Volunteers and Volunteering Organisations: Your responsibility in safeguarding children © Child Matters Bullets here

Roadshow Outline Bullets here Introduction to Better Public Service targets Child Abuse in NZ - Setting the Scene Introduction to Vulnerable Children Act (2014) The importance of having a Child Protection Policy Contents of Child Protection Policy Your responsibility in safe guarding children Where to obtain reference material © Child Matters Bullets here

Setting the Scene in NZ Bullets here NZ Statistics 2016 142,249 Reports of Concerns 58,021 Police Family Violence referrals 44,689 Required further action 16,394 Substantiated findings © Child Matters 2017 Bullets here

The Children’s Action Plan Background The Green Paper The White Paper The Children’s Action Plan Almost 10,000 submissions received on the Green Paper for Vulnerable Children - The White Paper for Vulnerable Children is based on these submissions . It contains Government’s decisions on what changes are needed to protect children from harm. The Children’s Action Plan was developed to implement the decisions made in the White Paper. © Child Matters 2017

Vulnerable Children Act (2014) Signals major change in the way vulnerable children are protected and nurtured Vulnerable Children’s Board Child protection policies Safety checking requirement for government funded or contracted children services Introduces clear accountabilities and strong direction for the children’s workforce © Child Matters 2017

Vulnerable Children Act (2014) Sections 16, 17 & 18 Organisations, DHB and School boards to adopt and required to: Have a child protection policy Ensure this policy is available online and in hard copy Ensure anyone they have a contract with has a child protection policy Review their policy within 3 years of its first adoption “Ensure this policy is available online and in hard copy” It is important that there is transparency for families and whanau to be able to read the policy, and trust the school’s commitment to keeping children safe. “Ensure anyone that have a contract with has a child protection policy” This applies to anyone the school may contract who provides a service to children. For example if they have people come in and provide music or drama lessons, or health and dental services. It does not currently apply to the builder or plumber, but it is expected that those people would not be left unsupervised where they may have contact with children. It must be recognised that children consider school a safe place, and therefore anyone who works in that school (whether employed or contracted) is considered safe by association. It is not the school’s responsibility to write or check their child protection policy, but they should receive confirmation that the agency has a policy. It should be included as an expectation as part of the contract agreement the school has with the provider © Child Matters 2017

Vulnerable Children Act (2014) Section 21: Requiring people employed or engaged in work that involves regular or overnight contact with children to be safety checked. Sections 25 and 26: Safety checks on new and existing employees. Section 31: Safety checks, these must include: Confirmation of identity and risk assessment regarding safety to work with children. Core Children’s Worker – Paid or funded by state sector agencies and work alone with, or have primary responsibility or authority over, children Non-Core Children’s Worker – Paid or funded by state sector agencies have regular, but limited, child contact 1 July 2015 – All new government funded core workers needs to be safety checked 1 July 2016 – All new government funded non-core workers need to be safety checked 1 July 2018 – All existing government funded core workers need to be safety checked 1 July 2019 – All existing government funded non-core workers need to be safety checked At this time these regulations do not cover volunteers. Only unpaid people who are part of training i.e. on student placement. Parents helpers, therefore are not required to be safety checked, however they also should not have unsupervised responsibility for children. If there are parents helpers who are on school camp and expected to sleep in dorms with children then best practice would dictate that those parents would be safety checked. These are the regulations at this time Risk assessment – there are best practice guidelines available to outline what this risk assessment looks like “safer recruitment safer children”. © Child Matters 2017

Why Child Protection Policies are Important 3 minute video © Child Matters 2014

Contents of a Child Protection Policy Statement of Intent: A statement that demonstrates a commitment to safe guarding children Scope: Who does this Policy apply to? Does it include Volunteers? Principles: Values that inform staff decision making and help promote a culture of child protection Definitions: What is meant by Physical, Emotional, Sexual Abuse and Neglect Child Protection Procedures: How to respond to and report suspicions or concerns of abuse Safe Working Practices: Recruitment and Employment, Allegations against staff, Training. Guidelines on implementing Safe Work Practices within your organisation. © Child Matters 2017

Safe Working Practices This short clip highlights areas of a good SWP Guidance that participants should consider when writing or reviewing their guidance to staff. This information may be included in a separate Code of Conduct, or Code of Behaviours 1 minute © Child Matters 2017

Your Role and Responsibility Be informed Identify when children are at risk or being harmed Follow your organisation’s Child Protection Policy If your organisation doesn’t have a policy then advocate for one Report your concerns © Child Matters 2017

Child Abuse and Neglect “…the harming (whether physically, emotionally, sexually), ill treatment, abuse, neglect or deprivation of any child or young person.” Section 2, Children, Young Persons and their Families Act 1989 Types of abuse Physical abuse Emotional abuse Sexual abuse Neglect © Child Matters 2017

If you believe the child to be in danger or immediate risk Reporting Abuse If you believe the child to be in danger or immediate risk ACT NOW 0508 FAMILY 111 POLICE C.P.T. TEAM © Child Matters 2017

Resources and useful links © Child Matters 2017