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Procedures for the Safety and Protection of Children and Participants/Stakeholders in Child and Youth Care Ministry of XYZ

The purpose of these procedures is to ensure the safety and well-being of all the young people and children in our care and to safeguard them against any potential abuse. They will also safeguard the staff and participants from allegations that might arise from careless or unwise behavior.

1. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child

All children have equal rights to protection against abuse and exploitation.
All children should be encouraged to fulfill their potential, and inequalities should be challenged.
Everyone has a responsibility to support the care and protection of children.
NGOs have the responsibility to care for children with whom they work and with whom their representatives work.
If agencies work through partners they have a responsibility to guarantee a minimum standard of protection for the children in their partners' programs.

Child sponsorship completely supports the holistic concept of well-being and development of the children served. XYZ, therefore, commits to establishing and implementing policies and procedures which protect the safety, privacy, and dignity of children who participate in our programs.

Definitions:

Child:
A child is any person under 18 years of age (UNICEF, Convention on the Rights of the Child). The definition will be expanded to include any person less than 21 years of age who is participating in any of the programs of XYZ.

Abuse:
Spiritual, psychological and physical abuse, neglect, cruelty, sexual abuse and emotional maltreatment.
Any act in word or deed which debases, degrades or demeans the intrinsic worth and dignity of a child as a human being.
Unreasonable deprivation of basic needs for survival such as food and shelter.
Failure to immediately give medical treatment to an injured/ill child resulting in the serious impairment of their growth and development or in their permanent disablement or death.

2. Child Safety and Protection Statement:
Child sponsorship is intended to create positive and nurturing opportunities and environments which will provide for the best possible development and well-being of the children. XYZ affirms its commitment to the protection of children's rights in all its deliberations.

Persons to Whom the Statement Applies:
Child Safety and Protection Statement applies to project holders, project coordinators, project managers/superintendents/ correspondents/project staff whether full or part-time, members of any committee related to the project at its local and project holder level, employees of XYZ, sponsors, donors, volunteers, consultants, or any other person who, due to their association with XYZ or its partners or projects, interacts with a child participating in a XYZ sponsored program. This commitment to child protection also extends to those who create media material for XYZ/donors/project holders/projects.

Child Protection - Code of Conduct and Behavioral Expectations:

Do not take children alone to a solitary or dark place.
Do not visit a child at home while the child is alone at home.
Do not be involved in bathing or toilet activities except with preschoolers or children with special needs - and only then if done in an open way with another worker within hearing distance.
Do not engage in inappropriate physical contact with children, including overly affectionate touching, suggestive behavior, rough physical play, or inappropriate tickling.
Do not take children home or any other place without at least one other person (can be another child) in the van, car, auto rickshaw or a two-wheeler.
Do not use harsh, harmful, threatening, or insulting language when talking to a child.
Do not spend excessive time with any particular child/children or show obvious favoritism.
Do not use physical punishment to discipline a child. Please refer any potential disciplinary issues to the project manager.
Do not engage children in domestic and personal work for staff or anyone else.
Do not involve children in risky errands for the project, school, or church.
Promptly report any suspected abuse of a child to the project manager, project holder, or any other responsible party.
Create a warm and safe environment for children, treating them with dignity and respect.
Use positive language, praise, and encouragement.
Affirm the value of each child.
Commit to using positive disciplinary practices whenever possible (e.g. responding positively to appropriate behavior, rewarding desired behavior).
Follow governmental/national policy regarding child discipline.

Especially Vulnerable Children/Children at Risk/Differently-Abled Children:
Children who are very young at risk or disabled may not have the ability or capacity to distinguish inappropriate from appropriate behavior or to communicate their discomfort to others. Because of their special vulnerability, it is important that extra care be taken to guarantee their protection and well-being.

Teaching and Learning Environment:
Teaching and learning will be done in an open environment to which parents and other teachers have free access.

Visitors:
Visitors will never be allowed free access to children without the supervision of the project manager or any responsible person assigned by him/her.

Counseling:

Counseling and prayer for children and youth will be done in an open manner, usually within the view of another person. Any departure from this rule is only be done under strict supervision of the project manager.
Avoid being alone with a child in an isolated area. For the protection of both the child and adult, confine one-on-one interactions to public places. If private conversation is needed, choose a room where an outsider may view the interaction.

Camps:
Children attending camps and outings will be properly supervised in teams. Rules for leaders and children shall include:

Leaders will supervise children who have the same sex that they do.
Children will not be allowed to share a bed with another child or with a leader.
A minimum space of 2 feet should separate the children if sleeping on the floor.
Children of the opposite sex will not share a bedroom/dormitory after age 5.
Access to bathrooms, toilets, or dormitories of the opposite sex is not allowed by leaders or children above five years.

Reporting Abuse:
It is the responsibility of all project staff and management to report suspected abuse to the proper authorities. Although a person has the right to make a direct report, in most cases it will be appropriate to report suspicions to the project manager or other senior staff member - unless they themselves are the subject of the allegation.

If a disclosure is made:

No staff member or other person will ask a child to repeat a story or insist that a child tell more than they are willing to do.
The staff member or other person will treat the matter in a sensitive and confidential way.
No staff member or other person will attempt to counsel in areas where he or she is not qualified.
The staff member or other person will offer reassurance and friendship in a sensitive way.

Staff/Others : If there appears to be good reason to suspect a staff member or anyone else may have physically or sexually abused a child or adolescent, the project holder will report the matter to the responsible legal authority.

Recruitment (Selection of Staff and Volunteers):

All staff and volunteers whether paid or unpaid must have undergone a suitable screening process.
Procedures for staff/volunteer selection should include thorough screening, interviews, and checking of references. Acknowledging that persons who are likely to abuse children may purposefully seek employment where access to children may be gained.
Where ever possible, criminal background checks should be performed prior to employment. Any conviction for abuse, paedophilia, violent crime or similar offences should be grounds for refusal of employment.
All staff members working with children should undergo a probationary period with scheduled observation and review. Inappropriate behaviour toward children should be considered as grounds for dismissal.

General
All staff members and others who work with children or with youth will be fully informed of the Child Safety and Protection Statement. They will receive a copy of this statement and agree to abide by its procedures. Failure to do so will disqualify the staff member or others from any form of work with children and youth.
The violation of any rule contained in this statement will lead to the termination of service for the person concerned. If the project holder does not carry out the required disciplinary action, this may lead to the projects disaffiliation by KNH.
A copy of the Declaration of Commitment to be signed by each member of the staff should be kept in the project files.

Please see the WORD format of the Child Safety and Protection Policies

Declaration of Commitment

Contact
Kindernothilfe
Email

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