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Contents

1. Introduction
2. Aim of the Policy
3. Ensuring the Environment is Safe
4. Staff Recruitment
5. Concerns about Children and Young People
6. Recording
7. Allegations Against Staff
8. Dealing with Disclosure
9. Definitions of Abuse and Neglect

1. Introduction

The City of London provides a range of play and leisure activities for children and young people. The Youth and Play Service believe that all children and young people have a right to be safe and happy in the activities and the parents and carers should be confident in the organisation.

The Every Child Matters Change for Children programme, enshrined in the [Children Act 2004], outlines five key outcomes for children and young people.

The Youth and Play Service has a commitment to achieving these outcomes for children and young people who use the services.

• Be Healthy
• Stay Safe
• Enjoy and Achieve
• Make a Positive Contribution
• Achieve economic well-being

See Section 1, Policy Statement of the City of London Policy, Values and Principles Procedure

The responsibilities all agencies to work together to safeguard and promote the welfare of children are outlined in the document Statutory guidance on Making arrangements to safeguard and promote the welfare of children under section 11 of the Children Act 2004 (2005) and the arrangements to achieve this are described in Working Together to Safeguard Children (2010).

The City and Hackney Safeguarding Children Board has the statutory role in coordinating and ensuring the effectiveness of services to safeguard children in the City of London. There is a sub committee that focuses on City specific issues and brings together the City Partners.

The City of London is part of the London Safeguarding Children Board which produces the London Child Protection Procedures. These procedures form part of the local arrangements within the City to safeguard children and young people

2. Aim of the Policy

The Designated Person for Child Protection is the Manager of the Youth and Play Service. Each Centre also ensures there is a designated person for child protection on duty at each session.  This is usually the manager responsible for the session. In the Play Service this will be the Play Co-ordinator.  In the Youth Service this will be the Senior Practitioner or Practitioner.

When Children and young people are attending any of the Play Services they should be provided with appropriate safety and protection while participating in activities organised by the City of London Youth and Play Service.

The Play Service should  ensue that all staff and others involved in providing activities are confident to respond to concerns about the welfare of the children and young people.

3. Ensuring the Environment is Safe

Staff and managers must be aware of the specific guidance that provides a safe environment.

Staff and Managers should follow the relevant Health and Safety Procedure.

The issues of safety will be monitored regularly at each venue and by the Youth and Play Manager

4. Staff Recruitment

All staff are recruited using best practice, as outlined in the Safeguarding Children and Safe Recruitment in Education  Guidance 2005.   This will mean that all those working with the children will have had Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) checks and relevant and reliable  references . This includes sessional tutors.

5. Concerns About Children and Young People

Any member of staff who is concerned about the welfare of a child or young person will bring this to the attention of the Designated Person for Child Protection on duty at that session.

Examples of concerns could include: 

• Unexplained injuries or injuries inconsistent with the explanation
• Changes in behaviour or appearance
• Drug or alcohol use.
• Concerns about hygiene or appearance
• Concern about criminal activity
• Disclosure of sexual or physical abuse
• Disclosure of domestic violence or parental drug/alcohol use
• Behaviour that may indicate that a young person is abusing another.
• Any concerns about the behaviour of a colleague or volunteer in relation to the safety of a young person. NB. Where the concern is about the Designated Person for Child Protection lead on duty at that session the matter must be reported directly to the Senior Practitioner or Youth and Play Manager

There is guidance on dealing with disclosure from a child. This is available at all centres and all members of staff are made aware of it. Staff should not promise confidentiality to any young person if they could be at risk of significant  harm. (See Section 6 Referral and Assessment in the London Child Protection Procedures)

The concern will be discussed with the Designated Person for Child Protection on duty at that session, recorded on the concern form and action to be taken will be agreed by the Designated Person for Child Protection on duty at that session in consultation with the worker reporting the concern.  At this stage parents may be contacted, although advice may be sought before this takes place from the Duty Social Worker. Staff should not contact parents if they are exposing the child to a risk by so doing. In cases of suspected sexual abuse parents should NOT be contacted before referring the concern to the Duty Social Worker .

All concerns which may indicate a child is suffering or is likely to suffer Significant Harm MUST be referred to the City of London Social Work Duty Officer.  The Duty Social Worker is available for advice on all situations, even if the concern may not reach this threshold. 

If the situation is urgent and is out of hours the Hackney Out of Hours Duty Service MUST be contacted.

In circumstances where contacting other agencies with compromise the welfare of the child (such as child abduction) the Police should be contacted immediately via the 999 number.

6. Recording

All concerns about the welfare of a child must be noted on the Concern Form with details of action taken. Injuries observed should be noted on the body map form. Staff should be objective regarding their concerns when referring and not to make a judgement about the abuse.

These forms should be retained locally in separate files and monitored by the local manager responsible for Child Protection.  On a regular basis these files should be reviewed by the Youth and Play Manager.

Referrals to the Duty Social Worker must be sent on the relevant form. A referral may result from a single incident or noting a pattern of lesser incidents.

7. Allegations Against Staff

ALL concerns about the behaviour of a colleague or volunteer must be discussed with the manager on duty at that session. Where the concern is about the manager on duty the matter must be reported directly to the Senior Practitioner or Youth and Play Manager.

All allegations against a member of City of London staff or a tutor or volunteer will be immediately referred to the Youth and Play Manager, who will refer to the LADO. In the City the LADO is the Children's Social Care (CSC) Manager.

All allegations against a member of staff will be investigated within the London Child Protection Procedures.  This will mean that there is a multi agency Strategy Meeting to decide how to proceed.

Where there is an allegation against a member of staff or sessional worker consideration will be given to the safety of the individual child and also the wider safety of young people using the service in deciding how to proceed. If the allegation or concern is about a former member of staff the same procedure should be followed.

It is essential that ALL staff understand that the highest level of conduct is required and that colleagues feel confident to challenge behaviour which falls short. For staff involved in specific activities (e.g. sports activities) they must comply with the good practice guidance for these. 

Staff should feel confident to know concerns about a colleague will be treated in confidence.

8. Dealing with Disclosure

If a child makes a disclosure to a member of staff, the staff should listen and accept the disclosure, stay calm and emphasise but do not make a promise of confidentiality.  Staff should make no judgment, no leading questions, explain to the child what should happen next, and inform the Designated Manager for Child Protection.   After the disclosure staff should complete a concern form, using the child's words and diagrams and the staff should be objective.  The child or young person should be given time and a private safe place and if possible another member of staff should be present. Staff should adapt the approach of identification and investigation.

Staff should be aware of the child's developmental stage and children with Special Educational Needs who may need additional support to enable them to make a disclosure.

9. Definitions of Abuse and Neglect

Someone may abuse or neglect a child by inflicting harm, or by failing to act to prevent harm. These definitions can be found in the London Child Protection Procedures.

Physical Abuse

Physical abuse may involve hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning or scalding, drowning, suffocating or otherwise causing physical harm to a child. Physical harm may also be caused when a parent or carer feigns the symptoms of or deliberately causes ill health to a child whom they are looking after. This situation is commonly described using terms such as factitious illness by proxy or Munchausen's syndrome by proxy.

Emotional Abuse

Emotional abuse is the persistent emotional ill-treatment of a child such as to cause severe and persistent adverse effects on a child's emotional development. It may involve conveying to children that they are worthless or unloved, inadequate, or valued only insofar as they meet the needs of another person. It may feature age or developmentally inappropriate expectations being imposed on children. It may involve causing children to feel frightened or in danger, or the exploitation or corruption of children. Some level of emotional abuse is involved in all types of ill-treatment of a child, although it may occur alone.

Sexual Abuse

Sexual abuse involves forcing or enticing a child or young person to take part in sexual activities, whether or not the child is fully aware of what is happening. The activities may involve physical contact, including penetrative (e.g. rape or buggery) or non-penetrative acts. This may include non contact activities, such as involving children in looking at or in the production of, pornographic material or watching sexual, activities, or encouraging children to behave in sexually inappropriate ways.

Neglect

Neglect is the persistent failure to meet a child's basic physical and/or psychological needs, likely to result in the serious impairment of the child's health or development. It may involve a parent or carer failing to provide adequate food shelter and clothing, failing to protect a child from physical harm or danger, or the failure to ensure access to appropriate medical care or treatment. It may also include neglect of, or unresponsiveness to, a child's basic emotional needs.

End