Child Protection Policy

 

Auchtermuchty Theatre Group is fully committed to promoting children’s rights,

notably their right to be protected from harm, abuse and exploitation and to be

involved in any decisions that directly affect them. Auchtermuchty Theatre Group

has a duty of care to implement effective policies and procedures for

safeguarding the welfare of children and young people. In order to achieve

this we will ensure our volunteers are carefully selected, screened,

trained and supervised. Furthermore we will endeavour to keep uptodate

with national developments relating to the care and protection of children and

young people.

Auchtermuchty Theatre Group will:

1. Develop best practice in relation to the recruitment of all volunteers
This will include:

 

  • Ensuring all applicants volunteers complete an application form
  • Ensuring all successful applicants provide a suitable reference
  • Ensuring all successful applicants complete a self declaration form
  • Ensuring all successful applicants complete the correct level of Disclosure Certificate check
  • Ensuring all volunteers appointed to a child care position (as defined in schedule 2 of PoCSA)
    are checked against the Disqualified from Working with Children’s List

 

2. Provide opportunities for all volunteers through the provision of

training for all successful applicants, which will give an overview of the

organisation’s purpose, values, structure and services. This will include the

following:

 

  • Details of the structure of the organisation
  • Details of the organisations aims and objectives
  • An assessment of training and development requirements
  • Details of the roles and responsibilities of volunteers within the organisation
  • Details and clarification of the expectations, roles and responsibilities of the newly appointed volunteers
  • Clarification, agreement and signing up to the organisations child protection policy and procedures

 

3. Ensure that all volunteers understand their responsibility to work to the

standards and procedures detailed in the organisation’s Code of Conduct,
and Child Protection Procedures by

 

  • Ensuring all volunteers receive training, information and a copy of the

organisations Code of Conduct

  • Ensuring all workers receive training, information and a copy of the organisations Child Protection Procedures
  • Ensuring all workers are given details of the organisation’s
    Child Protection Officer(s) contact details and role within the organisation

 

4. Ensure that all volunteers understand their obligations to report care or

protection concerns about a child/young person, to the organisations

designated child protection person for child protection by providing training

and guidance on:

 

  • Types of abuse and a summary of signs and indicators
  • Procedures for responding to concerns about abuse/neglect
  • Procedures and practice for responding and listening to disclosure of abuse
  • Details of why organisations have a responsibility to refer child protection concerns
    to the statutory child protection agencies (i.e. Police and or Social Work)
  • Details of who within the organisation workers should report care and protection concerns
  • Details of the protection of workers who report care and protection concerns
  • Details of the referral process to child protection agencies via the organisations nominated child protection worker
  • Details of the organisations responsibility to refer workers to Scottish Ministers when a worker has
    harmed a child or placed a child at risk of harm and been removed from their position within the organisation

 

5. Ensure that all procedures relating to the conduct of volunteers are

implemented in a consistent and equitable manner by:

 

  • Conducting a consistent recruitment procedure
  • Providing training and guidance to all volunteers on the range of policies and procedures that must be
    adhered to within the organisation for the Care and Protection of Children
  • Providing training and information to all volunteers on the organisations disciplinary procedures
  • Ensuring all volunteers receive information on the relevant legislation that the organisation must adhere to,
    for example the Protection of Children (    Scotland) Act 2003)

 

6. Provide opportunities for all volunteers to develop their skills and knowledge

by providing information, guidance and training by:

 

  • Providing access to the organisations policies and procedures
  • Providing links to organisations who can provide information; VDS, CRBS, Citizens Advice, sportscotland, governing bodies
  • Providing relevant training and support on the volunteers initial and future roles within the organisation
  • Providing relevant training and support on specific areas such as Health and Safety and confidentiality
  • Providing workers with a designated supervisor who will provide regular feedback and support

 

7. Ensure that children and young people are enabled to express their ideas

and views on a wide range of issues and will have access to the organisations

policies and procedures including the Code of Conduct and Complaints

procedure

 

8. Ensure that parents/carers are encouraged to be involved in the work of the

organisation and, when requested, have access to all policies and procedures