Common questions for working safely with children and young people

Ten top tips

1. Read your child protection policy and abide by it and make sure you are following what your denomination or organisation says.
2. Have written guidelines on good practice and make sure you publish these so that your workers, parents and other people know what is expected (like the examples above)
3. Follow the guidelines regardless of your own views of what is best. You are more likely to spot if someone is not keeping to the guidelines
4. Understand that there is no ‘one size fits all’. You may have to be particularly careful about one of the children/young people whose behaviour is sexualised. All workers should be aware if you have to handle some situations differently.
5. Don’t have favourites. All children and young people are special!
6. Attend workers’ meetings. They are an important way of keeping up to date, discussing issues, getting training, praying for the young people.
7. Don’t be afraid to ‘whistle-blow’ if you become aware of bad practice or abusive behaviour by workers or children
8. Use the activity’s log book to record concerns, discipline issues, complaints about workers or children. Some information regarding disclosures will need to be kept separately under keys in a secure place.
9. Inform your Safeguarding Co-ordinator if you are worried that a child is at risk of harm or being abused
10. Remember you can contact thirtyone:eight on 0303 001 11 11 if you want to discuss a concern. We are available also out of office hours.

Useful contacts

Stop it now!
0808 1000 900
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www.stopitnow.org.uk

Kidscape
Parent advice line: 020 7823 5430 020 7730 3300
www.kidscape.org.uk

The Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP)
0870 000 3344 33
www.ceop.gov.uk