YWAM England Child protection forms for leaders

YWAM England Child Protection Information
It is vital that you read and understand the following information. You must then sign both statements and return one to the event organiser. Failure to sign this statement will affect your place on the team. Dealing with an allegation

The most important consideration for workers must be to safeguard and promote the welfare of the children and young people with whom they come into contact. Any allegation of abuse must be taken seriously and Youth With A Mission has a duty to report it to the relevant statutory agencies.

Physical Injury
This may involve hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning or scalding, drowning, suffocating or otherwise causing physical harm to a child. Physical harm may also be caused when a parent or carer feigns the symptoms of, or deliberately causes ill health to a child whom they are looking after. This situation is commonly described using terms such as factitious illness by proxy or Munchausen syndrome by proxy.

Emotional Abuse
Is the persistent emotional ill-treatment of a child such as to cause severe and persistent adverse effects on the child's emotional development. It may involve conveying to a child that they are worthless or unloved, inadequate or valued only in so far as they meet the needs of another person. It may feature age or developmentally inappropriate expectations being imposed on children. It may involve causing children frequently to feel frightened or in danger, or the exploitation or corruption of children. Some level of emotional abuse is involved in all types of ill treatment of a child, though it may occur alone.

Sexual Abuse
Involves forcing or enticing a child or young person to take part in sexual activities, whether or not the child is aware of what is happening. The activities may involve physical contact, including penetrative or non-penetrative acts. They may include non-contact activities, such as involving children in looking at, or in the production of pornographic material or watching sexual activities or encouraging children to behave in sexually inappropriate ways.

Neglect
Is the persistent failure to meet a child's basic physical and/or psychological needs, likely to result in the serious impairment of the child's health or development. It may involve a parent or carer failing to provide adequate food, shelter and clothing, failing to protect a child from physical harm or danger, or the failure to ensure access to appropriate medical care or treatment. It may also include neglect of, or unresponsiveness to, a child's basic emotional needs.

Disclosures of Abuse
If a child or young person begins to tell a worker about abuse it is vital that you do the following:
 * Never promise to keep a secret and not tell anyone
 * Listen carefully but do not ask questions.
 * Reassure the child or young person that they have done the right thing by telling someone
 * Pass the information immediately to your team leader.
 * Write up what has been told you as soon as possible using the child or young persons own words to describe the abuse.
 * In all cases report the situation to your team leader. They will then report either to ............................................. or the YWAM Child Protection Advisory Team. (Miss Clair Gorman 07778 502 103/01582 46 3221)

Youth With A Mission has procedures for dealing with alleged allegations of abuse. It is important to remember that it is not the responsibility of Youth With A Mission to investigate the truth of any allegation. This is the responsibility of the Police, Social Services and the NSPCC.

Please note, what has been disclosed is very confidential and should only be shared with others on a strictly need-to-know basis. The first person to be told of the abuse may be asked to provide a statement for the police. After telling of abuse, a child or young person can be distressed, frightened or worried about what will happen next. They should be reassured that they have done the right thing and not left on their own.

The best interest of the child or young person and the need for the abuse to stop comes before the interests of the organisation or the abuser.

Child Protection Declaration
Please sign BOTH copies, return the white copy to the office and keep the coloured copy for your reference.

I declare that I have read and understood the above Child Protection information and agree to abide by the procedures laid down.

Signed......................................................

Date ................................................

(Block Capitals)

Full Name ...............................................

Event ...............................................

Position ..................................................

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