WSM Safeguarding Children Policy and Procedures

Kō to tātou taonga tamariki
Children are our treasure

Why we have this policy:

Women’s Support Motueka understands that we are all guardians of our children. We understand that it takes each one of us to support the wellbeing of a child, and to protect them from vulnerability, child abuse and neglect.

Our intention is for all women and their families within our community to be safe, well and empowered to meet their full potential. We recognise that we have a responsibility not only to the women we work with, but to the children and young people who live in those families and who may be negatively affected by the environment in which they live. There may also be times when we are working directly with a child or young person.

We take our commitment seriously, to care and protect those children and young people and support them to flourish.

This Safeguarding Children Policy sets out our commitments to protecting children and creates procedures that all our staff and regular volunteers will follow in every situation where there is a concern about a child or young person.

At times a child or young person may be vulnerable in a number of ways. In these situations, our staff will work alongside women or young people to support integrated early intervention referrals to other community agencies.

In situations of actual, disclosed or suspected child abuse or neglect, our Safeguarding Children Procedures ensure the safe reporting of information, and the pathways to protect those children and young people.

This policy also appoints our Safeguarding and Child Protection Leaders and sets out their role and responsibilities.

We want to make sure that the wellbeing of children and young people is paramount in all our decision making. By always following our procedures in any situation of concern for a child or young person, we ensure we will always respond in a consistent and effective way, minimising harm and risk.

All Women’s Support Motueka staff will be aware of possible signs or information that indicate vulnerability, abuse or neglect may be occurring for a child or young person. If any signs are seen or concerns are held, it is a mandatory requirement of our policy that staff will immediately follow the procedures contained in this policy and pass on all concerns to our Safeguarding and Child Protection Leaders (SCPL) no matter how small they appear to be.

Our Procedures are:

Procedure 1: Responding to Suspected or Actual Child or Young Person Vulnerability, Abuse or Neglect

Procedure 2: Responding to an allegation of child abuse or neglect by a staff member or volunteer

Procedure 3: Responding to a disclosure of child abuse or neglect

Procedure 4: Information Sharing flowchart – Oranga Tamariki

Procedure 5: Risk Assessment Guidance

Whilst we expect all our staff and regular volunteers to follow this policy and procedures, if they have concerns about a child or young person and they feel this policy or procedures are not effective in keeping a child safe, they may contact Oranga Tamariki directly, seek further advice and make a Report of Concern.

Our Commitments

• We will make sure that all children and young people who we come into contact with are heard, respected and listened to, and their wellbeing and safety is always our paramount consideration.
• We will ensure this policy and procedures are always applied, by all staff in every situation of disclosed or suspected vulnerability, abuse or neglect.
• We will take action quickly and effectively if vulnerability, abuse and neglect of a child or young person are identified.
• We will respond to vulnerability of a child or young person by following best practice early intervention pathways.
• We will always share information and work alongside a child, young person and their whānau, so they can lead their wellbeing response, unless to do so would create a greater risk of harm.
• We will respond to concerns of child abuse and neglect by always following our child protection procedures.
• If allegations of abuse or neglect of a child are made against one of our staff members or regular volunteers, we will act immediately to protect the safety of the child and follow our procedures for managing these allegations. We commit not to enter into settlement agreements with staff or volunteers where there are any concerns about abuse of children by those staff/volunteers.
• We will provide positive and safe environments for children and young people with staff and regular volunteers trained in all aspects of child safety.
• We will always share information about a child or young person if in doing so, it increases their wellbeing and protects them from harm.
• We will follow our Safer Recruitment Policy and Procedures in all situations of new staff or Board members being appointed.

Who does this policy and procedures apply to?

Staff/Board This policy and procedures apply to all staff and Board members, along with regular volunteers who are employed, engaged or contracted by Women’s Support Motueka.

Children and Young People: This policy applies to all children under the age of 14 years old and young people between the ages of 14 to 18 years of age who Women’s Support Motueka staff come into contact with either directly or indirectly, during the course of their work.

Definitions used in this policy and procedures:

The Oranga Tamariki Act, 1989, defines child abuse as “…the harming (whether physically, emotionally, sexually), ill-treatment, abuse, neglect, or deprivation of any child or young person”.

A child is a person under the age of 14 years old.

A young person is a person of or over the age of 14 years but under 18 years.

Staff includes employed and engaged staff, contractors and regular volunteers.

Early intervention is the process of identifying child or youth vulnerability and risk early, and following a process to put in place supports to strengthen well-being and health of the child and whānau. Early intervention often includes an integrated community response. More information on Procedure 5 (Risk Assessment Guidance).

Child Protection is the action taken when a concern of child abuse or neglect are held.

More information about types of abuse and signs that can be seen on a child or young person can be found in Appendix A and B.

Our Safeguarding and Child Protection Leaders (SCPL):

Women’s Support Motueka has appointed two Safeguarding and Child Protection Leaders whose shared role is to ensure that our commitment to protect children and young people remains effective and consistent.

Our Safeguarding and Child Protection Leaders are Women’s Support Motueka’s Manager and a staff member. Our Safeguarding and Child Protection Leaders are the first people to talk to if there is a concern about a child or young person.

Our Safeguarding and Child Protection Leaders will ensure that this policy and procedures are always followed in any situation where there is a concern about a child. They will work together in deciding the pathway for referral, reporting or monitoring and will always place the wellbeing and safety of the child first before the wellbeing of any adult or staff member.

Training and Induction.

Our Safeguarding and Child Protection Leaders will ensure that all staff, contractors and regular volunteers are trained every two years in identifying and responding to vulnerability, risk, and child protection.

They will ensure that all new staff, contractors and regular volunteers are inducted into this policy and procedures, and as soon as possible, will attend child protection training. If this is not possible for some time, the Safeguarding and Child Protection Leaders will ensure Child Protection training is completed through eLearning within three months of commencement of the staff member’s role.

Our Safeguarding and Child Protection Leaders ensure that staff managing situations of child vulnerability, abuse or neglect, are well supported with appropriate referrals and supervision in place as required.

Safer Recruitment

Our Safer Recruitment Policy gives details of how we recruit our staff. This will be followed at all times by the Board (if they are recruiting new Board members or a Manager), or the Manager (if recruiting new staff). 4

WSM SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN POLICY | November 2022 | Ratified Mar 2023 | Next review Feb 2025

Our commitment to making sure we have the right people to work with children and vulnerable adults means we know it is vital to do rigorous safety checking, in line with the Children’s Act 2014, and these procedures as well as our intention to follow best practice, are laid down in our Safer Recruitment Policy and procedures.

Information sharing and confidentiality

Women’s Support Motueka is strongly committed to acting in the very best way to protect children and young people. We understand that in order to support the wellbeing of a child or young person and to reduce risk, it is important at times to share information about a child or whānau.

Provided it does not cause a risk to a child or young person, WSM will always share information with appropriate agencies (such as health and education providers, NZ Police, Oranga Tamariki or other agencies involved with a child’s life), if sharing that information will protect or improve the safety, health or well-being of a child or young person.

We will, wherever possible, talk with our client (whether adult or child/young person) about our concerns and support them to make decisions that uplift their wellbeing and that of their children or young people. We will always inform them of our decisions and actions, unless in doing so, it would further increase the risk of harm to that child or young person.

For further information about information sharing, see our Privacy and Information Sharing Policy.

Information sharing and confidentiality

Women’s Support Motueka is strongly committed to acting in the very best way to protect children and young people. We understand that in order to support the wellbeing of a child or young person and to reduce risk, it is important at times to share information about a child or whānau.

Provided it does not cause a risk to a child or young person, WSM will always share information with appropriate agencies (such as health and education providers, NZ Police, Oranga Tamariki or other agencies involved with a child’s life), if sharing that information will protect or improve the safety, health or well-being of a child or young person.

We will, wherever possible, talk with our client (whether adult or child/young person) about our concerns and support them to make decisions that uplift their wellbeing and that of their children or young people. We will always inform them of our decisions and actions, unless in doing so, it would further increase the risk of harm to that child or young person.

For further information about information sharing, see our Privacy and Information Sharing Policy.

Related Policies:

• Treaty of Waitangi
• Safer Recruitment
• Safe Working Practices
• Code of Conduct and Ethics
• Confidentiality, Information Sharing and Privacy Policy
• Sharing and Taking of Images
• Transport Policy
• Client Intake Policy

This policy is related to the following legislation or Codes:

• Te Tiriti O Waitangi (The Treaty of Waitangi) 1840
• Oranga Tamariki Act 1989. Act name: replaced, on 14 July 2017, by section 5 of the Children, Young Persons, and Their Families (Oranga Tamariki) Legislation Act 2017 (2017 No 31).
• Te Aorerekura – National Strategy to Eliminate Family Violence and Sexual Violence, Organisational Standards and Capability Framework 2022
• Privacy Act 2020
• Human Rights Act 1993
• WSM SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN POLICY | November 2022 | Ratified Mar 2023 | Next review Feb 2025
• Family Violence Act 2018
• Health and Safety Act 2015
• Children’s Act 2014
• United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCROC) 1989

Review and Responsibilities.

This Policy will be reviewed by Women’s Support Motueka Board members on an annual basis, upon change in legislation, or upon any child protection incident. Responsibility for review and development of procedures may be delegated to the Manager.