Please use this page as a reference guide for our safeguarding guidelines or to make a disclosure to your designated safeguarding officer.

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Safeguarding Guidelines for Working with Children

 

Causeway Coast Vineyard is committed to safeguarding the children within our care. We believe that it is always unacceptable for a child or young person to experience neglect or abuse of any kind.

A child may be abused by a parent, guardian, sibling, other relative, acquaintance or stranger. The abuse may be as a result of a deliberate act or the failure to provide proper care. The abuse may take a number of forms including neglect, physical, emotional and sexual abuse.

In order to safeguard our children and volunteers Causeway Coast Vineyard has some specific guidelines to be followed when working with children.

ALWAYS:

  1. Always request assistance from another member of staff or volunteer when an opportunity arises where you may be alone with a child.
  2. Always ensure to ask for consent from a child before making physical contact.
  3. It is appropriate to give hugs for comfort or to take the hand of a child to guide them if the child has given consent for this to happen.
  4. Always challenge children about seriously inappropriate behaviour or language.
  5. Always listen to and value what a child says to you.
  6. Always pass on to your Designated Children’s Safeguarding Officer any disclosure, suggestion or allegation made by an adult or child.

NEVER:

  1. Do not spend excessive time alone with children.
  2. Do not make unnecessary or inappropriate physical contact with children.
  3. Physical restraint is only appropriate in extraordinary circumstances where a child is attempting to escape or is likely to cause harm to themselves or others.
  4. Never engage in sexually provocative or rough games including horseplay.
  5. Never make sexually suggestive comments about or to a child.
  6. Never dismiss what a child says as unimportant or underestimate the suggestion made by a child of inappropriate behaviour towards them.
  7. Never let disclosures, suspicions or allegations go without being addressed and recorded.

 

Be vigilant for any indicators that abuse may be taking place.

Indicators can include unexplained injuries, unkempt appearance, constant hunger, unexplained tummy pains or repeated urinary tract infections, excessive preoccupation with sexual matters, changes or regression in mood or behaviour, nervousness or dinginess, attention-seeking behaviour and persistent tiredness.