Child Safeguarding Statement

CHILD SAFEGUARDING STATEMENT

 

  1. Name of service being provided :

Cáirdeas Kilmovee Family Resource Centre

  1. Address Of Service being provided:

Kilmovee, Ballaghaderreen Co Mayo

Kilkelly Outreach Office, Kilkelly Co Mayo

                                                             

______________________________________________________________

  1. Nature of service and principles to safeguarding children from harm

Cáirdeas, Kilmovee Family Resource Centre is committed to working with children, their parents and the broader community with a view to ensuring the best possible outcomes for all members of our community. Cáirdeas, Kilmovee Family Resource Centre employs a community development approach that proactively encourages and supports participation by all.

Specifically, Cáirdeas, Kilmovee Family Resource Centre will:

  • be inclusive and open to all
  • address any inequalities that we encounter through our work
  • ensure that actions will respond to identified needs and will actively provide a positive impact for those we work with
  • work in a spirit of co-operation with other service providers and development organisations
  • provide a welcoming and confidential space
  • be outcomes focused

Here at Cáirdeas Kilmovee Family Resource Centre we provide the following services to children/young people:

Family support

Youth services

Summer camps

Sporting opportunities

Art

Educational activities

Information/advice/advocacy

Guiding principles to safeguard children from harm

We believe that:

  • Our priority is to ensure the welfare and safety of every child and young person who attends our service is paramount.
  • Our guiding principles and procedures to safeguard children and young people reflect national policy and legislation and we will review our guiding principles and child safeguarding every two years.
  • All children and young people have an equal right to attend a service that respects them as individuals and encourages them to reach their potential, regardless of their background.
  • We are committed to upholding the rights of every child and young person who attends our service, including the right to be kept safe and protected from harm, listened to and heard.
  • Our guiding principles apply to everyone in our organisation.
  • Workers/volunteers must conduct themselves in a way that reflects the principles of our organisation.
  1. Risk Assessment

We have carried out an assessment of any potential for harm (as defined in the Children First Act, 2015) to a child while availing of our services.  Risk of harm as defined in the Act means, in relation to a child – (a) assault, ill-treatment or neglect of the child in a manner that seriously affects or is likely to seriously affect the child’s health, development or welfare, or (b) sexual abuse of a child.  

Below is a list of the areas of risk identified and the list of procedures for managing these risks.

 

Risk of harm in relation to a child as defined in the Children First Act (2015)

Procedure in place to manage identified risk

 

1

Risk of harm of abuse of children by staff/ volunteers:

– Recruitment and selection procedure

– Allegations of abuse against staff/volunteers procedure

– Reporting procedure

– Complaints procedure

– Code of behaviour procedure for staff/volunteers

-Training strategy for staff and volunteers

2

Risk of harm of abuse of children as a result of staff/volunteers not being aware of indicators of abuse or correct reporting or safeguarding procedures:

– Reporting Procedure

-Training strategy for staff and volunteers

– Induction and training procedure

– Staff and volunteer supervision procedure

3

Risk of harm of abuse from peer to peer abuse.

– Code of behaviour for young people

– Supervision of children procedure

– Anti bullying procedure

– Complaints procedure

– Training strategy for staff and volunteers

–  Reporting procedure

– Safe use of internet and photographic and

   recording devices procedure

4

Risk of harm of abuse by staff/volunteers while providing 1:1 working:

– 1:1 working procedure

– Training strategy for staff and volunteers

– Staff and volunteer supervision procedure

– Recruitment procedure

– Reporting procedure

– Allegations of abuse against staff/volunteers

5

Risk of harm of abuse to children by the inappropriate use of digital images or social media by staff/volunteers:

-Code of behaviour procedure for staff/volunteers 

 and young people

– Supervision of young people procedure

– Safe use of internet and photographic and   

   recording devices procedure

– Complaints procedure

-Training strategy for staff and volunteers

– Induction and training procedure

– Staff and volunteer supervision procedure

– Reporting procedure

– Allegations of abuse against staff/volunteers

6

Risk of harm of abuse of children from visitors/members of the public/contractors/partner agencies:

– Supervision of children procedure

– Procedure for sign in of visitors

– Agreed joint child safeguarding procedures for contracted or partnership agencies

– A room booking system and a policy document in place which records contact details and insurance details of all external groups and organisations using space and renting rooms.

  1. Procedures

Our Child Safeguarding Statement has been developed in line with requirements under the Children First Act 2015, Children First National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children (2017), and Tusla’s Child Safeguarding: A Guide for Policy, Procedure and Practice.

The following procedures list in our risk assessment and the specified procedures below support our intention to safeguard children while they are availing of our service:

  • Procedure for the management of allegations of abuse or misconduct against workers/volunteers of a child availing of our service;
  • Procedure for the safe recruitment and selection of workers and volunteers to work with children;
  • Procedure for provision of and access to child safeguarding training and information, including the identification of the occurrence of harm;
  • Procedure for the reporting of child protection or welfare concerns to Tusla;
  • Procedure for maintaining a list of the persons (if any) in the relevant service who are mandated persons;
  • Procedure for appointing a relevant person;
  • Additional procedures identified in risk assessment.

This Child Safeguarding Statement will be displayed prominently.

All procedures will be made available to staff, parents, young people, members of the public and Tusla if requested.

  1. Implementation and Review

We recognise that implementation is an on-going process. Our service is committed to the implementation of this Child Safeguarding Statement and the procedures that support our intention to keep children safe from harm while availing of our service.

This Child Safeguarding Statement will be reviewed on June 2025 or as soon as practicable after there has been a material change in any matter to which the statement refers.

Signed: ______________________________ Larry Frain Chairperson-

Provider of the relevant service

 

Larry Frain Chairperson

0949649814

frc@kilmovee.ie

For queries, please contact our coordinator, who is the relevant person and the first point of contact regarding this Child Safeguarding Statement under the children First Act, 2015.

Siobhán Smith

Cairdeas Kilmovee Family Resource Centre

Kilmovee

Co Mayo F45 AZ67

Ph 0949649814

coord@kilmovee.ie