This policy applies to all staff, including senior managers and paid staff, volunteers and sessional workers, agency staff, students or anyone working on behalf of Teencamps-uk.
The purpose of this policy:
To protect children and young people who receive Teencamps-uk services. This includes the children of adults who use our services;
To provide staff and volunteers with the overarching principles that guides our approach to child protection;
Teencamps-uk believes that a child or young person should never experience abuse of any kind. We have a responsibility to promote the welfare of all children and young people and to keep them safe. We are committed to practice in a way that protects them.
Legal framework
This policy has been drawn up on the basis of law and guidance that seeks to protect children, namely:
Children Act 1989
United Convention of the Rights of the Child 1991
Data Protection Act 1998
Sexual Offences Act 2003
Children Act 2004
Protection of Freedoms Act 2012
Relevant government guidance on safeguarding children
We recognise that:
The welfare of the child is paramount, as enshrined in the Children Act 1989
All children, regardless of age, disability, gender, racial heritage, religious belief, sexual orientation or identity, have a right to equal protection from all types of harm or abuse
Some children are additionally vulnerable because of the impact of previous experiences, their level of dependency, communication needs or other issues
Working in partnership with children, young people, their parents, carers and other agencies is essential in promoting young people’s welfare.
We will seek to keep children and young people safe by:
Valuing them, listening to and respecting them
Adopting child protection practices through procedures and a code of conduct for staff and volunteers
Developing and implementing an effective e-safety policy and related procedures
Providing effective management for staff and volunteers through supervision, support and training
Recruiting staff and volunteers safely, ensuring all necessary checks are made
Sharing information about child protection and good practice with children, parents, staff and volunteers
Sharing concerns with agencies who need to know, and involving parents and children appropriately.
We are committed to reviewing our policy and good practice annually.
This policy was last reviewed on: 12/01/2019
Teencamps-uk behaviour code for young people
This code has been developed in order to provide children and young people with advice on the behaviour that is expected of them when attending and using the facilities of Teencamps-uk. It has been shaped by the views of children and young people.
Purpose
To ensure young people are treated fairly by all adults working with them at Teencamps-uk and know what is expected of them.
Basic principles
This code of behaviour for young people is intended to:
Identify acceptable behaviour for young people
Promote self-respect and self-control
Raise young people’s self esteem and self confidence
Encourage individual responsibility for behaviour and outline the consequences of poor behaviour
Encourage young people to recognise and respect the rights of others
Encourage cooperation at all times and in all situations
Promote the values of honesty, fairness and respect
Anticipate and resolve any conflict that may arise
Ensure that young people are aware of when sanctions will be put into place.
young people are expected to:
Cooperate with each other
Be friendly
Listen to each other
Be helpful
Follow this code of behaviour and other rules
Have good manners
Join in
Respect each other’s differences
Treat staff and volunteers with respect
Young people shouldn’t:
Pick on or make fun of each other
Bully each other
Yell or shout at others
Be abusive
Steal from anyone
Breach of this code of conduct
This code of conduct is only useful if it forms part of a process for guiding young people to receive appropriate support.
It is the responsibility of the head counsellor to ensure that all young people attending Teencampuk are informed of this code of conduct and to confirm with them that they have seen, understood and agreed to follow it. Young people must also be made aware of the consequences if they breach the code.
Following the traffic light system
If a young person breaches the code of conduct, the most appropriate sanction for a minor or first time breach will be to remind him or her about the code of conduct and ask him or her to comply with it. Young people will be given the opportunity to reflect, enabling them to plan a positive response, with support from either staff or mentors.
If, having followed the above step, the young person continues to exhibit inappropriate behaviour, she or he should be referred to the appropriate member of staff who will give her or him a formal, green light warning. Supportive interventions may need to be identified at this stage. The action should also be recorded in the discipline book and parents/carers informed.
Any further persistent inappropriate behaviour will result in a more serious sanction being imposed (e.g. restriction/suspension from the project facilities). This is the yellow light warning. Again, supportive interventions may need to be identified at this stage. This action should also be recorded in the discipline book and parents/carers informed.
If these interventions are still not effective in helping the child/young person to change his or her behaviour, a red light warning may be needed, with further sanctions. It may be that at this point, Teencampuk will discuss with the young person and his or her family their removal from the programme.
Use of child protection procedures
If staff at Teencampuk become concerned that a child’s behaviour suggests either that he/she may be at risk of significant harm or that he/she may present a risk of significant harm to other children, (name of group/organisation)’s child protection procedures will be followed and a referral may be made to the local authority children’s social care department.
Such a referral would be discussed with the child and his/her family at the earliest possible opportunity except in situations where this would possibly endanger a child’s safety or interfere with a police investigation.