Safeguarding and protecting people should be a governance priority in your organisation.
The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse ‘IICSA’ report on child protection in religious organisations and settings (CPIROS) (September 2021) contains the following recommendation:
“All religious organisations should have a child protection policy and supporting procedures, which should include advice and guidance on responding to disclosures of abuse and the needs of victims and survivors. The policy and procedures should be updated regularly, with professional child protection advice, and all organisations should have regular compulsory training for those in leadership positions and those who work with children and young people.”
This example safeguarding children policy includes (for example):
- descriptions of different types of abuse
- details of how to respond to allegations of abuse (including how and when to report to statutory agencies such as the local authority children’s services and the Police)
- a template role description for the designated safeguarding lead; and
- an example initial report form for allegations of child abuse.
Having a child protection policy and procedures is never enough by itself. Safeguarding should be a governance priority and should be embedded throughout your organisation.
See our safeguarding page for more information.