully implemented. Instead we are referring specifically to the protection of children from abuse. The Zubin Foundation uses the definition of abuse commonly used by the World Health Organization:
CHILD ABUSE can be in different forms. The four main categories of abuse include but is not limited to:
• PHYSICAL ABUSE: Actual or potential physical harm perpetrated by another person, adult or child. It may involve hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, drowning, burning and scalding, suffocating or otherwise causing physical harm to a child. Physical harm may also be caused when a parent or carer fabricates the symptoms of, or deliberately induces illness in a child.
• EMOTIONAL ABUSE: Persistent emotional maltreatment or denigration of a child in a severe or repeated way such that the child’s psychological health is endangered or impaired. Emotionally abusive acts include restriction of movement, intimidating, degrading, humiliating, bullying (including cyber bullying), and threatening, terrifying, discriminating, denigrating, ridiculing or conveying to a child that they are worthless and unloved, inadequate or valued only so far as they meet the needs of another person or other non-physical forms of hostile or rejecting treatment.
• SEXUAL ABUSE AND EXPLOITATION: Forcing or enticing a child to take part in any act of a sexual nature. This may include, but is not limited to, rape, oral sex, penetration, or nonpenetrative acts such as masturbation, kissing, rubbing and touching. It may also include involving children in looking at, or producing sexual images, watching sexual activities and encouraging children to behave in sexually inappropriate ways. It can also include a form of sexual abuse that involves children being engaged in any sexual activity in exchange for
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money, gifts, food, accommodation, affection, status, or anything else that they or their family needs.
• NEGLECT AND NEGLIGENT TREATMENT: Allowing for context, resources and circumstances, neglect and negligent treatment refers to a persistent failure to meet a child’s basic physical and/or psychological needs, where the parent has the means to do so which is likely to result in serious impairment of a child’s healthy physical, spiritual, moral and mental development. It includes the failure to properly supervise and protect children from harm and provide for nutrition, shelter and safe living/working conditions. It may also involve maternal neglect during pregnancy as a result of drug or alcohol misuse and the neglect and ill treatment of a disabled child.
It is important to highlight that bullying can also be a form of abuse depending on its severity. Although we commonly think of adults as those who abuse, children can also be perpetrators of abuse. Abuse can be a single, one–off event or ongoing, including the accumulation of a number of seemingly less serious incidents. It can take place in all settings including in the family, school, community, institutions or online (for example digital and augmented technologies such as smart phones). Abuse online can take many forms including sexual harassment and child abuse images.
When considering specific cases, all decisions regarding what constitutes abuse must be made in consultation with the Child Safeguarding Representative.
Cultural sensitivity
The Zubin Foundation aims to work in ways which are culturally sensitive and respect the diverse nature of the people and locations in which we work. We recognise that there are many different ways of taking care of and protecting children, and we will seek to safeguard children in ways which are culturally sensitive and appropriate to the context However we believe that every child matters everywhere in the world and that culture must never be used as a reason or excuse to abuse children.
PREVENTATIVE ACTIONS
The key to child safeguarding is abuse prevention. It is widely recognised that organisational awareness and good practice can promote positive actions, reduce opportunities for offending and enable earlier detection and response to child safety concerns. The poor design, development and delivery of programmes and projects can negatively impact children, who may not be abused but may still be harmed as a result of our activities.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Primary responsibility for implementing this policy lies with:
• Designated Board Members for Child Safeguarding – will be the contact point from the board in dealing with child safeguarding concerns if escalated to board level;
• The Chief Executive Officer - will be responsible for overseeing and facilitating effective implementation of the policy throughout the organisation from board level to staff and volunteers;
• The Child Safeguarding Representative - will be the first point of contact for handling child safeguarding concerns and training of the policy
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PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION
Child safeguarding risk assessments should be conducted for all projects involving children or having a direct impact on children by the responsible project managers (tool available on The Zubin Foundation Internal Team Site - (Team Site / Staff Policies / Child Safeguarding Policy)). All projects should be evaluated to ensure it meets the standards for safeguarding children and steps put in place to mitigate any identified risks.
For all one-off events essential information such as parental and children consent forms, medical information and emergency contact details must also be collated and accessible throughout the event in case of an incident. Feedback mechanism such as mid-term or end of project survey should be included to obtain feedback from our service users regarding the projects, safety concerns and other room for improvement.
Contracts and Partnership Agreements
All contracts and partnership agreements, irrespective of the nature or type of agreement, must contain specific reference to, and agreement to working within, The Zubin Foundation Child Safeguarding Policy. Where organisations have their own child protection policies, these may be applied instead of The Zubin Foundation Child Safeguarding Policy, but agreement must be sought from the Operations Director / Child Safeguarding Representative before any such arrangement is made.
Design and Delivery of Products and Services
Child safeguarding must be considered from the outset, during proposal development and planning stages. Special consideration to safeguarding must be given when working with children in difficult and challenging locations or where children may be especially vulnerable (for example due to young age or disability) in order to ensure that all risks are adequately considered and addressed.
CONFIDENTIALITY OF CHILDREN WE SERVE
Confidential Information is information which is not already lawfully in the public domain or readily available from another public domain concerning The Zubin Foundation, Children we serve (including their personal data), or any third-party confidential information. This includes the personal details of children we serve, (name, age, district, etc.), their stories and backgrounds. We encourage employees and volunteers to raise awareness of the issues ethnic minority children face in Hong Kong. However, in the best interests of the children that we serve, the disclosure of any Confidential Information relating to children we serve is only permitted with:
• Informed Client Consent; or
• Internally, on a Need-to-Know Basis*
* A Need-To-Know Basis means information is only shared with the people who need to know that information in order to carry out their specific role. This includes persons directly involved with a child’s service delivery (For example, Counsellors, Research Partners, Managers/Supervisors, Advisors) and persons involved in the provision of service support, for
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which such information is required (For example, Database IT support, and Advocacy support). Only the information that is relevant and required for that person’s involvement should be shared.
MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS
All staff should comply with the following standard on marketing, communications and fundraising:
• Fulfil the requirement of confidentiality as outlined in the previous section
• When featuring a particular child in external communications in the form of text, image or video:
o The use of images and videos of children, and details about their lives must never include information that would allow a child to be identified, particularly by ensuring that a child’s full name, specific location, and image are never combined
o Written consent must be obtained from the parent of the child
o The child and the parent should be informed of:
• The intended audience
• Any possibility for the information to be accessed and used by other audiences (internet sharing, journalist reporting)
• How the information may be used in future
o The parent should be provided with opportunity to review and approve the information before it is published or communicated.
o The child and parent have the right to refuse requests to share their information and to withdraw their consent at any time.
• Positive language is to be used when depicting the children that we serve
• For volunteer or partner organization videographers and photographers who use their own equipment, the relevant Project Manager should request them to delete all copies of the media once they have submitted the finished product to The Zubin Foundation, ensuring information cannot be accessed by outside parties. The Project Manager should also obtain confirmation of this deletion.
• Image disclosure consent forms, or clear image disclosure ‘opt out’ mechanisms, are required before sharing images of people participating in our events
• For children/parents who refused to give us their consent, they/their children should not be in any way recognisable from the image
This guidance applies to all individuals who are to have access to images or are users of photographic equipment. This includes children, parents and carers, staff, visitors, contractors and community users.
Safer recruitment to select staff suitable to work with children ‘Safe’ recruitment and pre-employment checks that are undertaken as part of the recruitment process are the organisation’s first chance to deter potential offenders. The Zubin Foundation will take all reasonable measures to prevent unsuitable individuals from working with children. This includes not only where employees / volunteers directly work with children but also where they can have access to children. Further guidance and procedures to be followed when recruiting staff can be found in The Zubin Foundation Internal Team Site.
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Training and access to useful references for Child Safeguarding
In order to ensure the effective implementation of the Child Safeguarding Policy into action, following appointment, all staff, partners and contractors will be given orientation and training on our Child Safeguarding Policy, appropriate to their role. A training session will be offered to all existing staff and regular volunteers when the policy is launched. Subsequent training will be offered once a year after the review of the policy. New joining staff and regular volunteers who have not attended The Zubin Foundation Child Safeguarding Training before will be required to attend. Other staff and volunteers who would like to join are also welcome.
New joining staff who are responsible for children-specific projects will be required to attend a special training on Children Safeguarding and the Child Safeguarding Representative will be responsible for arranging this as soon as practical.
All staff will have access to the Child Safeguarding Policy and contact details of the Child Safeguarding Representative.
All partners, suppliers and contractors should be made aware of the existence of our Child Safeguarding Policy, and provided with copies on request. All customers including children and parents who participate in projects and programmes should be made aware of our Child Safeguarding Policy and its main provisions and contact in the case of a concern / allegation or a complaint (childsafeguarding@zubinfoundation.org ).
Advice and support
All staff will have access to advice and support regarding child safeguarding and the implementation of the Child Safeguarding Policy, via the Child Safeguarding Representative.
REPORTING
Staff are expected to challenge unacceptable behaviour and must internally report all Child Safeguarding Concerns using the Child Safeguarding Reporting Procedures as soon as practicable. Concerns of an act or omission that may cause serious harm to a child include reasonable grounds to suspect that a child is being, is at risk of being, and/or has been seriously harmed. It is immaterial whether the staff or volunteer has formed a suspicion
Reasonable grounds to suspect a child may be harmed may arise from:
• A seen or witnessed event
• Disclosure by the victim
• Disclosure by a third party
• an observation, interaction, or information received.
Early reporting is essential as it helps us take any necessary action to keep the children safe from abuse and will be in accordance with the duty to report under the Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse Bill (“Ordinance”). All staff members and volunteers shall internally report to the Child Safeguarding Representative (Ms Ravina Lalvani) or email childsafeguarding@zubinfoundation.org. If the reporting person is a specified professional, as defined in the Ordinance, they must also report directly to the Director of Social Welfare or the Commissioner of Police in the form specified under s14 of the Ordinance. Failing to do so is a criminal offence.
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Information shared and the identity of the reporting person (who is not a specified professional under the Ordinance) will only be disclosed on a Need-to-Know-Basis. No negative actions will be taken against the reporting person who reported in good faith but later turns out that reported circumstance / behaviour does not breach any of the policy. If the reporting person is a specified professional, it is an offence under s(11(1)) of the Ordinance to disclose the identity of a specified professional as the person who made a report, or disclose information from which such identity could be deduced, unless the exceptions in subsection (2) apply. The specified professional will not incur any civil or criminal liability only be making a report, if they honestly believed that they were mandated by the Ordinance to make such a report.
Review of Child Safeguarding Policy
This Policy will be reviewed on a regular basis, not less than every three years. Responsibility for the review of the Child Safeguarding Policy lies with the Child Safeguarding Representative and the Operations Director.
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CODE OF CONDUCT
PREVENTION
DO
• Read, understand, and comply with The Zubin Foundation Child Safeguarding Policy
• Be alert to risks of danger or harm to children and inform your supervisor if you notice any suspicious activity around The Zubin Foundation
• Ensure activities that involve direct contact with children, except for individual counselling, are planned to take place in groups or with parents and carers in attendance. Individual counselling must have a parent’s prior consent in writing.
• Ensure all information related to children we serve is collected, stored and handled confidentially (e.g. in a key locked cabinet/room or with password restricted IT access). If you help photograph or video children, delete all photographs/videos in your equipment after submitting the final products to The Zubin Foundation
• Ensure that children and their parents and carers are made aware of the nature of work with their children, our children safeguarding policy and who they should contact if they have children safeguarding concerns.
DO NOT
• Disclose personal details of children we serve
• Share your personal contact details with children without approval of the relevant Project Manager
• Photograph or video children unless approved by the relevant Project Manager
• Ignore any allegations made by a child
INTERACTING WITH CHILDREN
DO
• Learn to recognise and respond to signs of Child Abuse
• Treat all children with respect and ensure that the principles of equality, diversity and inclusion are applied to the children who are involved in our work
• Take time to listen. Allow children to tell you what is on their minds when they are worried or scared. Children often communicate difficulties in non-direct ways, including through role-play, art, questions, and behaviours
• Make sure the way you touch is always safe, any reason for touching a child should be for age and ability appropriate protection from danger and demonstrating empathy and support
• Be sensitive to any verbal or non-verbal communication that may indicate a child does not want to be touched
DO NOT
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• Curse/swear around children, use insults, unkindly tease them, or speak and behave in ways that may frighten or shame them
• Use physical punishment, humiliation, fear or threat in discipline and behaviour management
• Touch a child’s private parts or areas (penis/vagina/buttocks/breasts)
• Kiss children
• Develop physical/sexual relationships or engage in sexual conduct with anyone under 18, or any client accessing The Zubin Foundation services
• Take a child or young person to your home or any other non-public space
REPORT DO
• Inform the Child Safeguarding Representative any child safeguarding concerns as soon as practical even if it is an early suspicion only. Complete the Reporting Form for Child Safeguarding Concerns within 24 hours after you contacted the Child Safeguarding Representative
• Familiarise yourself with The Zubin Foundation Reporting Procedure
• Cooperate honestly and fully with any child abuse investigations
• Inform your supervisor if you have a conflict of interest, including:
o You are related to any of the individuals we serve or know them in any other capacity
o You become the subject of criminal proceedings of any kind while you are working with us
DO NOT
• Allow any Child Safeguarding concerns to go unreported or delay in reporting
• Investigate an allegation of abuse on your own
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CHILD SAFEGUARDING POLICY DECLARATION FOR STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS
I have read and understood The Zubin Foundation’s Child Safeguarding Policy.
I agree to abide by The Zubin Foundation’s Child Safeguarding Policy and will:
• Protect the children that are in contact with The Zubin Foundation, regardless of their race, gender, ethnicity or social origin, place of birth, language, religious or other beliefs, disability, sexual orientation or other status, to be free from all forms of violence, abuse and exploitation
• Ensure they are treated with respect
• Safeguard their welfare
I understand that the purpose of The Zubin Foundation’s Child Safeguarding Policy is to protect the interests of children and that non-compliance with this policy may be considered a serious breach of employment/involvement, and could result in termination for cause and may also result in a report to the relevant authorities.
I also declare that I have disclosed to The Zubin Foundation any issue which could give rise to any child safeguarding concern – real or perceived – regarding my suitability for continued involvement with The Zubin Foundation.
I confirm that I have no criminal prosecutions pending nor have I been previously convicted of any offence involving in appropriate conduct with children.
Signature Date
Full Name
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CHILD SAFEGUARDING POLICY DECLARATION FOR EXTERNAL PARTIES*
I have read and understood The Zubin Foundation’s Child Safeguarding Statement and Code of Conduct.
I agree to abide by The Zubin Foundation’s Child Safeguarding Statement and Code of Conduct and will:
• Protect the children that are in contact with The Zubin Foundation, regardless of their race, gender, ethnicity or social origin, place of birth, language, religious or other beliefs, disability, sexual orientation or other status, to be free from all forms of violence, abuse and exploitation
• Ensure they are treated with respect
• Safeguard their welfare
I also declare that I have disclosed to The Zubin Foundation any issue which could give rise to any child safeguarding concern – real or perceived – regarding my suitability for continued involvement with the Zubin Foundation.
I confirm that I have no criminal prosecutions pending nor have I been previously convicted of any offence involving in appropriate conduct with children.
Signature Date
Full Name
*Corporate Group Volunteers, Grant and Funding Partners, Community Partners and Advisors who will directly work with children or will have access to their information
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Child Safeguarding Policy Procedure Details
APPLICATION
All standards set out in the Child Safeguarding Statement, Code of Conduct and Policy Details are applicable to the following groups (unless otherwise stated):
• The Zubin Foundation employees and consultants
• Volunteers, including full-time/part-time volunteers, Board and Committee members, student interns
All persons within these groups are required to read and sign The Zubin Foundation Child Safeguarding Statement and Child Safeguarding Code of Conduct prior to commencing duties on behalf of The Zubin Foundation.
The purpose of this policy is to protect the interests of children and, secondly, that of The Zubin Foundation. Non-compliance with this policy may be considered a serious breach of employment/involvement, and this could result in termination for cause and may also result in a report to the relevant authorities.
Corporate group volunteers, grant and funding partners, community partners and advisors will be provided with The Zubin Foundation Child Safeguarding Statement and required to sign our Child Safeguarding Code of Conduct only if they engage in direct work with children or young people or if they have access to their personal information. This responsibility lies with the relevant project manager(s). The signed documents should be stored on file by the Office Manager.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Primary responsibility for implementing this policy lies with:
• Designated Board Members for Child Safeguarding – will be the contact point from the board in dealing with child safeguarding concerns if escalated to board level;
• The Chief Executive Officer - will be responsible for overseeing and facilitating effective implementation of the policy throughout the organisation from board level to staff and volunteers;
• The Child Safeguarding Representative - will be the first point of contact for handling child safeguarding concerns and training of the policy
SAFE
RECRUITMENT
Safer recruitment to select staff suitable to work with children ‘Safe’ recruitment and pre-employment checks that are undertaken as part of the recruitment process are the organisation’s first chance to deter potential offenders. The Zubin Foundation will take all reasonable measures to prevent unsuitable individuals from working with children. This includes not only where employees / volunteers directly work with children but also where they can have access to children.
1. Sexual Conviction Record Checks (SCRCs)
All prospective employees that are expected to work directly with children when hired are required to undergo a Hong Kong Police Force SCRC prior to commencing duties with The Zubin
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Foundation. The Office Manager is responsible for the coordination and recording of this procedure.
2. Job Advertisement and Role Description
The following statement appears on position advertisements in The Zubin Foundation website and social media (e.g. Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn)
“Candidates will be expected to comply with The Zubin Foundation Child Safeguarding Policy.”
3. Interview
The interviewer(s) should reinforce that the organisation has a comprehensive child safeguarding policy and procedures in place. The interviewer(s) should ask at least one child safeguarding question as deemed to be most relevant to the role to assess the candidate’s attitude and awareness of child safeguarding.
4. Condition of Employment
Successful candidates will be expected to comply with the following as a condition of employment:
• Signing a personal declaration stating any criminal charges or convictions, excluding spent convictions (See Appendix 5). This declaration must be returned to The Zubin Foundation.
• Providing the name and contact information of two references they have known for no less than two years
• Both acceptance of and commitment to our Child Safeguarding Policy and Code of Conduct for working with children
• Satisfactory clearance through the SCRCs where applicable and a detailed social media check to be conducted by the Project Manager responsible.
TRAINING AND ACCESS TO USEFUL REFERENCES FOR CHILD SAFEGUARDING
A training session will be offered to all existing staff and regular volunteers when the policy is launched. Subsequent training will be offered once a year after the review of the policy. New joining staff and regular volunteers who have not attended The Zubin Foundation Child Safeguarding Training before would be required to attend. Other staff and volunteers who would like to join are also welcome.
New joining staff who are responsible for children-specific projects will be required to attend a special training on Children Safeguarding and the Child Safeguarding Representative will be responsible for arranging this as soon as practical
Information on indicators to child harm, abuse and exploitation are listed within the appendices –Appendix 1.
CONFIDENTIALITY OF CHILDREN WE SERVE
Confidential Information is information which is not already lawfully in the public domain or readily available from another public domain concerning The Zubin Foundation, Children we serve (including their personal data), or any third-party confidential information. This includes the personal details of children we serve, (name, age, district, etc.), their stories and backgrounds.
We encourage employees and volunteers to raise awareness of the issues ethnic minority children face in Hong Kong. However, in the best interests of the children that we serve, the disclosure of any Confidential Information relating to children we serve is only permitted with:
• Informed Client Consent; or
• Internally, on a Need-to-Know Basis*
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* A Need-To-Know Basis means information is only shared with the people who need to know that information in order to carry out their specific role. This includes persons directly involved with a child’s service delivery (For example, Counsellors, Research Partners, Managers/Supervisors, Advisors) and persons involved in the provision of service support, for which such information is required (For example, Database IT support, and Advocacy support). Only the information that is relevant and required for that person’s involvement should be shared.
MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS
All staff should comply with the following standard on marketing, communications and fundraising:
• Fulfil the requirement of confidentiality as outlined in the previous section
• When featuring a particular child in external communications in the form of text, image or video:
o The use of images and videos of children, and details about their lives must never include information that would allow a child to be identified, particularly by ensuring that a child’s full name, specific location, and image are never combined
o Written consent must be obtained from the parent of the child
o The child and the parent should be informed of:
• The intended audience
• Any possibility for the information to be accessed and used by other audiences (internet sharing, journalist reporting)
• How the information may be used in future
o The parent should be provided with opportunity to review and approve the information before it is published or communicated.
o The child and parent have the right to refuse requests to share their information and to withdraw their consent at any time.
• Positive language is to be used when depicting the children that we serve
• For volunteer or partner organization videographers and photographers who use their own equipment, the relevant Project Manager should request them to delete all copies of the media once they have submitted the finished product to The Zubin Foundation, ensuring information cannot be accessed by outside parties. The Project Manager should also obtain confirmation of this deletion.
• Image disclosure consent forms, or clear image disclosure ‘opt out’ mechanisms, are required before sharing images of people participating in our events
• For children/parents who refused to give us their consent, they/their children should not be in any way recognisable from the image
This guidance applies to all individuals who are to have access to images or are users of photographic equipment. This includes children, parents and carers, staff, visitors, contractors and community users.
REPORTING
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Staff are expected to challenge unacceptable behaviour and must internally report all Child Safeguarding Concerns using the Child Safeguarding Reporting Procedures as soon as practicable. Concerns of an act or omission that may cause serious harm to a child include reasonable grounds to suspect that a child is being, is at risk of being, and/or has been seriously harmed. It is immaterial whether the staff or volunteer has formed a suspicion.
Reasonable grounds to suspect a child may be harmed may arise from:
• A seen or witnessed event
• Disclosure by the victim
• Disclosure by a third party
• an observation, interaction, or information received.
Early reporting is essential as it helps us take any necessary action to keep the children safe from abuse and will be in accordance with the law. All staff members and volunteers shall internally report to the Child Safeguarding Representative (Ms Ravina Lalvani) or emailchildsafeguarding@zubinfoundation.org.
If the reporting person is a specified professional, as defined in the Ordinance, they must also report directly to the Director of Social Welfare or the Commissioner of Police in the form specified under s14 of the Ordinance. Failing to do so is a criminal offence.
Information shared and the identity of the reporting person (who is not a specified professional under the Ordinance) will only be disclosed on a Need-to-Know-Basis. No negative actions will be taken against the reporting person who reported in good faith.
If the reporting person is a specified professional, it is an offence under s(11(1)) of the Ordinance to disclose the identity of a specified professional as the person who made a report, or disclose information from which such identity could be deduced, unless the exceptions in subsection (2) apply The specified professional will not incur any civil or criminal liability only be making a report, if they honestly believed that they were mandated by the Ordinance to make such a report
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The Child Safeguarding Representative at The Zubin Foundation is: Ms. Ravina Lalvani and the general contact email ischildsafeguarding@zubinfoundation.org
Please contact her when you have a child safeguarding concerns as soon as practical. You are also required to fill in the Child Safeguarding Reporting Form within 24 hours of initiating contact with the Child Safeguarding Representative in order to ensure an investigation can be undertaken. If the Child Safeguarding Representative is suspected of breaching the policy, concerns should be reported to the Chief Executive Officer.
If the reporting person is a specified professional, as defined in the Ordinance, they must also report directly to the Director of Social Welfare or the Commissioner of Police in the form specified under s14 of the Ordinance. Failing to do so is a criminal offence.
If a child safeguarding concerns is raised during counselling and there is no immediate danger, counsellors should follow the Child Safeguarding Counselling Concerns handling procedures (insert link to form) outlined to support the child concerned.
Concerns will be treated in a highly responsive, time sensitive manner; with extreme tact; without prejudgement; and with utmost confidentiality. Information will only be shared on a Need-to-Know basis, and without use of names to the extent possible.
Incidents including actions taken should be documented in a confidential site maintained by the Child Safeguarding Representative. A report will be provided to the Board on an annual basis. Access to the site is restricted to the Child Safeguarding Representative and the Chief Executive Officer only.
The Police or other authorities will be alerted if required by law or otherwise appropriate.
Concerns about The Zubin Foundation Staff
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• The Child Safeguarding Representative should be informed
• The Child Safeguarding Representative should inform the Chief Executive Officer and together they should inform the designated Board Member for Child Safeguarding
• If the concern is about the Chief Executive Officer, the Child Safeguarding Representative should inform the designated Board Member for Child Safeguarding
• The staff member may be suspended pending an investigation
• The Child Safeguarding Representative and the Chief Executive Officer should carry out an internal inquiry
• The Zubin Foundation may take disciplinary action up to and including dismissal (with or without notice). In the event that the individual resigns during the investigation, The Zubin Foundation will carry on its investigation to its conclusion, clearly recording the outcome in the individual’s personnel record.
• The Child Safeguarding Representative should record the case and outcomes and document it in the confidential site and update the Police as appropriate
Concerns about The Zubin Foundation Board Members
• The Child Safeguarding Representative should be informed
• The Child Safeguarding Representative should inform the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Executive Officer should inform the Board member for Child Safeguarding and the Board Chair
• If the concern is about the Board Chair, the Child Safeguarding Representative should inform the designated Board Member for Child Safeguarding
• The Board member concerned may be suspended pending an investigation
• The Chief Executive Officer/The designated Board Member for Child Safeguarding should carry out an internal inquiry
• The Zubin Foundation may take disciplinary action up to and including dismissal (with or without notice). In the event that the individual resigns during the investigation, The Zubin Foundation will carry on its investigation to its conclusion, clearly recording in the Board meeting minutes.
• The Child Safeguarding Representative should record the case and outcomes and document it in the confidential site and update the Police as appropriate
The Zubin Foundation commits to responding to Child Safeguarding reports seriously and sensitively. The position of any reporting person will not be compromised where concerns have been highlighted in good faith, even if they turn out to be incorrect.
Where Child Safeguarding Concerns arise, the role of The Zubin Foundation as an NGO is to:
• Assess the nature of identified risks to the child/ren in question
• Manage immediate risks
• Document and share relevant information to investigating bodies where it is deemed in the best interests of the child/ren
• Contribute to statutory investigations
• Offer and provide welfare planning support through The Zubin Foundation service provision and/or community agency referral
• Advocate action in the best interest of the child (both immediate and case follow up)
• Document action and intervention effectively
REVIEW
The Child Safeguarding Policy will be reviewed on an annual basis. In the first two years after the policy is launched (i.e. September 2022 and 2023), an email will be sent out to all employees and volunteers
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once a year to solicit any feedback on what we can do better in child safeguarding. The feedback and any child safeguarding concerns arises during the year will be considered during the review. Subsequent to the first two years, the policy will be reviewed on a bi-annual basis.
REVIEW REPORT
Date
Reviewed By
Remarks (Key Changes Made)
REFERENCES
• Mother’s Choice Child Protection Policy
• Save the Children Hong Kong - Child Safeguarding Policy Design Training Materials
• Keep Children Safe: https://www.keepingchildrensafe.global/
• Protecting Children from Maltreatment – Procedural Guide for Multi-disciplinary Cooperation by Social Welfare Department, HKSAR Government: https://www.swd.gov.hk/storage/asset/section/1447/en/Procedural_Guide_Core_Procedure s_(Revised_2020)_Eng_12May2020.pdf
• Child Sexual Exploitation: Definition and Practitioner Briefing Paper, Scottish Government: https://www.gov.scot/publications/child-sexual-exploitation-definition-practitioner-briefingpaper/
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CHILD SAFEGUARDING POLICY INDICATORS FOR HARM, ABUSE, EXPLOITATION
I. Physical Abuse
Physical Abuse is a physical injury or physical suffering to a child where there is a definite knowledge or reasonable suspicion that the injury has been inflicted non-accidentally. Observable Indicators:
• Bruises (commonly on the head, ears, neck, abdomen and buttocks or in clusters)
• Wounds that indicate acts of self-defence (forearm, hands, feet, back of legs)
• Laceration to the frenulum (the piece of tissue that connects the upper lip and upper gum) may indicate force-feeding
• Bruises/red marks in shapes of objects
• Signs of head injury in babies which (seizures, vomiting and bruising)
• Swollen eyes and bruised scalp that indicates hair pulling
• Multiple burns or scalds or those that indicate use of an implement (cigarette, iron) or glove/stocking burns that indicate immersion (dunking)
• Bite marks
• Injuries that are inconsistent with explanation
• Effects of poisoning
II. Sexual Abuse and Exploitation
Sexual Abuse is when a child is forced or persuaded to take part in sexual activity which is unlawful or to which they are unable to give informed consent. Sexual Exploitation is a form of sexual abuse in which a person(s) of any age takes advantage of a power imbalance to force or engage a child into engaging in sexual activity in return for something received by the child or perpetrator. It may be committed by individuals whether inside the home or outside. It may be committed by parents, carers, or other adults singly or acting in an organised way, or children. It may be committed by individuals either known or strangers to the child.
• Contact Abuse involves touching activities where the abuser makes physical sexual contact with the child. Examples include rape, sexual kissing, forcing or persuading a child to touch ones genitals, touching a child’s genitals, any sexual contact with a child’s body, using a child to produce pornography
• Non-contact Abuse involves non-touching activities that are initiated for the perpetrators gain or sexual pleasure. Examples include encouraging a child to watch or hear sexual acts, not taking measures to prevent a child being exposed to sexual activities by others, meeting a child with the intent of abusing them, making, viewing or distributing child abuse images, showing pornography to a child, sexually exploiting a child for money. Non- contact abuse includes the ‘grooming’ of a child or young person, a process by which someone seeks to build an emotional connection to gain trust, affection or dependence with the intent to engage the child in sexual activity or exploitation (this can happen face to face, online or through any other means)
Observable Indicators
• Avoidance of, or adverse reaction to certain people and/or physical contact (seeming frightened, withdrawn)
• Torn, stained or bloody underwear
• Displaying sexual behaviours, knowledge, or language that is inappropriate for age
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• Physical symptoms that suggest sexual activity/abuse (anal, penile or vaginal injury, soreness, itching or discharge, sexually transmitted infection, pregnancy)
• Excessive masturbation
• Regression, nightmares, or bedwetting
• Bruising around genitals, tops of legs, near the anus and/or mouth
• Wetting and soiling incidents or pain during urination and bowel movements
Additional factors that may indicate exploitation and/or grooming
• Access to money, gifts, accommodation that is not consistent with income/pocket money
• Being picked up/dropped off by new people, especially teenagers
• Drinking/taking drugs
• Dressing/acting differently
• Meeting with older people, especially those met online
• Late home/skipping school
• Unusually secretive
• Mood swings
• Engaging in gang activity or sex work
III. Emotional Abuse
Emotional Abuse is a repeated pattern of behaviour and attitude towards a child, or an extreme incident, that endangers or impairs the child’s emotional or intellectual development (e.g. isolating, bullying, intimidating, and denying emotional responsiveness, conveying feelings of worthlessness, lack of acceptance and love).
Observable Indicators
• Overly trusting or affectionate of strangers and people they haven’t known long
• Lacks confidence or is over cautious/anxious
• Aggressive or hurtful to others
• Obsessive behaviours
• Punishments that seem bizarre/odd punishment or behaviour control methods
• Doesn’t appear to have a secure attachment with parent/guardian
• Lack social skills
• Displaying language inappropriate for age
• Struggle to control emotions
• Fearful of loud voices/shouting
• Exposure to parental domestic violence (including non-physical abuse)
IV.
Neglect and Negligent Treatment
Neglect and Negligent Treatment is a severe, or repeated pattern of lack of attention to a child’s basic needs that endangers or impairs the child’s health or development. This may be failing to do something, or not doing something that is needed, to safeguard a child from harm. Neglect can be:
• Physical: failure to provide necessary food, clothing or shelter, failure to prevent physical injury or suffering, lack of appropriate supervision or left unattended)
• Medical: failure to provide necessary medical or mental health treatment)
• Educational: failure to provide education or ignoring educational needs arising from a child's disability)
• Emotional: ignoring a child’s emotional needs, failure to provide psychological care)
Observable Indicators
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• Poor hygiene (clothes, hair, body, teeth)
• Untreated or severe nappy rash
• Underweight/malnourished or overweight, begs or steals food
• Repeated medical/dental issues, those that are untreated and/or missed appointments/vaccines
• Scabies, ringworm, fleas, head lice, rash, skin disorders (especially those left untreated)
• Anaemia
• Abandonment
• Confinement in one environment (does not leave home)
• Tiredness
• Reluctance to return home
• Delayed developmental milestones (Physical, cognitive, and social)
• Plays alone, doesn’t look for affection or praise
• Low school attendance/deprivation of schooling
• Injuries occurring from inadequate supervision
• Unsanitary or unsafe living conditions
• Lengthy lack of supervision or left in the care of an inappropriate person (a young person or someone known to be unsafe)
• Taking on role of adult/carer
• Dental decay/pain
• Responds to questions in monosyllables
• Exposure to dangerous substances (illicit drugs/alcohol, toxic substances, waste)
V. Physical Abuse
Physical Abuse is a physical injury or physical suffering to a child where there is a definite knowledge or reasonable suspicion that the injury has been inflicted non-accidentally. Observable Indicators:
• Bruises (commonly on the head, ears, neck, abdomen and buttocks or in clusters)
• Wounds that indicate acts of self-defence (forearm, hands, feet, back of legs)
• Laceration to the frenulum (the piece of tissue that connects the upper lip and upper gum) may indicate force-feeding
• Bruises/red marks in shapes of objects
• Signs of head injury in babies which (seizures, vomiting and bruising)
• Swollen eyes and bruised scalp that indicates hair pulling
• Multiple burns or scalds or those that indicate use of an implement (cigarette, iron) or glove/stocking burns that indicate immersion (dunking)
• Bite marks
• Injuries that are inconsistent with explanation
• Effects of poisoning
VI. Sexual Abuse and Exploitation
Sexual Abuse is when a child is forced or persuaded to take part in sexual activity which is unlawful or to which they are unable to give informed consent. Sexual Exploitation is a form of sexual abuse in which a person(s) of any age takes advantage of a power imbalance to force or engage a child into engaging in sexual activity in return for something received by the child or perpetrator. It may be committed by individuals whether inside the home or outside. It may be committed by parents, carers, or other adults singly or acting in an organised way, or children. It may be committed by individuals either known or strangers to the child.
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• Contact Abuse involves touching activities where the abuser makes physical sexual contact with the child. Examples include rape, sexual kissing, forcing or persuading a child to touch ones genitals, touching a child’s genitals, any sexual contact with a child’s body, using a child to produce pornography
• Non-contact Abuse involves non-touching activities that are initiated for the perpetrators gain or sexual pleasure. Examples include encouraging a child to watch or hear sexual acts, not taking measures to prevent a child being exposed to sexual activities by others, meeting a child with the intent of abusing them, making, viewing or distributing child abuse images, showing pornography to a child, sexually exploiting a child for money. Non- contact abuse includes the ‘grooming’ of a child or young person, a process by which someone seeks to build an emotional connection to gain trust, affection or dependence with the intent to engage the child in sexual activity or exploitation (this can happen face to face, online or through any other means)
Observable Indicators
• Avoidance of, or adverse reaction to certain people and/or physical contact (seeming frightened, withdrawn)
• Torn, stained or bloody underwear
• Displaying sexual behaviours, knowledge, or language that is inappropriate for age
• Physical symptoms that suggest sexual activity/abuse (anal, penile or vaginal injury, soreness, itching or discharge, sexually transmitted infection, pregnancy)
• Excessive masturbation
• Regression, nightmares, or bedwetting
• Bruising around genitals, tops of legs, near the anus and/or mouth
• Wetting and soiling incidents or pain during urination and bowel movements
Additional factors that may indicate exploitation and/or grooming
• Access to money, gifts, accommodation that is not consistent with income/pocket money
• Being picked up/dropped off by new people, especially teenagers
• Drinking/taking drugs
• Dressing/acting differently
• Meeting with older people, especially those met online
• Late home/skipping school
• Unusually secretive
• Mood swings
• Engaging in gang activity or sex work
VII. Emotional Abuse
Emotional Abuse is a repeated pattern of behaviour and attitude towards a child, or an extreme incident, that endangers or impairs the child’s emotional or intellectual development (e.g. isolating, bullying, intimidating, and denying emotional responsiveness, conveying feelings of worthlessness, lack of acceptance and love).
Observable Indicators
• Overly trusting or affectionate of strangers and people they haven’t known long
• Lacks confidence or is over cautious/anxious
• Aggressive or hurtful to others
• Obsessive behaviours
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• Punishments that seem bizarre/odd punishment or behaviour control methods
• Doesn’t appear to have a secure attachment with parent/guardian
• Lack social skills
• Displaying language inappropriate for age
• Struggle to control emotions
• Fearful of loud voices/shouting
• Exposure to parental domestic violence (including non-physical abuse)
VIII. Neglect and Negligent Treatment
Neglect and Negligent Treatment is a severe, or repeated pattern of lacking of attention to a child’s basic needs that endangers or impairs the child’s health or development. This may be failing to do something, or not doing something that is needed, to safeguard a child from harm. Neglect can be:
• Physical: failure to provide necessary food, clothing or shelter, failure to prevent physical injury or suffering, lack of appropriate supervision or left unattended)
• Medical: failure to provide necessary medical or mental health treatment)
• Educational: failure to provide education or ignoring educational needs arising from a child's disability)
• Emotional: ignoring a child’s emotional needs, failure to provide psychological care)
Observable Indicators
• Poor hygiene (clothes, hair, body, teeth)
• Untreated or severe nappy rash
• Underweight/malnourished or overweight, begs or steals food
• Repeated medical/dental issues, those that are untreated and/or missed appointments/vaccines
• Scabies, ringworm, fleas, head lice, rash, skin disorders (especially those left untreated)
• Anaemia
• Abandonment
• Confinement in one environment (does not leave home)
• Tiredness
• Reluctance to return home
• Delayed developmental milestones (Physical, cognitive, and social)
• Plays alone, doesn’t look for affection or praise
• Low school attendance/deprivation of schooling
• Injuries occurring from inadequate supervision
• Unsanitary or unsafe living conditions
• Lengthy lack of supervision or left in the care of an inappropriate person (a young person or someone known to be unsafe)
• Taking on role of adult/carer
• Dental decay/pain
• Responds to questions in monosyllables
• Exposure to dangerous substances (illicit drugs/alcohol, toxic substances, waste)
Appendix 1
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CHILD SAFEGUARDING POLICY RISK ASSESSMENT TOOL
As part of the project planning, Project Managers should consider if there will be any potential risks that may cause direct impact on children and decide if any actions need to be taken. You may use the following tool to help you assess.
Risk (Brief Summary of Each Risk)
Likelihood (Low, Medium, High)
Impact (Minor, Moderate, Significant)
RAG Status (Red, Amber or Green)
Action (Steps to be taken if any)
Owner Due Date
Appendix 2
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CHILD SAFEGUARDING CONCERNS REPORTING FORM
If you are concerned that a child has been harmed, is being harmed, or is at risk of being harm, even it is just an early suspicion, PLEASE report to the Child Safeguarding Representative as soon as practical. Early reporting is essential as it helps us take any necessary action to keep the children safe from abuse
I. YOUR DETAILS
Name
Phone No.
Relationship to The Zubin Foundation
Are you reporting your own concerns or responding to concerns raised by someone else
Employee
Volunteer
Other
My own concerns
Concerns raised by someone else
II. NATURE OF CHILD SAFEGUARDING CONCERN
▢ Child Abuse/Neglect Concern (Please specify): ▢ Physical Abuse ▢ Sexual Abuse ▢ Emotional Abuse ▢ Neglect
▢ Self-harm/Suicidal Concern
▢ Employee/Volunteer/Organisational Misconduct Concern
▢ Other:
III. DETAILS OF PERSONS INVOLVED
PERSON A (Children Concerned)
Name
Age
Gender
Relationship to The Zubin Foundation Counselling Client Participant of TZF project
Contact Details
Parent’s Contacts
PERSON B (Person involved)
Name Above 18?
Gender
Relationship to Person A
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Yes No
Relationship to The Zubin Foundation Participant of TZF project __________________ TZF Employee TZF Volunteer
Other __________________________________
Contact Details
IV. INCIDENT/CONCERN DETAILS
Date
Time
Location
Describe in as much detail as possible the events or incidents that occurred which have led you to raising a Child Safeguarding Concern
Include information such as when the incident occurred, what led to the incident, what happened, where it happened, who was involved, what was the impact on the child
Where is the child now? Is the child at risk of immediate danger or harm?
Do the involved person case for, live with, or work with, other children under 18? In what capacity? Provide further details about any other persons involved in the situation.
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Was anyone injured/harmed? Record any physical injuries on body charts if known.
Were there any witnesses?
How did you respond to the situation?
ACTIONS TAKEN where relevant
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Called Emergency Services (999) Call Time: Arrival Time: Additional Details:
Other Action Taken Date: Time: Details:
V. ESCALATING CONCERNS TO CHILD SAFEGUARDING REPRESENTATIVES
Who have you reported the situation to?
Name:
Date and Time:
Name:
Date and Time:
SIGNED BY Signature
BODY CHART
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• Do not examine the child, only mark observations
• This chart is to help indicate the place, size and severity of any physical injuries observed
• Mark any injury you have observed on the body picture, with an arrow to written text indicating the location, size, colour, shape and nature of the injury, as well as the time of observation
• Include any additional information (child’s emotional state/verbal interaction) in Section IV of the form.
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CHILD SAFEGUARDING CONCERNS RAISED IN COUNSELLING HANDLING PROCEDURES
If a child safeguarding concerns is raised during counselling, if there is no immediate danger, counsellors should:
1. Complete the risk assessment chart below
Risk (Brief Summary of Each Risk)
Likelihood (Low, Medium, High) Impact (Minor, Moderate, Significant)
RAG
(Red, Amber or Green)
Action (Steps to be taken if any)
2. Complete Child safeguarding concerns reporting form
3. Notify supervisor and Child Safeguarding Representative
Owner
4. Complete an Incident Statement Form of what was reported by the client
5. Call the parents/guardians and let them know next steps:
a. Explain violence against children can be a criminal offense according to the law in Hong Kong. If the child’s condition is concerning, The Zubin Foundation will call Social Welfare Department.
b. Collect important information for reporting:
i. HKID number
ii. Home address
iii. District
iv. Direct information about what the incident is about
6. Conduct bi-weekly calls with the parents/guardian to monitor the case
7. If no improvement after 10 weeks or if the child’s situation at home is worsened, Counsellors to approach Project Manager of Child Counselling Centre/Lead Counsellor of Ethnic Minority Well-being Centre
8. Project Manager of Child Counselling Centre/Lead Counsellor of Ethnic Minority Wellbeing Centre to discuss with supervisors and Child Safeguarding Representative before reporting to Family and Child Protective Services Unit of Social Welfare Department
Appendix 4
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PERSONAL DECLARATION STATEMENT FOR CRIMINAL CONVICTION
I hereby declare that:
1. I have not been charged for any criminal offences before
2. I have been charged for criminal offence(s) before
3. I have been convicted for any criminal offence(s) before (excluding any spent conviction)
Please provide details if you have ticked points 2 or 3:
Date Charges/Convictions Details
Signature
Full Name in HKID Card
HKID Card No.
Date
