Child Protection Policy

Article 19 of the United Nations Convention on the rights of the Child (1989) (UNCRC) states that: “All children have a right to protection from abuse, violence and exploitation” 1. Caring Hearts for Africa’s Disadvantaged Children (CHADC) endeavours to create a safe environment for all children in CHADC projects. We believe that child protection is crucial to ensuring their rights, confidence and environment in which they can make choices and to freely express their view and communication with others. We are aware that children and young people are especially vulnerable to abuse and exploitation and as such, CHADC aims to safeguard all children.

This policy is mandatory and has been approved and endorsed by the directors and members. It applies to all staff, volunteers and members in CHADC including in the UK and other representative offices.

Definitions

Child		For the purposes of this policy, a “child” is defined as anyone under the age of 18, in line with the UNCRC.

Child abuse

	1.	According to the World Health Organisation, “Child abuse” or “maltreatment” constitutes ‘all forms of physical and/or emotional ill-treatment, sexual abuse, neglect or negligent treatment or commercial or other exploitation, resulting in actual or potential harm to the child’s health, survival, development or dignity in the context of a relationship of responsibility, trust or power’ 2 .
	2.	NSPCC (UK child protection charity) similarly specific”cruelty to children” or “child abuse” as ‘behaviour that causes significant harm to a child. It also includes when someone knowingly fails to prevent serious harm to a child. All forms of cruelty are damaging – it can be harder to recover from the emotional impact than from the physical effects.’3
	3.	These definitions point to four types of cruelty: 1. Physical abuse: including hurting or injuring a child, inflicting pain, poisoning, drowning or smothering. 2. Sexual abuse: including direct or indirect sexual exploitation or corruption of children by involving them (or threatening to involve them) in inappropriate sexual activities. 3. Emotional abuse: repeatedly rejecting children, humiliating them or denying their worth and rights as human beings. 4. Neglect: the persistent lack of appropriate care of children, including love, stimulation, safety, nourishment, warmth, education, and medical attention.
	4.	A child who is being abused may experience more than one type of cruelty.
	5.	Discrimination, harassment, and bullying are also abusive and can harm a child, both physically and emotionally.

Child protection
A broad term to describe philosophies, policies, standards, guidelines and procedures designed to protect children from both intentional and unintentional harm. In the current context, it applies particularly to the duty of CHADC – and individuals associated with CHADC – towards children in their care.

Direct contact with children

Being in the physical presence of a child or children in the context of the CHADC’s work, whether contact is occasional or regular, short or long term. In the UK this could involve delivering talks to schools, churches and youth groups. Overseas this could involve project/site visits and attending conferences at which children are also present. NB this list of examples is not exhaustive.

Indirect contact with children (examples)

	1.	Having access to information on children in the context of CHADC’s work, such as children’s name, locations (addresses of individuals or projects), photographs and case studies.
	2.	Providing funding for organisations that work ‘directly’ with children. Albeit indirectly, this nonetheless has an impact on children, and therefore confers upon the donor organisation responsibility for child protection issues.

Partner
For this purpose of this policy:<

	1.	An overseas organisation that receives funding from CHADC, whether funding is occasional or regular, short or long term, for a specific project or towards core costs and regardless of the amount of money involved.
	2.	An overseas organisation involved in project work with CHADC, whether the project relationship is short or long term, a one-off or regular/ongoing arrangement, and regardless of whether or not any funding is involved.

Policy
‘A statement of intent that demonstrates a commitment to safeguard children from harm, and makes clear to all what is required in relation to the protection of children. It helps to create a safe and positive environment for children and to show that the organisation is taking its duty and responsibility of care seriously.’4

CHADC’s core child protection principles and values

	1.	The legal basis – the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child: CaringHearts for Africa’s Disadvantaged Children’s Child Protection Policy is firmly based on the principles of the UNCRC. The UNCRC provides a comprehensive framework for the protection, provision and participation of all children without discrimination to ensure their survival and development to the maximum extent possible. Although the UNCRC should be read as a whole, the following articles form the specific basis of child protection: 1 (definition of ‘child’), 2 (non-discrimination), 3.1 (the best interests of the child), 3.2 (duty of care and protection), 3.3 (standards of care), 6 (survival and development), 12 (participation), 13 (freedom of expression), 19 (protection from violence), 25 (periodic review of placements), 32, 33, 34, 36, 37(a) (protection from economic exploitation, substance abuse, sexual abuse and exploitation, ‘all other forms of exploitation’; torture, cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment), 39 (physical and psychological recovery and social reintegration).
	2.	Caring Hearts for Africa’s Disadvantaged Children believes that in working for children and young people it has an absolute duty to protect this vulnerable group from abuse, mistreatment, and exploitation from within organisations intended for their benefit. This duty is imperative and non-negotiable. Without adequate standards and mechanisms of protection in place, an organisation is not only failing in its primary duty of care, but may also be negligently fostering an environment of abuse.
	3.	Caring Hearts for Africa’s Disadvantaged Children believes that silence allows the abuse and exploitation of children to breed. Paedophiles and others that might abuse or exploit children will seek out organisations with weak communication structures and thrive where secrecy and shame prevail. Furthermore, without proper policies and explicit procedures in place, NGOs are extremely vulnerable to false allegations of child abuse.
	4.	CaringHearts for Africa’s Disadvantaged Children therefore believes in: 1. creating an environment where issues of child protection are discussed openly and are understood between children and adults; 2. promoting open lines of communication both internally and externally within and between organisations to improve awareness and implementation of child protection policies and practices; 3. creating a framework to deal openly, consistently and fairly with allegations concerning both direct and indirect abuse.
	1.	Caring Hearts for Africa’s Disadvantaged Children seeks to create an environment where children feel able and willing to speak out about abuse, free from abusers, empowers them to become actors in their own protection without further discrimination or shame. Children have the right to communication – to enable them to receive information, to ask questions, to make choices, and to make decisions. CaringHearts for Africa’s Disadvantaged Children believes that helping children to find a voice is an essential step to helping them to claim their individual rights. Children will only benefit from this policy if they are aware of their rights and are given the proper environment in which to exercise them. CaringHearts for Africa’s Disadvantaged Children will seek to ensure that all children and young people are aware of their rights and how to exercise them.
	2.	Caring Hearts for Africa’s Disadvantaged Children recognises that resistance to addressing child protection issues may come from lack of understanding of the nature of child abuse, lack of commitment to the organisation / programme, and a sense that child abuse happens elsewhere. CaringHearts for Africa’s Disadvantaged Children will seek to challenge complacency in this area.
The need for a Child Protection Policy
	1.	It is the duty of CaringHearts for Africa’s Disadvantaged Children to ensure that the promotion of children’s rights includes specifically protecting children from accidental harm as well as deliberate abuse within organisations intended for their benefit. This policy will help us to fulfil this duty.
	2.	Children and young people are especially vulnerable to abuse, exploitation, and ill-treatment at the hands of carers, other project workers, and those with access to their personal information. In the case of children who have run away from home, or those from particularly disadvantaged backgrounds, many have already experienced broken relationships of trust or abuse of an adult-child relationship in the form of physical, psychological or sexual abuse.
	3.	Organisations working with vulnerable children have been, are and will continue to be vulnerable to harbouring abuse until the issues are brought into the open.
	4.	Organisations without protection policies, guidelines and systems are more vulnerable to false or malicious accusations of abuse.
	5.	Without proper policies, guidelines and procedures in place, allegations of abuse, whether founded or unfounded, can destroy an organisation’s reputation. This will have serious implications for fundraising (thus undermining an organisation’s entire portfolio or work, even beyond the scope of the particular project concerned).
The CaringHearts for Africa’s Disadvantaged Children Child Protection Policy Staff and Personnel As a condition of working with our organisation, all employees, officers, staff, interns, volunteers, researchers, consultants, and advisers of CHADC UK are required to undergo the following:
	1.	Satisfactory clearance through a police check conducted by the Criminal Records Bureau.
	2.	Both acceptance of and commitment to our Child Protection Policy and Code of Conduct for working with children (Appendix 1).
	3.	Signing a personal declaration stating any criminal convictions, including spent convictions.
	4.	Providing the name and contact information of two character references they have known for no less than two years, excluding family members.
Training and Education Training and education are essential to implementing the Child Protection Policy. There will be opportunities within the organisation to develop and maintain the necessary skills and understanding to safeguard children. The opportunities shall include:
	1.	An induction process for all employees, contractors, trustees, officers, interns and volunteers which includes: familiarisation with the Child Protection Policy and procedures; opportunities to learn about the nature of abuse, the effects of abuse and how to recognise and respond to concerns about child abuse.
	2.	Employees, contractors, trustees, officers, interns and volunteers who will have direct contact with children either in the UK (e.g. through school or youth group contact) or overseas (e.g. through project visits) must be fully trained on the organisation’s behaviour protocols and guidelines and must be clear on who to contact in the event of any concerns.
	3.	Employees, contractors, trustees, officers, interns and volunteers who have access to information about children such as personal contact information, including their address, specific cases or incidents, or any other details of a child’s personal life must be trained to fully understand what is meant by acceptable and unacceptable sharing of information regarding children.
Management Structure There will be a specific management process adopted in order to implement the child protection policy and procedures. The structure shall include:
	1.	A designated person who is responsible for the implementation of the child protection policy. This role should reflect the nature and structure of the organisation and the person should have sufficient seniority and support to carry out the role. At each appropriate level or setting in the organisation there should be a named person/s to whom people can talk about child protection matters.
	2.	Ongoing supervision, monitoring and support of individuals working directly with children, or with direct access to information on children which is integrated into the regular schedule of the supervisor / line manager.
	3.	Regular, formal staff evaluations.
	4.	The disclosure of personal information about children, including legal cases, should be limited to those employees, contractors, trustees, officers, interns and volunteers who need to know.
	5.	Trustees must take responsibility to assure themselves that the organisation’s Child Protection Policy is being implemented.
	6.	The organisation will have open lines of communication where understanding abuse and listening and responding to concerns are the main priority. It will create a positive atmosphere of support and encouragement for those who feel it necessary to report concerns.

Behaviour Protocols

Any trustee, employee, officer, staff member, intern, volunteer, researcher, consultant, or adviser who has direct contact with children either in the UK or overseas will be fully informed of CaringHearts for Africa’s Disadvantaged Children’s Code of Conduct. The Code of Conduct includes guidance on appropriate behaviour of adults towards children and of children towards children (see Appendix 2).

Communications about Children

All publications and the website that include images and text related to children will not contain the following:

• Manipulated or sensationalised text and/or images
• Discriminatory and degrading language
• Images in which children are inappropriately clothed
• Information that could be used to identify the location of the child and cause them to be put at risk

Photos of children that will be included on the website or any of our publications must be taken with the child’s verbal permission. In addition, all information relating to children is limited to those members of staff who need to know and will be treated as confidential.

Reporting Incidents

All witnessed, suspected or alleged violations of the Child Protection Policy will be immediately reported to the designated Child Protection Officer, who will record and act on these in a confidential manner in accordance with the standardised process developed by CaringHearts for Africa’s Disadvantaged Children (form attached) and the best interests of the child. The CaringHearts for Africa’s Disadvantaged Children’s Code of Conduct will take appropriate action to protect the child/children in question from further harm and others in the organisation during and following an incident or allegation. The relevant contact details for child protection services, local social services department, police, emergency medical help and help lines (e.g. NSPCC) will also be readily available and easily accessible.

Ramifications of Misconduct

We will immediately suspend any employee, adviser, consultant, trustee, intern or volunteer who is alleged to have violated the Child Protection Policy, pending the outcome of an investigation. CaringHearts for Africa’s Disadvantaged Children’s reserves the right to take any disciplinary action against any of the above who have been proven guilty in an investigation, which may include reporting the incident to the police.

Appendix 1

Statement of Commitment to the CaringHearts for Africa’s Disadvantaged Children Child Protection Policy

I, ________________________________________, have read and understood the standards and guidelines outlined in this Child Protection Policy. I agree with the principles contained therein and accept the importance of implementing child protection policies and practice while associated with the CaringHearts for Africa’s Disadvantaged Children. I further understand that adherence to the CaringHearts for Africa’s Disadvantaged Children’s Child Protection Policy will involve the following: undergoing a disclosure from the Criminal Records Bureau; signing a personal declaration stating any criminal convictions, including those considered ‘spent’; declaring any previous investigations or allegations made against me with respect to child protection issues; and providing two character references.

______________________________
(Print name)

______________________________
(Job title/role)

_____________________________
(Signature)

______________________________
(Date)

Appendix 2

CaringHearts for Africa’s Disadvantaged Children’s Code of Conduct

The CaringHearts for Africa’s Disadvantaged Children believes in and advocates children’s rights to survival, protection, development and participation. This Code of Conduct includes guidance on appropriate and expected standards of behaviour of adults towards children, and also of children towards other children. It has been developed with the best interests of the child as the primary consideration and should be interpreted in a spirit of transparency and common sense.

Appropriate Standards of Behaviour

Adults should:

	1.	Provide an enabling environment for children’s personal, physical, social, emotional, moral and intellectual development.
	2.	Encourage and respect children’s voices and views.
	3.	Be inclusive and involve all children without selection or exclusion on the basis of gender, disability, ethnicity, religion or any other status.
	4.	Be aware of the potential for peer abuse (e.g. children bullying, discriminating against, victimising or abusing children).
	5.	Develop special measures/supervision to protect younger and especially vulnerable children from peer and adult abuse.
	6.	Be aware of high-risk peer situations (e.g. unsupervised mixing of older and younger children and possibilities of discrimination against minors).
	7.	Develop clear rules to address specific physical safety issues relative to the local physical environment of a project (e.g. for projects based near water, heavy road traffic, railway lines).
	8.	Avoid placing yourself in a compromising or vulnerable position when meeting with children (e.g. being alone with a child in any circumstances which might potentially be questioned by others).
	9.	Meet with a child in a central, public location whenever possible.
	10.	Immediately report the circumstances of any situation which occurs which may be subject to misinterpretation to the designated Child Protection Officer.
	11.	Report suspected or alleged abuse to the designated Child Protection Officer.

 

Inappropriate Standards of Behaviour

Adults should not:

	1.	Hit or otherwise physically assault a child.
	2.	Use language that will mentally or emotionally abuse any child.
	3.	Act in any way that intends to embarrass shame, humiliate, or degrade a child.
	4.	Show discrimination of race, culture, age, gender, disability, religion, sexuality, political persuasion or any other status.
	5.	Develop a sexual relationship with a child.
	6.	Kiss, hug, fondle, rub, or touch a child in an inappropriate or culturally insensitive way.
	7.	Do things of a personal nature that a child could do for him/herself, including dressing, bathing, and grooming.
	8.	Encourage any crushes by a child.
	9.	Initiate physical contact (e.g. holding hands) unless initiated by the child.
	10.	Suggest inappropriate behaviour or relations of any kind.
	11.	Allow children to engage in sexually provocative games with each other.
	12.	Stand aside when they see inappropriate actions inflicted by children on other children because it is frequent and commonplace.

Recognizing Signs of Abuse

“Recognising indications of potential abuse is complex and there is no simple
checklist to allow easy recognition.” “There are potential warning signs that [you] can be alert to but they should be observed and assessed with care.” “It should not be automatically assumed that abuse is occurring, and talking to the child may reveal something quite innocent. It is important, however, not to dismiss significant changes in behaviour, fears, worries, and physical indicators a child is exhibiting. […] Do not ignore these signs, but remember it is not your role to become an investigator.” Report any concerns to the designated child protection contact in your organisation.

Possible signs of physical abuse:
• Bruises, burns, sprains, dislocations, bites, cuts
• Improbable excuses given to explain injuries
• Refusal to discuss injuries
• Withdrawal from physical contact
• Arms and legs kept covered in hot weather
• Fear of returning home or of parents being
• Showing wariness or distrust of adults
• Self-destructive tendencies
• Being aggressive towards others
• Being very passive and compliant
• Chronic running away

Possible signs of neglect:
• Frequent hunger
• Poor personal hygiene
• Constant tiredness
• Inappropriate clothing, e.g. summer clothes in winter
• Frequent lateness or non-attendance at school contacted
• Untreated medical problems
• Low self-esteem
• Poor social relationships
• Compulsive stealing
• Drug or alcohol abuse

Possible signs of emotional abuse:
• Physical, mental and emotional development is delayed
• Highly anxious
• Showing delayed speech or sudden speech disorder
• Fear of new situations
• Low self-esteem
• Inappropriate emotional responses to painful situations
• Extremes of passivity or aggression
• Drug or alcohol abuse
• Chronic running away
• Compulsive stealing

Possible signs of sexual abuse:
• Age inappropriate sexualised behaviour (Sense International, 5.2.3)
• Physical indicators (general and in genital and anal areas)
• Behavioural indicators (general and sexual) which must be interpreted with regard to the individual child’s level of functioning and development stage

Notes

1.United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989)
2.The WHO definition of Child Abuse as defined by the Report of the Consultation on Child Abuse Prevention WHO- 1999
3. www.nspcc.gov.uk/documents/safetyofchild.pdf accessed 1st July 2006
4. Setting the Standard: A common approach to Child Protection for International NGOs, Standard 1 Policy.