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Child Protection Policy

Childrens Act

The Children’s Act states that “Any person who has knowledge or suspicion that a child is being abused or is at risk of abuse has a duty to refer their concern to one or more of the agencies with Statutory duties and/or powers to investigate or intervene”

Imagineering Foundation Policy Statement

The Imagineering Foundation recognises that the wellbeing of children taking part in its activities, in the Clubs and generally under its stimulus is paramount, and that being in the position of responsible adults we must all take steps to ensure that any one child or group of children is not endangered or abused by adults.

The Imagineering Foundation has a Child Protection Co-ordinator (CPC) to oversee this Policy and its application. This person will be aware of the provisions of the ‘Children’s Act’ and will liaise with Local Education Authorities and other agencies on these matters as the need arises. This Co-ordinator will keep a register of matters arising and take any responsible action necessary.

It is recognised that abuse can take many forms with many causes and sources which may or may not be related to Imagineering members. If abuse is thought to be taking place it will be the direct responsibility of any member of the Imagineering Foundation or person engaged on an Imagineering Foundation activity to report their suspicions to responsible adults. Within a Clubs and school context, the responsible adults would be a senior member of staff at the school or, if an Independent Club, the management of the Club and in both cases to the CPC. If the abuse is suspected at an independent Imagineering Foundation activity then the report should be to the CPC. All reports should be made verbally without delay and followed by a written statement.

The Imagineering Foundation will ensure that all members working with children and with access to details of Clubs and other activities will be checked through the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) disclosure process. In addition those new to working in Clubs will be the made aware of the importance of Child Protection and these Procedures; this will form part of their induction training to become a Tutor. This will be communicated by email or letter to all existing Club Tutors.

Awareness

All members of Imagineering should be aware of the possibility of Child Abuse and should consider the following in relation to their link to children:
What children say to their adult peers
What children do in play
What is the context of their behaviour
Any outward signs
Corroborative information from other adult sources

Procedures

If there are any concerns and suspicions about abuse, any member of Imagineering Foundation should immediately discuss with the teacher or head teacher or leader of an umbrella organisation and then make a careful written note of their concerns or suspicions about abuse, listing as many relevant points as they can. This note should then be signed and dated. Copies of the note should be given to the Head Teacher or leader of an umbrella organisation and to the CPC. If it is agreed that Statutory Agencies should be informed then the member should ensure that the appropriate responsible person informs the Agencies and if for any reason the member feels this should happen and is not proceeding then the member should report the matter himself or herself.

These concerns, suspicions, discussions and any notes should be kept confidential to those persons with Child Protection responsibility: the teacher, head teacher, leader of umbrella organisation, Statutory Agencies and CPC and Chair of the Imagineering Foundation.

Imagineering Foundation members must follow this procedure and inform immediately the CPC and/or the Chair of Imagineering Foundation of what is happening.

Contact names are:
Child Protection Officer: Bob Shanks

It is recommended that further notes be kept of when and what information is passed over and to whom, as well as when, where, what and with whom discussions and interviews are held.

Child Specific Data: Collection, Handling, Storage, Access and Disposal

In no circumstances will Child Specific Data be held by Imagineering Foundation except where the consent of a parent or guardian has been obtained, for instance use of photographs and in connection with competitions and where prizes are to be drawn. This Data will not be communicated to third parties or partner organisations except with the consent of a parent or guardian.

The CPC will keep a register of all Child Specific Data that is handled by the Imagineering Foundation and where copies are kept and by whom. Copies should be kept to a minimum and when no longer required should be destroyed as below. It is the responsibility of all Imagineering Foundation members to inform the CPC when they hold Child specific data and the reason why they are holding it, that it is stored safely and confirm to the CPC when it has been destroyed.

Data should not be stored for more than 6 months after the completion of the purpose for which it was collected.

Access to this Data will only be permitted by member of the Imagineering Foundation who as part of their membership have successfully passed the CRB disclosure process. Also if this Data is being shared with third parties or partner organisations then their Child Protection Policy must be acceptable to the Imagineering Foundation and these policies having been reviewed and accepted by the CPC or in the case of any doubt submitted to the Imagineering Foundation Steering Group for consideration and approval or rejection.

The disposal of Data must be by shredding or burning of paper records, complete deletion of computer records.

Good Practice

Avoid being on your own with a child or children. In Clubs a teacher should be present at all times;

Listen to children who want to talk to you;
Beware of the different natures of abuse;
Discuss and where judged necessary report all suspicions in Clubs to the teacher or the head, at other activities to the organiser and in all cases to the CPC or Chair of the Imagineering Foundation;
Record all details, follow up discussions and actions in writing and keep;
The Imagineering Foundation should ask all Club Tutors to sign that they have received a copy of this Child Protection Policy.

Definitions

Child

Is used in the same sense as in the Children’s Act; that is any one under 18 years of age.

Members of the Imagineering Foundation
Include all those who form the Steering Group by virtue of their attendance, all those who lead and support Clubs who have been recruited through Imagineering Foundation, but not those helpers recruited by schools or the other umbrella organisations. Membership will also include those who support Imagineering activities in clerical and managerial roles, paid or volunteer and who have access to data on children collected as part of Imagineering Foundation activities or in as a result of collaboration with other organisations.

The Child Protection Co-ordinator
Will be appointed by the Imagineering Foundation Steering Group. The Co-ordinator will work within the bounds of the ‘Children’s Act’ and keep any specific information on children or groups of children confidential and only disclosed to those with a right to know as defined under the ‘Children’s Act’.
The Co-ordinator will keep careful records of any suspicions aroused and reported to them. They will discuss these with relevant head teachers or leaders of umbrella organisations.
It will be the responsibility of the Co-ordinator to keep this Policy up-to-date and ensure it is communicated effectively to Members of Imagineering Foundation.
The Office will be held for one year before the position will be subject to re-appointment. The Co-ordinator can only hold the position for 3 consecutive years at one time, a break of at least one year must follow.

The Position of Responsibility
Assumed by members of the Imagineering Foundation can be as a Tutor to an Imagineering Junior Engineering Club or any other Imagineering Club or on-going children’s activity, which may develop. A position of responsibility would include persons appointed or recruited through the Imagineering Foundation as a leader or helper on a visit organised by Imagineering Foundation, a custodian or organiser of Club, or keeper of records of any child data or deliverer of prizes or any activity where there is privileged access through the Imagineering Foundation or other sources to child related information. There are many people in positions of responsibility with respect to children and this policy is for those involved directly by the Imagineering Foundation and does not, for instance, include those recruited or supplied by schools to support the school’s Imagineering Foundation activities in which case these people would be expected to be subject to the school’s Child Protection Policy.

The Varying Nature of Abuse

The following are not necessarily exhaustive nor mutually exclusive; all of them will result in the failure of a child to thrive.

Physical Injury,: Actual physical injury where the nature of the injury is not consistent with the account of how it occurred or where there is reasonable suspicion that injury or suffering has been inflicted or has failed to be prevented.
Neglect: Persistent or severe neglect is where the health and development of a child has failed or been impaired through deprivation of food and/or clothing and/or by exposure to negative influences.
Emotional: Emotional abuse is caused by persistent and/or severe ill-treatment, rejection and punishment of a child by his or her carer(s) resulting in actual or likely severe adverse effects on their emotional behaviour and intellectual development.
Sexual: The sexual abuse of a child is their exposure to or involvement in sexual activities which they do not fully comprehend, to which they are unable to give informed consent and which violate social taboos.

It is the responsibility of every member of the Imagineering Foundation should summit any suggested improvements or concerns about this Policy to the CPC or Chair of Imagineering Foundation to ensure that the Imagineering Foundation pursues best practice at all times.

This Policy is to be reviewed annually by Imagineering Foundation Steering Group and confirmed at the AGM

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