5.2 Child Protection Policy Checklist for Voluntary, Community and Faith Sector

AMENDMENT

In January 2016, local contact details were updated.
Before starting to write or review your organisation's Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy, you should consider the following:
  • Agree the process for drafting policy - whether one person will write it, or whether a group of people each write different sections. If one person writes it this should ensure a consistent style throughout, however it is clearly more work for one person than sharing with a number of colleagues;
  • Set a timescale for completion of the policy, including formal minuted agreement from management. Ensure this is adhered to as closely as possible;
  • Consider including vulnerable adults as well. There is considerable overlap with issues for working with vulnerable adults so avoids the need for two separate but similar policies. For advice regarding safeguarding vulnerable adults contact Sheffield Adult Safeguarding Board Partnership, to make a referral about a concern ring 2734908;
  • Consider equalities issues throughout the document. Particular consideration should be made regarding race, culture, age, gender, sexual identity, and disability;
  • Ensure the policy is written in a clear and concise manner, and follows a logical order;
  • If you use other organisations policies or our template policy to inform your work, do not copy and paste wholesale. What applies to one organisation will not necessarily apply elsewhere. In order for them to be workable, policies have to be relevant and applicable to the individual organisation. Otherwise children and vulnerable adults could be placed at risk;
  • The checklist below refers to other policies that your organisation should have, which are necessary to safeguard and promote the welfare of children;
  • You need to ensure there is cross reference to the other relevant policies / documents in your organisation, and also local procedures such as these Procedures;
  • Consider how you will consult with children and young people or service users, depending on the business of your organisation. Feedback about this process should be included in the policy;
  • Consider also as to how you will consult with partner agencies, and who you will approach for feedback about your policy. This should also be incorporated into the policy;
  • Agree the process for dissemination in your organisation, to ensure all staff and volunteers are aware of its existence. This includes agreement of senior managers in your organisation. They also need to made aware of the policy, if they have not already been involved. If it is a review of an existing policy you should communicate to them what the main changes are;
  • Further advice and information is available from the Voluntary, Community and Faith section of the Sheffield Safeguarding Children website;
  • Advice on adults can be obtained from contact Sheffield Adult Safeguarding Partnership, which includes details of training available. For more details contact the Safeguarding Adults Training Section on 273 4255 or 273 4389;
  • Safeguarding children training for the Voluntary, Community and Faith Sectors is available from the Safeguarding Children Training Service. Visit the training pages of the SCSP website (details above).