1. Purpose
SPFT values its duty of care to protect the children who are impacted by our work (directly or indirectly) and to act in their best interests. SPFT is committed to the protection of children from harm, abuse and exploitation as expected in the United Nations’ Declaration on the Rights of the Child. This policy also takes into consideration best practice and requirements of the Vulnerable Children Act 2014 in keeping with New Zealand legislation and Children First Act 2015 from Tusla - Child and Family Agency, and An Garda Síochána.
SPFT will regularly review this Policy and the procedures, which are outlined below.
2. Scope
This policy is intended to apply to all SPFT activities. This policy is applicable to all SPFT personnel. This policy also extends to SPFT partners and associates.
This policy aims to ensure that the actions of any person in the context of the work carried out by SPFT are transparent and safeguard and promote the welfare of all children and vulnerable adults associated with the organisation. The Policy provides guidance on appropriate standards, including reducing any opportunities for abuse, harm or bullying, staff and participant recruitment and training, behaviour towards children and vulnerable adults, professional boundaries, ethical behaviour, acceptable and unacceptable relationships, how to avoid or better manage difficult situations and how to report suspicions, allegations, or incidents.
3. Roles and Responsibilities
It is the responsibility of SPFT Trustees and its associated Event Management Team to ensure every precaution to protect the children and young people we serve and encounter during the course of our work.
All SPFT trustees and participants have a duty to report any suspicions, allegations, or incidents of abuse. Staff and participants are not trained to deal with situations of abuse or to decide if abuse has occurred and should record the details as accurately as possible and immediately refer any suspicions, allegations, or incidents to SPFT trustees in the first instance, who will consider the information and decide upon the next steps.
4. Definitions
Child protection includes prevention of and response to any risk or actual instance of physical, sexual, and emotional harm, exploitation, or abuse, whether done directly to a child or with communications/technology.
A child is any person under age 18.
Child abuse is defined in The Children, Young Persons and their Families Act 1989, as "…the harming (whether physically, emotionally, sexually), ill-treatment, abuse, neglect, or deprivation of any child or young person.”
A vulnerable adult is defined as a person who is or may be in need of community care services by reason of mental or other disability, age, or illness, and who is or may be unable to take care of him or herself, or unable to protect him or herself against significant harm or exploitation.
5. Recruitment and training of staff and participants
Recruitment involves the hiring of staff, volunteers, consultants, and suppliers to work for SPFT and partners. SPFT seeks to minimise child abuse risk through every step of the hiring process by including well-advertised child protection commitments and thorough background vetting systems of potential hires (including the use of police checks for those in regular contact with children).
6. Education, training, and awareness
SPFT will ensure all stakeholders are aware of and uphold the Child Protection Policy. Education around the Child Protection Policy will be provided to all trustees.
The SPFT Child Protection Officer (CPO) has undertaken the Fundamentals of Safeguarding and Child Protection Course with Safeguarding Children NZ.
The associated Event management company will conduct training to staff through inductions and regular training, so staff remain informed of current best practice.
7. Interactions with children
There is evidence that some people have used volunteering as an opportunity to take inappropriate photographs or film footage of children and vulnerable adults in vulnerable positions. All trustees, event staff, volunteers and participants should be vigilant, and any concerns should to be reported to the Trustees. There is no intention to prevent committee members or participants from taking photos of program activities, however, local partner organization staff should be made aware of the reasons for the photographs, the intended use of the photos, and their consent obtained. There are event guidelines for participants and staff regarding photography of people at the events, which should be managed and enforced by SPFT Trustees. All SPFT photos should be stored and used appropriately.
SPFT acknowledges the significance of protecting children while in SPFT’s care. Those tasked with guardianship of children while working for SPFT will receive child-friendly training, resources, and support to effectively and safely accept care. This training is done by the SPTF’s Health and Safety Officer prior to the events.
SPFT will not for any reason publish (for fundraising or promotional purposes) text, photographs or other forms of information that may cause harm to a child or represent a child in an inappropriate or illegal (harmful, abusive, or exploitative) manner. Representation of a child in photo or text from SPFT‘s data image bank and from other official SPFT sources will be consistent with SPFT’s usage guidelines. Please refer to the SPFT Photography Guidelines for more information and for SPFT approved consent forms.
8. Misconduct
SPFT will promptly investigate all reported actual or suspected breaches of this policy and, where grounds are found to exist, will take appropriate corrective measures and/or report the matter to the relevant authorities. SPFT reserves the right to initiate appropriate action up to and including employment/contractual termination for staff or other representatives, or for volunteers/interns, to sever the volunteer relationship.
9. Incident Reporting
It is mandatory for all SPFT trustees, associated event staff and volunteers to report any witnessed, suspected, or alleged incidents of child abuse or any breach of the CPO. These concerns may relate to a child, or a staff member involved in the organisation or a concern about a child or person/s outside of the Trust’s programs. SPFT strives towards incident reporting which is child friendly. If you do have a concern, you should immediately follow SPFT’s child abuse Health & Safety reporting procedures.
Who should report?
All SPFT trustees, associated event staff, and associates including people in the community and partner organisations.
What should be reported?
Any disclosure, concern or allegation from a child, community member, staff or associate regarding the safety, abuse, or exploitation of a child (this includes actual, suspected, or risk of abuse or harm to a child).
Any observation or concerning behaviour exhibited by an SPFT trustees, volunteer or other associate that breaches the SPFT Code of Conduct for Working with Children.
When to report?
Child abuse concerns should be raised immediately.
Who to report to?
Child abuse reports should be made to the Child Protection Officer or the SPFT Chairperson.
Child Protection Officer – Leeann Doyle-Loftus – leeann@doyleacademy.co.nz 021 100 8002
SPFT Chair – Patrick Grogan - pgrogan@milfordasset.com 021 0819 5057
How should it be reported?
Verbally and by completing the SPFT child abuse incident reporting sheet via the SPFT’s event Health & Safety reporting procedure.
What will happen next?
The Chair in consultation the Child Protection Officer will discuss the allegations and then decide upon the next step. This will involve one or more of the following:
Interviewing the person/persons who made the allegations and/or other witnesses to gather more information with which to make a decision about the allegation.
Reporting to local police and or child protection authority when it is suspected or becomes clear that a crime has been committed, or if require assistance to determine the appropriate course of action.
All incidents that involve sexual or physical abuse should be raised at the next scheduled Trustee meeting. Details regarding the child and the case should be strictly de-identified.
Trustees would consider the incident report and reflect on whether any change to organisation policy, procedures and protocol is required.
10. Confidentiality
Every effort should be made to ensure that confidentiality is maintained for all concerned. Information should be handled and disseminated on a need-to-know basis only. This includes the following people:
The SPFT Chair and Child Protection Officer should be contacted in the first instance, and they will advise as to who needs to know and who should inform them, normally through liaison with local social services. Social services will decide who should approach the alleged abuser (or parents if the alleged abuser is a child).
Information should be stored in a secure place with limited access to designated people, in line with data protection laws (e.g., that information is accurate, regularly updated, relevant and secure).
IF YOU HAVE ANY CONCERNS ABOUT A CHILD OR VULNERABLE ADULT, PARTICIPANT, STAFF/COMMITTEE MEMBER, OR LOCAL PARTNER STAFF, CONTACT ONE OF SPFT TRUSTEES
Main website contact email - hello@stpatrick.co.nz
Chair - Patrick Grogan - pgrogan@milfordasset.com
Child Protection Office - Leeann Doyle - Loftus - leeann@doyleacademy.co.nz
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