The Pinelands Creative Workshop (PCW) values young people and children as being a vital part of the organisation and desires to see them grow, mature and be challenged in a healthy and safe environment. 

Child Protection is a shared responsibility among all staff and tutors officer.   A copy of the Policy  is kept with the Chief Executive Officer and allocated to all Tutors.

Purposes

The purpose of Pinelands Creative Workshop (PCW) children and young people’s programme is to offer the children a safe and welcoming environment with fun activities where the children can grow and learn. Whether this be through arts education or social development activities or through other independent groups working in partnership with Pinelands Creative Workshop (PCW). 

Aims

• To provide activities for children and young people to help them develop from childhood into adulthood and to provide support for them.

• To enable the children to express themselves.

• To assist the children in integrating into the community.

• To help children/young people appreciate their afro-Caribbean identity and cultural diversity.

Organisation 

Each child and young person should be formally registered within the group. The information includes an information/consent form which their parent/guardian must complete. These forms have vital information about health and emergency contacts. This information is made available to each tutor and brought to each session. (see Appendix B)

1. Attendance register: a register is kept for each session.

Child Protection Representative

The Pinelands Creative Workshop (PCW) has appointed Shelly Durant-Forde as the child protection representative. If any team member/tutor/parent/guardian has any child safety concerns, they should discuss them with her.   She will take on the following responsibilities:

• Ensuring that the policy is being put into practice;

• Being the first point of contact for child protection issues;

• Keeping a record of any concerns expressed about child protection issues;

• Bringing any child protection concerns to the attention of the Pinelands Creative Workshop (PCW) Management and contact the appropriate Local Authority if appropriate;

• Ensuring that paid staff and volunteers are given appropriate supervision;

• Ensuring that everyone involved with the organisation is aware of the identity of the Child Protection Representative.

The policy will be reviewed on an annual basis to ensure that it is meeting its aims.

Trips/Outings

1. When organising a trip/outing make sure a trip/outing permission slip is completed. This includes details about the trip and a section for parents to give their consent. These slips must be returned before the event takes place and must be brought on the trip with the completed group information/consent forms. (If a group information/consent form has not already been completed for a child or young person, then it will need to be completed).

2. Ensure that there is adequate insurance coverage where the work and activities are conducted.

Personal/Personnel Safety

• A group of children or young people under sixteen should not be left unattended at any time.

• Avoid being alone with an individual child or young person for a long time. If there is a need to be alone with a child or young person (e.g. first aid or he/she is distressed) make sure that another worker knows where you are and why.

• At no time should a volunteer or worker from any external organisation arrange to meet a young person away from the activity without someone else being there.

• As such meetings should be planned and have the approval of a member of the Committee (this must be someone other than the organiser themselves).

• Teenage assistants should always be supervised.

Child Safety

1. Make sure that the area you are using for activities is fit for the purpose, e.g. remove furniture, which could cause injury in energetic games.

2. Make sure that all workers and assistants know

   • Where the first aid kit is

   • Who is responsible for First Aid and how to record accidents or injuries in the incident book

   • What to do in the event of a fire or other emergency

3. Once a year there should be a fire practice and checking of fire extinguishers.

4. Do not let children go home without an adult unless the parent has specifically said thy may do so. Never let a child go with another adult unless the parent has informed you that this will happen.

5. If private cars are used for an outing, the drivers must be approved by the committee, be properly insured, have rested before driving, not under the influence of alcohols and should have a current drivers license. There should always be at least one other responsible person (16 or over) in each vehicle. All vehicles should be fitted with full seatbelts, not just lap belts. Full seatbelts should always be used.

Under normal circumstances, workers should only give a lift home to a young person from group activities if the parents of the young person have specifically asked for them to do so. (If workers are asked to give a young person or child a lift home, they are not obliged to do so, it is left to their discretion).

In the case of trips or outings, it should be made clear if workers’ cars will be used and where the children or young people will be returned to.

New Workers

Workers and assistants are by far the most valuable resource the group has for working with young people. When recruiting and selecting paid workers and volunteers the following steps will be taken:

• Completion of an application form;

• An interview by two to three people from the PCW Management, who will take the final decision;

• Identifying reasons for gaps in employment, and other inconsistencies in the application;

• Checking of the applicants’ identity (passport, driving license, etc);

• Following up references prior to the person starting work;

• Ensuring criminal record checks have been carried out through relevant local agencies;

• Taking appropriate advice before employing someone with a criminal record;

• Allowing no unaccompanied access to children until all of the above have been completed;

• A probationary period of 3 months for new paid workers and volunteers;

• On-going supervision of paid workers and volunteers;

• Ensuring good practice is followed in working with children and young people by providing appropriate training and guidance; 

• Know who is the nominated child Protection representative within PCW.