Safeguarding Policy/Child protection representative guidelines

APPENDIX 2: GUIDELINES FOR CHILD PROTECTION REPRESENTATIVES

The responsibilities of a designated Child Protection Representative are:

• To ensure that the charity’s Child Protection Policy and Procedures are followed
• To undertake training in the recognition and investigation of child abuse
• To develop knowledge of the procedures involved in reporting abuse
• To make this knowledge available to all staff, volunteers, parents, carers and children as appropriate
• To manage the process of referring cases or suspected cases of abuse to Social Services by:

• Ensuring all staff, volunteers, parents, carers and children know who is the designated Child Protection (CP) Representative
• Ensuring that all staff, volunteers, parents, carers and children know that concerns about abuse or possible abuse must be brought to the designated CP Representative or in his/her absence, the most senior member of staff
• Deciding, after discussion with the relevant parties, if the case should be referred or not, or if further clarification should be sought from the parents/carers at any point
• Ensuring decisions and facts are recorded using a Record of Concern
• Reporting the case to Social Services, confirming the referral in writing under confidential cover

• To ensure all staff and volunteers undergo basic Child Protection awareness training as appropriate
• To be a contact point for external agencies needing to contact the charity about child protection matters
• To ensure written records are stored securely with access available to designated people only
• To ensure charity recruitment procedures are followed and CRB Enhanced Disclosures are obtained for all new staff and volunteers where required
• To identify the need for support that any employee or volunteer may have when involved in an abuse case and to liaise with necessary parties to establish how this support can be offered.