Code of Conduct
Volunteers & Employees
Should be aware that their personal behaviour may impact upon their work with children or young people and so should agree not to behave in a manner which would lead any reasonable person to question their suitability to work with children or to act as a role model.
Should be sensitive to the needs of children; care must be taken to ensure nothing is done to make a child feel uncomfortable or cause them to misinterpret our actions.
Should monitor one another – particularly in the area of physical contact. They should be free to help each other by pointing out anything that could be misconstrued.
You should:
Treat all children and young people with respect and dignity befitting their age
Ensure that your own language, tone of voice and body language is appropriate and respectful
Avoid any form of behaviour which represents, or could be construed as, emotional or psychological abuse - any form of bullying (including coercive control/leadership) is unacceptable
Avoid situations where you are one to one with a child – work within sight of another adult
Ensure another adult is informed if a child needs to be taken to the toilet
Respond warmly to a child who needs comforting, but make sure there are other adults around
Avoid doing anything which is likely to result in injury to a child, yourself or others, even in play
Administer any necessary first aid with others around whenever possible
Always share concerns about a child’s welfare (including if you become aware of possible Domestic Abuse) with the Safeguarding Coordinator
Always share concerns about the behaviour of another worker with your group leader and/or the Safeguarding Coordinator
Discipline out of love, NEVER anger. (Call on support from other leaders if you feel you may deal with a situation unwisely in your anger)
Only ever use physical restraint as a last resort to prevent injury – in such circumstances it must always be the minimal force necessary to safeguard the child and others
Call for a child’s parent/ carer If a child's behaviour causes concern or he/she is distressed
You should not:
Initiate physical contact. Any necessary contact, e.g. for comfort, should be:
Initiated by the child
In public
Appropriate to the situation and to the age, gender and culture of the child
In response to the needs of the child, not the adult
Respectful of the child's privacy, feelings and dignity
Touch a child inappropriately or obtrusively
Invade a child’s privacy while they are in the toilet. (Children of Sunday school age should be able to take themselves to the toilet. Where we meet on shared premises you should escort them to the door and ensure they come straight back again)
Play rough, physical or sexually provocative games
Be sexually suggestive about or to a child even in fun
Use any form of physical punishment
Scapegoat, ridicule or reject a child, group or adult
Show favouritism to any one child or group to the exclusion of others
Allow unknown adults to have access to children
Promise to keep something secret if it is about a child being harmed or at risk of harm, but only tell those who need to know
I agree to abide by the above code of conduct while working with children at Grace Church Beckenham
Name ……………………………………………………….. Signed: ………………………………..……….
Date: ………………..…………