Child Protection Policy

All children and young people in Scotland have the right to be cared for and protected from harm and to grow up in a safe environment in which their rights and needs are respected.

Everyone has a responsibility to protect children to ensure that they are effectively safeguarded from abuse, to promote the welfare of children and to report suspected child abuse to the relevant authorities. This includes your community group.

Adopting a Child Protection policy sends a clear message that your group is committed to ensuring the safety of children. A Child Protection policy should outline your group’s recruitment procedures, as well as setting out the requirement for everyone (members, staff and volunteers) to be aware of their responsibilities and to comply with agreed procedures.

What to include:

• begin with a statement of your group’s belief in a child's right to feel safe and protected

• that you will ensure your staff and volunteers are aware of child protection issues and what they should do if they have any serious concerns about a child's safety

• who your local contact should be for anyone with serious concerns about a child

• an outline of your group’s commitment to ensuring that group members/staff/volunteers have an appropriate level of child protection training (which is regularly reviewed and refreshed)

• make reference to any related policies, for example recruitment and selection policy recruitment of ex-offenders policy data protection policy induction policy staff training and development policy and anti-bullying policy

Agree guidelines for staff, volunteers and committee members to:

• encourage respect and care for others

• observe confidentiality

• keep a register of every child involved with your group (including any relevant medical details and a contact name and number in case of emergencies)

• wherever possible ensuring activities are held with more than one adult present, or within sight and hearing of others

• respect a child's right to personal privacy

• provide time for children to ask questions

• take action to stop any inappropriate physical or verbal behaviour

• adopt a group policy for the collection of children

• refer any suspicions or allegations of abuse – do not try and investigate

• share any concerns you might have with the group's designated monitor for child protection

• complete a vetting checklist

Once your policy is agreed, a member of the committee should sign and date it on behalf of the group. The next review date should also be noted on the policy. Do not put your policy in a drawer and forget about it – it will only be effective if everyone is aware of what is being asked of them and what they have agreed to do.

Hold awareness sessions for your staff or volunteers on how to recognise signs of child abuse. Remember to evaluate and review your policy annually and to update it when required.