Do your staff and volunteers clearly understand boundaries and expected behaviour when working with children and young people that use your service?

Do you have systems to log and track concerns that can lead to allegations? 

Is there a common understanding of what is defined as an acceptable or unacceptable contact with young people?

How good is your whistle blowing policy?

Despite all efforts to recruit safely there are occasions when allegations of abuse are made of against staff or volunteers.

All organisations which have employees or volunteers working with children should therefore have clear and accessible policies and procedures, consistent with these London Child Protection Procedures, which explain what should happen when allegations about the behaviour of a member of staff or volunteer are raised. There has been an increase in allegations against staff last year

Attend the session and understand the difference between a concern and an allegation in relation to staff and volunteers.  The reporting of both and when to seek advice will be discussed and the procedure around it shared. 

There will be a discussion around the threshold of the various allegations and how they fit into the criteria as set out in the London Child Protection Procedures where the referral threshold is when someone is concerned about worker who has:

- behaved in a way that has, or may have, harmed a child;

- possibly committed a criminal offence against or in relation to a child;

- behaved towards a child or children in a way that indicated they may pose a risk of harm to children.

The distinction between investigations of a criminal versus non-criminal cases will be reflected upon. 

Case studies will be shared and groups will consider the case examples and feed back how they would manage the case presented.  Consideration will be given to referral threshold, seeking of consultation, suspension and disciplinary procedures, reporting to the DBS and/or governing bodies. The workshop will be concluded with a discussion around the recording of investigations and enquiries as well as information sharing and retention of such.