Protecting children from harm is everybody’s responsibility. When you send your child to a youth group or club you want them to be protected from harm and kept safe. The advice given here is to help you decide whether the group is looking after your child whilst in their care.

In an ideal world, each youth group/club should have the following in place, however this is not a legal requirement and you will have to decide whether you feel happy taking your child to the activity, group or club:

Groups that provide services for children and young people should have:

• a Child Protection Policy (see below for an explanation of what this is)
• carried out Criminal Record Checks and reference checks on all staff and volunteers who work for them and who come into contact with children (see the ‘Criminal Records Check’ page for more information).
• Someone who has done child protection training (again, see below for further information)
• First Aid Training
• Carried out Health and Safety checks on the building or area the activity is taking place.
• and that they have Public Liability Insurance for all activities, which covers any accidents or incidents which might take place.

What is a Child Protection Policy?

A Child Protection Policy is a document that tells the organisation what they should do if they have any concerns about a child. It should say and include:

• Definitions for child protection, including physical abuse, neglect, sexual abuse and emotional abuse, (For further information see the Child abuse page on this website).
• Highlight the signs and symptoms of abuse, and how to recognise if abuse is happening.
• Have a nominated or identified person within the organisation to deal with child protection concerns and who knows who to talk to.

Child Protection Training

Learning how to protect children is one of the most important things for anyone who takes responsibility for looking after other people’s children. Staff running events should be able to recognise the signs and symptoms of abuse or notice when a child is distressed and needing to talk.

Statutory services, like the council, health service, schools etc, will have child protection training carried out on a regular basis to make sure that all their staff who work with or come into contact with children are up to date with child protection issues. This is to make sure that they know not only how to recognise abuse, but what they should do and who they should speak to about it.

For voluntary and community groups, it tends to be a little harder to arrange and pay for training. However, there are several organisations which can help and assist voluntary and community groups, see the download below about child protection services for more information.

Brighton & Hove City Council have also employed a specific child protection training co-ordinator to provide child protection training for the voluntary, community and independent sectors. Regular half day child protection awareness courses are run but in house training for organisations can also be arranged. The service can also help organisations and groups develop child protection policies and procedures.

For more information on Child Protection training or help in designing a child protection policy contact:

Brighton & Hove Child Protection Co-ordinator

Tel: (01273) 295994

Website: www.brighton-hove.gov.uk

Safetynet

Tel: (01273) 696622

Scarman Trust

Tel: (01273) 234854

Website: www.thescarmantrust.org/southeast/

NSPCC

Tel: 0116 234 7223

Website: www.nspcc.org.uk

Community & Voluntary Sector Forum

Tel: (01273) 234000

Website: www.cvsectorforum.org.uk/

Downloads

Child Protection Training Leaflet: This leaflet provides further information about the child protection training on offer in Brighton & Hove to professionals and services within the voluntary and community sectors.

Links

www.nspcc.org.uk/

The NSPCC offers families a range of information, resources and advice regarding child protection and child welfare issues.

www.thecpsu.org.uk/

The Child Protection in Sports Unit (CPSU) is a partnership between the NSPCC and Sport England, and aims to help sports bodies and other organisations minimise the risk of child abuse during sporting activities. They can provide a range of information and advice regarding child protection in sports.

www.childrenslegalcentre.com/

The Children’s Legal Centre has lots of useful information about child protection and child protection procedures. They give information about children’s rights and the rights of parents in any child protection investigation.

www.barnardos.org.uk

Barnardos also offer families and parents advice and information regarding child protection. See their website for more information.

www.brighton-hove.gov.uk

The Brighton & Hove City Council website also offers information regarding child protection and how families can contact child protection services for more advise and information.

www.stopitnow.org.uk/

The stop it now campaign aims to raise awareness throughout society of child abuse and child welfare issues. They offer a range of advice and information regarding child abuse and what parents and carers can do to help and protect children.