The child protection policy
Orphans in Need is concerned to safeguard the wholeness and the well-being of every person in our care, of whatever age. It is the responsibility of each one of us in the organisation to prevent the physical, sexual or emotional abuse of every member of our community and particularly the abuse of those most vulnerable among us, including children and young people.
It is the duty of all those who work with children and young people to prevent harm and abuse of every kind, and to report any abuse discovered or suspected.
It is the policy of Orphans in Need that no one shall work or volunteer to work with children and young people within or on behalf of Orphans in Need who:
- Has been convicted of or has received a formal police caution concerning an offence against children as listed in the first schedule of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933 (or similar convictions abroad).
- Has been convicted of or has received a formal police caution concerning sexual offences against children and young people.
This means that:
- All who work or volunteer to work with children and young people under the auspices of Orphans in Need will be required to be checked through the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB), and are expected at all times to confirm with good practice in their work.
- Those responsible for the appointment of such workers and volunteers must take all reasonable steps, including obtaining disclosures from the CRB, to ensure that persons who have been convicted, or have received a formal police caution concerning sexual offences against children or young people shall not undertake work with young people under the auspices of Orphans in Need.
Furthermore, Orphans in Need will:
- Plan the work of the organisation so as to minimise situations where the abuse of children may occur.
- Treat all would-be paid staff and volunteers as job applicants for any position involving contact with children.
- When considering any such applicant, obtain at least one reference from a person who has experience of the applicant's paid work or volunteering with children.
- Explore all the experience that applicants have in working with, or contact with children, in an interview before appointment.
- Make paid and voluntary appointments conditional on the successful completion of a probationary period.
- Issue guidelines on how to deal with disclosure or discovery of abuse.
- Train paid staff and supervisors of volunteers in the prevention of child abuse.
- Appoint a named individual from within the organisation to act as the child protection champion. Their role will include the continual monitoring of the effectiveness of the organisation's child protection policy, plus the dissemination of information relating to child protection, to members of Orphans in Need and to paid staff and volunteers.
