1. Objectives

2. Policy on Working with Children, Young People and Vulnerable Adults

Section A – Executive Summary

Tamil School Hendon has a detailed policy and set of guidelines on working with children, young people and vulnerable adults which should be read and understood by all employees and volunteers in appropriate posts. It is important however that all employees and volunteers are encouraged to read this summary as an essential and quick reference guide.

1                      Welfare Paramount

Through this policy Tamil School Hendon is committed to promoting the well‑being and enjoyment of children, young people and vulnerable adults engaged in, or benefiting from, its activities as well as protecting their health, safety and general welfare whilst in the company of Tamil School Hendon employees or volunteers.

2                      Health and Safety

Health and safety requirements, in accordance with Tamil SchoolHendon’s Health and Safety Policy, must be carefully considered when planning and carrying out activities with anyone who is vulnerable. These should include:

- Undertaking thorough risk assessments prior to activities/events;

- Ensuring adequate supervision and support is available from Tamil School Hendon employees and volunteers.

3                      Code of Conduct

It is important that all Tamil School Hendon employees and volunteers remember that they are role models for others, particularly children and young people. They should also be aware that some actions, no matter how well intentioned, may be misinterpreted and as a result leave all parties vulnerable.

Employees and volunteers should not:

- Be left alone for substantial periods of time with a child, young person or vulnerable adult;

- Permit abusive behaviour by others, or engage in it them, including making suggestive remarks, inappropriate gestures, etc;

- Jump to conclusions about others without checking facts;

- Hesitate to share concerns on any of these matters with the appropriate Tamil School Hendon staff member.

4                      Dealing with Alleged or Suspected Abuse

All Tamil School Hendon employees and volunteers should be aware of the types of harm that children, young people and vulnerable adults can suffer from. These include physical, emotional and sexual abuse, as well as neglect.

If a child, young person or vulnerable adult wants to talk about harm to any Tamil School Hendon employee or volunteer the latter should do the following:

- Write down accurately what the person has said, (i.e. word for word)

- Notify the appropriate Tamil School Hendon staff member.

In the absence of a Tamil School Hendon staff member, and where a vulnerable person is in imminent danger, employees or volunteers should contact the relevant authorities themselves, (i.e. Social Services, Police, or NSPCC). They should then inform the Tamil School Hendon staff member as soon as possible on their return.

Where it is suspected that an employee or volunteer may be involved in the abuse employees and volunteers should inform the Tamil School Hendon staff member as soon as possible.

Dealing with incidents of abuse is difficult for any individual so employees and volunteers should not:

• Act alone;

• Start to investigate;

•Make any assumptions of guilt or innocence.

Any employee or volunteer who is involved in a disclosure of abuse may feel that they need to speak to a professional to reassure themselves that they have done the right thing. The NSPCC operate a 24 hour help line for anyone concerned about an individual. It is primarily for use by adults and can be used anonymously: 0800 800500.

Section B ‑ Policy

1.     INTENTION AND INTRODUCTION

1.1   Statement of Intent

Tamil School Hendon values and encourages the involvement of children, young people and vulnerable adults in its volunteering activities. Through its policy on Working with Children, Young People and Vulnerable Adults, Tamil School Hendon is committed to promoting their well‑being and enjoyment and protecting their health, safety and general welfare while in the company or care of Tamil School Hendon staff or volunteers.

1.2   Introduction

Children, young people and vulnerable adults may be involved with Tamil School Hendon staff and/or volunteers. In promoting this policy Tamil School Hendon is keen to take reasonable steps to:

• Provide a friendly secure and comfortable environment for the benefit and enjoyment of children, young people and vulnerable adults;

• Keep them safe from harm while in the care of its staff or volunteers;

• Support and protect the interests of staff and volunteers who have contact with, or access to, children, young people and vulnerable adults.

1.3   Content

This policy has been compiled as a reference guide to Tamil School Hendon policy and practices affecting children, young people and vulnerable adults. To help clarity the content, the document has been broken down into:

Section A – Executive Summary

Section B - Policy: the guiding principles, definitions of those affected and the manner of implementation.

Section C – Guidelines: instructions for best practice based on the guiding principles, which must be followed.

Although detailed, this policy is not intended to be comprehensive and as such does not attempt to deal with all the issues of working with children, young people and vulnerable adults. Instead they are intended as a practical guide for staff and volunteers involved with them.

2                      SCOPE OF THE POLICY AND THOSE AFFECTED

2.1                  Tamil School Hendon Personnel Affected

This policy applies to all staff and volunteers, and others representing Tamil School Hendon, who have contact with children, young people and vulnerable adults.

2.2                  Children, Young People and Vulnerable Adults Affected

The definitions of 'child', 'young person' and ‘vulnerable adult’ used in this policy are as follows:

A child: is anyone under 18 (or under 16 if in employment) (Criminal Justice and Court Services Act 2000(CJCSA))

A young person: is anyone between 16 and 18 (Churches’ Child Protection Advisory Service). 

A vulnerable adult:  means a person aged 18 or over who has a condition of the following type: i) a learning or physical disability; ii) a physical or mental illness, chronic or otherwise, including an addiction to alcohol or drugs; or iii) a reduction in physical or mental capacity (CJCSA)

It should be recognised that people with special needs are able to cope in many situations, so sensitivity and common sense should be exercised during interaction with this group.

2.3                  Activities Affected

Activities and involvement within the scope of this Policy include:

Working with children, young people or vulnerable adults in a residential setting;

Any activity, which might involve substantial unsupervised access to children, young people or vulnerable adults

3                GUIDING PRINCIPLES

In working with children, young people and vulnerable adults Tamil School Hendon aims to:

1)         Promote their general welfare;

2)       Recognise their rights as individuals and treat them with dignity and respect;

3)       Consistently apply fair and objective methods of selecting staff and volunteers;

4)       Plan activities involving children, young people and vulnerable adults with care to minimise risks to their health and safety;

5)       Raise awareness of the dangers to which children, young people and vulnerable adults may be susceptible;

6)       Develop appropriate procedures for responding to accidents, incidents and alleged or suspected harm.

Guidelines for good practice under each of the six points listed above are set out in Section C.

Section C Guidelines

1                      WELFARE

Guiding Principle: to provide a friendly environment for children, young people and vulnerable adults and promote their general welfare (health, happiness and well-being).

1.1                 Providing a Friendly Environment

As an organisation which values and encourages the involvement of young people, Tamil School Hendon aims to provide a friendly, safe, secure and enjoyable experience for all of its staff and volunteers and for any individuals participating in or benefiting from, its activities.

When working with children, young people and vulnerable adults, Tamil School Hendon intends that staff and volunteers see themselves as part of a team sharing this common interest.

As well as good public relations, such an approach should ensure that anyone who may be vulnerable feels able to raise any concerns they may have and discuss anything they may be unhappy about.

1.2                  Welfare Paramount

The fundamental principle, both in law and good practice, is that whenever the interests of a child, young person or vulnerable adult are involved, their welfare must always be paramount. TAMIL SCHOOL HENDON recognises this and all staff and volunteers should seek to implement this principle.

2                      INDIVIDUALS WITH RIGHTS

Guiding principle: to recognise that children, young people and vulnerable adults have rights as individuals and should be treated with dignity and respect.

2.1                  People as Individuals

Tamil School Hendon recognises the need to be aware of each individual's needs and capabilities when working with children, young people and vulnerable adults, in order to make their experience with Tamil School Hendon more rewarding. It also enables Tamil School Hendon to be more responsive should a young person be suffering harm.

2.2                  Children and Young People's Rights

The Children’s Act 1989 gives children and young people certain rights, including the right to be listened to and to talk about any worries they may have, as well as the right to be protected if they are in danger, or at risk of harm.

Children, young people and vulnerable adults should feel able to approach a Tamil School Hendon representative for help, without fear of recrimination. As a result they should be better able to protect themselves.

3                      SELECTION OF STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS

Guiding principle: to consistently apply fair practice and objective methods of selecting staff and volunteers who will work with children, young people and vulnerable adults.

Tamil School Hendon will take appropriate steps to ensure unsuitable people are prevented from working with children, young people or vulnerable adults. A thorough selection procedure for positions, both paid and unpaid, which could involve unsupervised access to any vulnerable groups is probably the most effective way of assessing a person's suitability, and may act as a deterrent to potential abusers.

It should be noted that anyone who applies to work or volunteer with Tamil School Hendon may have the potential to cause harm, whether they are a member of staff or a volunteer.

3.1                  New Appointments

TAMIL SCHOOL HENDON will rigorously apply these procedures with applicants for all employee or volunteer posts that involve substantial unsupervised access to children, young people and vulnerable adults.

3.2                  Job/Task Description

A Job/Task Description will be drawn up for all staff and volunteer positions within Tamil School Hendon

Person Specifications will also be drawn up with a list of 'Skills/Qualities Required’ for any opportunities which involve working with children, young people or vulnerable adults.

3.3                  Application Form

All applicants will be asked to complete an Employee Application Form/Volunteer Declaration Form as applicable.

These ask applicants to provide:

Details of two independent referees who should be able to provide an opinion on the applicant's suitability to work with children, young people or vulnerable adults;

Details of any criminal history including 'spent' convictions.

These forms will be returned to the Tamil School Hendon Volunteer Department. To protect confidentiality forms will be kept in a locked drawer or cabinet.

3.4                  References

References for all applicants, whether for a paid or voluntary position, should be sought before the applicant is formally offered a position within Tamil School Hendon.

For potential employees references should be provided by an ex‑employer or professional person who can comment, from first hand knowledge, on the applicant's experience and suitability for working with children, young people and vulnerable adults.

Wherever possible individuals applying for voluntary positions within Tamil School Hendon may also be asked to provide professional references. In instances where this may not be possible a character reference is acceptable.

Written references should be read carefully for ambiguities or hidden meanings. If there is anything that raises doubts about the applicant, the referee should be contacted to discuss the matter further.

All applicants should be made aware that any appointment, whether paid or voluntary, is subject to satisfactory references. References should be treated confidentially and stored securely.

3.7                CRB Police Checks

Tamil School Hendon staff and volunteers who will have substantial, unsupervised access to children, young people or vulnerable adults should be CRB checked to the appropriate level.

All individuals should be made aware that any appointment, whether paid or voluntary, is subject to satisfactory checks. Information gathered through this process should be treated in the strictest confidence and in accordance with the CRB Code of Good Practice.

3.8                  Irrelevant Matters

Certain information revealed by the selection procedures may be immaterial to the prevention of harm to young people. Assurances should be given that information will be dealt with confidentially.

An applicant may disclose, for example, a minor offence that may have no relevance to their current lifestyle or behaviour. Having a conviction should not automatically eliminate someone without first considering its relevance and age, whether there is a pattern of convictions and if their circumstances have changed since the offence was committed.

3.9      Support and Supervision

All Tamil School Hendon staff and volunteers working with children, young people and vulnerable adults will be offered regular support and supervision sessions with an appropriate Tamil School Hendon staff member. Time will be taken to explore their working practice and to check that this complies with the practice as outlined in this policy. Support and supervision sessions will give either party the opportunity to identify training needs and discuss any areas of concern.

4                      HEALTH AND SAFETY CONSIDERATION

Guiding Principle: to plan activities involving children, young people and vulnerable adults with care to minimise risks to their health and safety and opportunities for them to suffer harm or injury.

4.1                  Risk Assessments and Other General Considerations

Health and safety requirements in accordance with Tamil School Hendon's policy and practice must be carefully considered when planning and carrying out activities involving children, young people and vulnerable adults. Tamil School Hendon's Health and Safety Policy applies to volunteers as well as employees.

All staff and volunteers should carry out thorough risk assessments prior to undertaking events/activities with children, young people or vulnerable adults. By doing this any problems can be addressed before any accident or harm takes place. Risk assessments should consider:

•        The suitability of the task to be tackled/activities to be undertaken;

•        The suitability of premises, tools and equipment;

•        The provision of appropriate clothing (e.g. wet weather clothing, footwear)

•        The provision of safety information to all staff, volunteers and participants;

•        The provision of first‑aid facilities;

•        Communications and emergency procedures, including action in the event

•        Fire precautions;

•        The provision of appropriate training.

4.2                  Planning and Supervision

Whenever an employee or volunteer works with children, young people or vulnerable adults (whether or not carers remain ultimately responsible), Tamil School Hendon's guidelines on appropriate planning and supervision need to be observed to reduce the risk of harm.

-  Activities involving children, young people or vulnerable adults should be carefully planned to ensure that maximum protection is provided at all times;

-  Those who are involved in an activity organised by Tamil School Hendon should be supervised and supported wherever possible, ensuring that the appropriate ratio of employees is present. This will depend on the nature of the activity, the number and age range of the people involved and whether anyone involved has any special needs;

- A common sense approach should be adopted regarding the supervision of young people. Where appropriate, young people deemed may be left unsupervised, however each situation should be judged on its own merit.

- At all times staff should know where they are and what they are doing;

- Wherever possible both female and male employees/volunteers should be present.

4.3                  Code of Conduct

Some actions, no matter how well intentioned, may be misinterpreted and leave all parties vulnerable. The following is a quick reference guide to appropriate behaviour when working with children, young people and vulnerable adults.

Tamil School Hendon staff and volunteers should:

- Remember they are a role model and provide an example for those they work with to follow;

- Bear in mind that some actions, no matter how well‑intentioned, may be easily misinterpreted and so leave all parties vulnerable;

- Be alert to any potential harm or inappropriate behaviour by young people;

- Aim for separate sleeping accommodation for males and females during residential activities;

- Ensure they have adequate training if supervising sports or games (e.g. football);

- Respect individuals’ rights to privacy;

- Provide access for children and young people to discuss any concerns they may have;

- Speak to the appropriate person if they have concerns about an individual's safety.

TAMIL SCHOOL HENDON staff and volunteers should not:

- Be left alone for substantial periods of time with children, young people and vulnerable adults. Where one‑to‑one work is necessary they should inform another staff member where they are going, with whom and for how long;

- Permit abusive behaviour by others or engage in it themselves (e.g. ridiculing and bullying);

- Show favouritism to, or become too closely associated with an individual. Nor should they get drawn into inappropriate attention‑seeking behaviour (e.g. crushes);

- Allow or engage in suggestive remarks, gestures or touching of a kind, which could be misunderstood;

- Jump to conclusions about others without checking facts;

- Hesitate to share concerns on any of these matters with the appropriate person.

5                      RAISING AWARENESS OF DANGERS

Guiding principle: raise awareness of the dangers to which children, young people and vulnerable adults are susceptible.

5.1 Abuse - Types

Abuse is generally described under five headings and is usually referred to in the context of children. For the purposes of this policy the following definitions are also applicable to abuse of young people or vulnerable adults:

Neglect

Neglect can be defined as a situation in which the child suffers significant harm or impairment of development by being deprived of food, clothing, warmth, hygiene, intellectual stimulation, supervision and safety, attachment to and affection from others and medical care. The threshold of significant harm is reached when the child’s needs are neglected to the extent that his or her well-being and/or development are severely affected.

Emotional Abuse

Emotional abuse occurs when a child’s need for affection, approval, consistency and security are not met. Examples of emotional abuse include:

- The imposition of negative attributes on a child, expressed by persistent criticism, sarcasm, hostility or blaming;

- Emotional unavailability by the child’s parent/carer;

- Unrealistic and/or inappropriate expectations of the child;

- Failure to show interest in, or provide age-appropriate opportunities for the child’s cognitive and emotional development;

- Unreasonable or over harsh disciplinary measures;

- Exposure to domestic violence.

Physical Abuse

Physical abuse is any form of non-accidental injury or injury which results from wilful or neglectful failure to protect a child. Examples of physical injury include:

- Shaking, smacking, and burning;

- Use of excessive force in handling.

Sexual Abuse

Sexual abuse occurs when a child is used by another person for his or her gratification or sexual arousal or for that of others. Examples of sexual abuse include:

- Exposure of the sexual organs or any sexual act intentionally performed in the presence of the child;

- Intentional touching or molesting of the body of a child whether by a person or object for the purpose of sexual arousal or gratification;

- Sexual intercourse with a child;

- Sexual exploitation of a child.

Bullying

Bullying can be defined as repeated aggression - be it verbal, psychological or physical which is conducted by an individual or group against others.

Examples of bullying include:

- Teasing;

- Taunting;

- Threatening;

- Hitting;

- Extortion;

Bullying may take place in any setting - in schools, the home or in a play work/youth work setting. The more extreme forms of bullying would be regarded as physical or emotional abuse.

5.2                  Who Can Abuse

Abuse may be carried out by strangers. It is much more common however that the abuser is someone known to the person being abused, whether a parent, sibling, other relative, family friend or neighbour. Not only adults can harm. Children and young people can also suffer abuse from their peers.

Sometimes the abuser may be an adult who holds a position of authority over a young person. There is no certain way of identifying a would‑be abuser, they can be people of any background and do not appear different from the rest of society.

5.3                  Recognising Abuse

Possible Indicators of Child Abuse

Physical

- Frequent bruising, fractures, cuts, burns and other injuries;

- Torn clothing;

- Signs of neglect e.g. dirty, underfed;

- Constant hunger;

- Failure to thrive;

- Genital injuries or soreness;

- Sexually transmitted diseases;

- Pregnancy;

Emotional

- Unreasonable mood and/or behaviour changes;

- Aggression, withdrawal or an ‘I don’t care attitude’;

- Lack of attachment;

- Depression or suicide attempts;

- Persistent nightmares, disturbed sleep, bedwetting, reluctance to go to bed;

- Fear of a parent, family member of friend;

- Fear of the dark;

- Panic attacks;

Behavioural

Sexual

- Over affectionate or inappropriate sexual behaviour or knowledge given the child’s age often demonstrated in language, play or drawings;

- Fondling or exposure of genital areas, open masturbation;

- Sexually aggressive behaviour with others;

- Hints about sexual activity;

- Unusual reluctance to join in normal activities which involve undressing, e.g. games/swimming;

- Overly compliant and submissive;

- Strong dislike of physical contact;

- Prostitution - giving sexual favours in return for gifts or money.

Changes in normal behaviour for the person in question

- Unwillingness to participate in certain activities or go to particular places ( that once may have been liked) e.g. school, youth group, and swimming pool;

- Running away from home or avoiding school;

- Separation anxiety;

- Isolation;

- Tiredness and poor concentration;

- Unexplained display of wealth of gifts (bribes) or a constant shortage of money and loss of good equipment/clothes/shoes (taken by bullies).

Illness

- Eating disorders such as overeating or anorexia;

- Skin disorders;

- Obsessive washing;

- Psychosomatic disorders.

Some signs are more indicative of abuse than others. These include:

- Disclosure of abuse and neglect by a child or young person;

- Age-inappropriate or abnormal sexual play or knowledge;

- Specific injuries or patterns of injuries;

- Running away from home or a care situation;

- Attempted suicide;

- Under-age pregnancy or sexually transmitted disease.

It is important to stress that no one indicator should be seen as a conclusive indication of abuse; it may indeed indicate conditions other than child abuse. A cluster or pattern of signs is more likely to be indicative of abuse.

5.4                 Informing

By issuing this policy, Tamil School Hendon is keen to ensure (without creating unnecessary anxiety) that all relevant employees and volunteers:

- Know the types of harm to which children, young people and vulnerable adults are susceptible;

- Are alert to behaviour, which suggests something may be wrong;

- Are able to talk to someone if they become aware of anything, which causes them to feel uncomfortable;

- Know how to deal with alleged or suspected harm.

6                      RESPONDING TO ACCIDENTS, INCIDENTS AND EVIDENCE OF ABUSE

Guiding principle: develop appropriate procedures for responding to accidents, incidents and alleged or suspected cases of abuse.

6.1                Responding to Accidents/Incidents

In the event of an accident to an individual, first‑aid should be administered and the situation managed to ensure the welfare of the individual and the safety of others. The Emergency Services should be called for where appropriate.

An Accident/incident Report Form should be completed. Where appropriate the circumstances of the accident should be investigated to establish the cause and to identify what remedial action should be taken to minimise the possibility of a recurrence. A comparison with the risk assessment for the activity should also be made to establish if the correct controls/actions had been in place/followed when the incident occurred.

Fatal accidents, major injuries and dangerous occurrences should be notified without delay by telephone to the appropriate Tamil School Hendon staff member, after alerting the appropriate authorities.

Where an accident/incident involving young people has been narrowly avoided employees and volunteers should detail its nature and pass the information on to the appropriate Tamil School Hendon staff member

6.2                  Responding to alleged or suspected cases of abuse

If an individual wants to talk about abuse

If a child, young person or vulnerable adult wants to talk about abuse, it is essential that the employee or volunteer:

- Listens carefully to what the person says, keeping calm and looking at them directly;

- Lets them know that to help them someone else must be told;

- Reassures them that they are not to blame;

- Is aware that they may have been threatened;

- Does not push them for information;

- Reassures them that they are right to talk about it and what they say is accepted;

·Lets them know what will happen next and undertakes to let them know the outcome.

Dealing with alleged or suspected abuse

If a young person or other person who may be vulnerable has talked about abuse, or abuse is suspected from common sense alarm bells, the Tamil School Hendon employee or volunteer must do two things:

1. Notify the appropriate Tamil School Hendon staff member;

2. Write down accurately what the individual has said.

It is vitally important that employees and volunteers notify the appropriate Tamil School Hendon staff member, so that they can then inform and liaise with the relevant authority (Social Services/Police/NSPCC).

Where the appropriate Tamil School Hendon staff member is unavailable and the individual is considered to be in imminent danger employees or volunteers should contact the relevant authorities themselves. They should then inform the Tamil School Hendon staff member as soon as possible on their return.

Where it is suspected that an employee or volunteer may be involved in the abuse, employees and volunteers should inform the Tamil School Hendon staff member as soon as possible. The employee/volunteer should be immediately removed from access to children, young people and vulnerable adults, but be assured that no presumptions have been made and that the allegation will be fully investigated by the relevant authorities.

If gross misconduct is reasonably suspected, it may be appropriate to ask them not to attend the office or property at all while the matter is under investigation (suspended on full pay if an employee). Once the relevant authorities enquiry has concluded, the Tamil School Hendon staff member should decide what further action is appropriate in conjunction with Tamil School Hendon's other relevant policies (for example policies on Grievance, Discipline and Complaints for employees and volunteers).

Dealing with incidents of abuse is difficult for any individual so employees and volunteers should not:

- Act alone;

- Start to investigate; or

·Make any assumptions of guilt or innocence.

Any employee or volunteer who is involved in a disclosure of any kind may feel that they need to speak to a professional to reassure themselves that they have done the right thing. The NSPCC operate a 24 hour help line for anyone concerned about a child or young person. It is primarily for use by adults and can be used anonymously: 0800 800600.

6.3                  Accurate Note

Full and accurate notes (i.e. word for word) must be written as soon as possible, recording the date and time of the alleged incident or disclosure, the parties involved, what was alleged and action taken. Records should be as accurate as possible as they may be invaluable to the investigation and used as evidence in court. The appropriate Tamil School Hendon staff member should keep a copy.

6.4                Confidentiality and Sensitivity

When dealing with personal and emotive details of this nature, confidentiality must be maintained at all times since the allegations or suspicions may prove to be unfounded. Notes and records should be kept in a secure place and shared only with those who need to know about the incident or allegation.

A sensitive approach should be taken with the accused to explain why an investigation has to take place and to reassure them that the matter will be handled discreetly and even‑handedly by Tamil School Hendon.

No assumptions of guilt should be made unless and until an actual conviction has been obtained in the proceedings. A nominated Tamil School Hendon staff member will maintain impartial contact during this process.