Child Protection Overview
Child Protection Overview
Best practice is the only practice
Superintendent Pat Burke
Garda Central Vetting Unit
The most resilient young people
against
g i
bullying
bullyi g or abuse
bu
are generally those
with
i h the
h most fun
f
and
d friendship
f i d hi in
i their
h i life
lif
Ruth Hughes
Support
pp Officer Child Protection & Risk Management
g
Scouting Ireland
Safe from Harm Conference at the World Jamboree
4 members of Scouting Ireland with 300 participants from around the world
g
p
p
Keynote speeches ‐
– Queen Silvia of Sweden
– UNICEF’s Susan Bissell
UNICEF’s Susan Bissell
– Helene Gestrin, President of the Swedish Scout and Guide Council
– WOSM’s Secretary General, Luc Panissod, are here http://www.worldscoutjamboree.se/2011/08/speeches‐from‐safe‐from‐harm‐conference/
•
Main points ‐
» 220 million people in the world whose births are not registered; » 150 million children are used in labour, over a range of work activities/roles » 13 countries at war are using child soldiers in roles from porters g
p
and cooks, to fighting and for sex. » Scouting has been fighting these statistics for over 100 years
.
•
Scou g e a d o s op ( o o o ) pa
Scouting Ireland workshop (to follow) ‐
participants from
c pa s o
• Italy, Costa Rica, Greece, Holland, Denmark, Egypt & several from Sweden.
The other workshops:
– Stop Violence against Girls (World Assoc. Of Girl Guides & Girl Scouts)
– Taking Scouting to Children in Especially Difficult Circumstances (Pakistan Boy Scouts Assoc.)
– Youth Protection Training Programs (Boys Scouts of America)
Youth Protection Training Programs (Boys Scouts of America)
– Just Say No – campaign & advocacy (South Africa Scout Assoc.)
– How to Listen and Talk to Children (B.R.I.S. Sweden – translates to Children’s Rights in Society)
– How to Prevent Abuse or Harassment at Large Events (Swedish Guide & Scout Council)
– Keeping Scouts Safe from Harm in a National Organisation (Kenya Scouts Association and PATH catalyst for global health)
– Children Harm Free Organisation (Arab Region of WOSM – World Org. Of the Scouting Movement)
– Prevention of Violence amongst Children and Youth, and taking Scouting to Sexually Abused Children & Youth (El Salvador Scout Assoc )
Abused Children & Youth (El Salvador Scout Assoc.)
– Child Protection in a Globalizing World (UNICEF)
If you would like more detail on any of these please contact Ruth at cpo@scouts.ie
If you would like more detail on any of these please contact Ruth at cpo@scouts.ie
Presentation Outline
1.
Constant review of policy, procedure & practice.
2.
Interaction with organisations outside Scouting.
3.
Adult recruitment, screening & retrospective vetting.
4.
Compulsory 4 hour Child Protection Awareness Programme.
5
5.
Cl
Clear reporting procedures when concerns are noted.
ti
d
h
t d
6.
Training & monitoring of CP trainers.
Policy procedure & practice
Policy, procedure & practice
1.
Act in an open & visible manner
2.
Sometimes it’s better not to join in
3.
Be positive in your conversation
4.
Mixed gender sections need mixed leadership
5.
Be alert to your own & others’ emotions
6.
Consider the situation
Consider
the situation
7.
Don’t put yourself or a young person in a vulnerable situation
Links with statutory & other organisations
Links with statutory & other organisations
•
CPO participates on inter sector Child Protection Network
CPO participates on inter sector Child Protection Network
•
Vetting training from An Garda Siochána & newsletters from Access NI
•
Links with Children First Advice Officers in the Health Services
•
New North‐South
New North
South Child Protection Hub website
Child Protection Hub website
•
Child Protection should be in conjunction with a Health Policy, Equality Policy and other training
Adult recruitment
Adult recruitment
•
Vetting is one of several recruitment steps, including 2 reference checks (non‐
i i
f
l
i
i l di 2 f
h k (
family, one outside Scouting)
•
If a vetting result raises concerns re suitability for a position, the Child Protection Management Team consider all available details (except identity)
•
Membership refusals are communicated in writing to the applicant, the Group Leader and the County commissioner
– Best to re‐vet every 3‐5 years or on internal movement
– Vetting results stored no longer than needed Child Protection Awareness Programme
Child Protection Awareness Programme
•
Compulsory, certified, 4 hour course when joining, refreshed after 3‐5 l
f d h
h
f h d f
years. Course size ‐ 20 max.
•
Stage 2 of 6 during Woodbadge training, refresher training available soon
•
Positive feedback from 95% of participants •
Delivered by 60+ monitored CP trainers, nominated by provinces & trained Delivered
by 60+ monitored CP trainers nominated by provinces & trained
for 2 days by the National Youth Council and/or the health service
Reporting Procedures
Reporting Procedures
• The onus is on everyone to raise any concern of child abuse, with the Child Protection Officer, without delay.
• If there is any immediate danger, contact the police and/or the health services and then report to your CPO
If a young person discloses
If a young person discloses ‐
1. React calmly and listen carefully
2. Reassure them it is right to tell
3. As soon as possible record their exact words and demeanour / body language
/
4. Ask minimal questions only for clarification
5. Sign and date the record
6. Explain what may happen next (age appropriate)
7. Inform the CPO
Do not
Do not
• Promise to keep the information secret
• Ask leading questions or seek intimate Ask leading questions or seek intimate
detail other than what is volunteered
• Express any opinion on the alleged abuser
• Investigate
It is good practice to
It is good practice to ‐
1. Ensure appropriate ratio of adults to young people
2 Engage in appropriate physical contact only
2.
Engage in appropriate physical contact only
3. Respect personal & sexual boundaries
4. Discuss uncertainties with the CPO or other
5. Maintain a healthy work‐family‐volunteer balance
Do not
Do not ‐
1. Spend time alone with a young person, if avoidable
2 Give car lifts to young people on your own, if avoidable
2.
Give car lifts to young people on your own if avoidable
3. Make sexual jokes with young people present
4. Be over involved with a particular young person
5. Tolerate favouritism, exclusion or harsh discipline
Success factors
Success factors
• 60‐70 volunteers willing to train as Child Protection Trainers and field difficult questions from new and not‐so‐new
not
so new Scouters
Scouters
• Designated trained Child Protection Officer on g
Jamboree Contingent Management Team
• Relationships training with each Jamboree troop –
respect, teamwork, good choices & tolerance
• Critical Incident Training and Response Plan prepared
Challenges
• Recognising that abuse may happen in our own community, where we can & must influence
• Once concerns are reported to statutory bodies ‐
timeframes are beyond Scouting control
timeframes are beyond Scouting control • Repeated
Repeated reassurance needed when further reassurance needed when further
reports (historic and current) are publicised in Church and State bodies
Church and State bodies
Further references
Further references
•
h //
http://www.scouts.ie/uploads/files/Online_Code_of_Good_Practise.pdf
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d
f
d
df
•
http://www.scout.org/en/information_events/library/diversity/guidelines
http://www
scout org/en/information events/library/diversity/guidelines
_on_scouting_for_children_in_especially_difficult_circumstances
•
www.wagggsworld.org - 34th World Conference 2011, Edinburgh ‐
advocacy campaign ‐ girls worldwide say “stop the violence”
– www.irishgirlguides.ie
– http://www.youth.ie/startingout
Best practice is the only practice
Superintendent Pat Burke
Superintendent
Pat Burke
Garda Central Vetting Unit
The most resilient young people
against bullying or abuse
are generally
a
g
ally those
h
with the most fun and friendship in their life
Thank you
Ruth Hughes cpo@scouts.ie
g
p @
01 4956300, 086 0433799
,