SEVAI Child Safeguarding Policy

Society for Education, Village Action and Improvement (SEVAI), Trichirapalli, Tamilnadu, India.

Child Safeguarding Policy

1 SEVAI Preamble:

This policy statement affirms SEVAI’s commitment to the welfare of children and their safeguarding from abuse and exploitation. Child abuse and exploitation is

unacceptable to Society for Education, Village Action and Improvement (SEVAI), Trichirapalli, Tamilnadu, India. SEVAI is committed to abiding, upholding and promoting appropriate risk-based Child Protection standards at all times. SEVAI will provide training and guidance for staff to meet these standards. Any instances of alleged abuse or exploitation will be immediately and thoroughly addressed. SEVAI-Society for Education, Village Action and Improvement, Trichirapalli is totally committed to the protection of children and serving their ‘best interest’. It seeks to engage children into its projects, without discrimination, fear or coercion, and also to provide dignity and worth to children’s lives. Consistent with SEVAI’s vision, mission and core values of respect, integrity and accountability, SEVAI seeks to create and maintain an organizational environment that is free from harassment and exploitation, and to ensure the same in all of SEVAI’s work with the communities that we work with. Each member of the community with whom SEVAI works or provides assistance must have SEVAI’s utmost assurance that they will not be subject to any form of harassment or exploitation. The children in the communities that we work with are a particularly vulnerable group. SEVAI is a child-safe organisation and is committed to having child-safe programs. A child will be considered to be a person under the age of 18 years. The purpose of this child safeguarding policy is to implement in SEVAI strategy to prevent child abuse and protect children from abuse in the course of SEVAI’s work, to provide staff and stake holders with clear guidelines on what to do in the case of suspected or actual child abuse and to protect staff and partners from unfair practices and processes during complaints and redressal.

The policy applies to:  all staff, all contacts, e.g., consultants, all volunteers, all Board members, any persons who visit SEVAI projects, e.g. donors, family members of SEVAI staff and Board members. Child protection policy is resolved in SEVAI Governing Board and it can be amended once in three years, and whenever there is a need to amend. SEVAI Governing Board Ensures safeguarding policies and procedures are in place, up to date and fit for purpose, including relevant HR safeguarding matters, makes binding decisions in case of disputes when interpreting policy stipulations, Ensures that there are ongoing monitoring and reviews to ensure that safeguards are being implemented in practice and that the controls in place are effective, Nominates a safeguarding champion on the board whose role is one of scrutiny, keeping up to date with requirements for safeguarding and to support the senior management team of SEVA-(SEVAI-SMT) in assessing and managing safeguarding risks where identified on the register, Ensures that there are clear lines of responsibility and accountability for safeguarding, in particular when working with other organizations to deliver services, Issues authorization to represent SEVAI in the course of legal intervention, Approves legal intervention in cases of suspected crimes, Initiates proceedings in cases of suspected child abuse by SEVAI employee/collaborator, Initiates serious incident analysis and Considers the recommendations/amendments proposed by the review committee and takes actions on them accordingly.

1.1 Child exploitation and abuse:

Society for Education, Village Action and Improvement (SEVAI), has zero tolerance for Child exploitation and abuse. SEVAI understands absolutely that “Committing or coercing another person to commit an act or acts of abuse against a child possessing, controlling, producing, distributing, obtaining or transmitting child exploitation material committing or coercing another person to commit an act or acts of grooming or online grooming. It's hard to imagine someone intentionally hurting a child. Most of the time, kids know their abusers and the abuse happens in the home. This makes it difficult for kids to speak up. They may feel trapped by the affection they feel for their abusers or fearful of the power the abusers have over them, so they stay silent. It is important to be able to recognize the signs of child abuse. Child abuse happens when a parent or other adult causes serious physical or emotional harm to a child. Kids who are being abused may act withdrawn, fearful, depressed, have low self-esteem, or engage in self-harm, like cutting. The most depressed kids might contemplate suicide or attempt suicide. Other kids become bullies and have problems managing their anger and other strong emotions. Many have nightmares or trouble sleeping. Those who are abused usually have trouble developing and maintaining relationships. They are often unable to love or trust others, especially adults, whom they can be fearful of. A telling sign that something's just not right is when a child fails to seek comfort from a parent or other caregiver who is an abuser. Kids who are being abused sometimes act out in class and are disruptive. They may lose interest in activities they once loved or lose focus on their schoolwork and their grades suffer. Drug and alcohol abuse, as well as sexual promiscuity, are also common. Abuse is not a private family matter, although it most often occurs within families and often is kept as a family secret. Once SEVAI suspects child abuse, SEVAI needs to act to protect the child from further possible harm”. SEVAI team is committed to work against Child exploitation and abuse in its all projects.

1.2 Physical abuse: Society for Education, Village Action and Improvement (SEVAI), has zero tolerance for physical abuse of children. SEVAI understands absolutely that “Physical abuse occurs when a person purposefully injures or threatens to injure a child. This may take the form of slapping, punching, shaking, kicking, burning, pushing or grabbing. The injury may take the form of bruises, cuts, burns or fractures. Physical abuse is when someone deliberately hurts a child physically or puts them at risk of being physically hurt. It may occur as a single incident or as a pattern of incidents. A reasonable concern exists where the child’s health and/ or development is, may be, or has been damaged as a result of suspected physical abuse.”SEVAI views that “ Physical abuse can include the following: Physical punishment, Beating, slapping, hitting or kicking, Pushing, shaking or throwing, Pinching, biting, choking or hair-pulling, Use of excessive force in handling, Deliberate poisoning, Suffocation, Fabricated/induced illness and Female genital mutilation. There are a lot of misleading ideas about who child physical abusers are. It used to be thought that they were easily spotted: dirty old men, deviants, and guys roaming. We know that that's not true. Very ordinary, very upstanding, very well respected individuals, people in positions of authority—all these kinds of individuals have been found to molest children—people who are relatives, people who are well known to the child. A child is more likely to be physically abused by somebody that he/she knows or someone in the family than by a stranger. When people think of child abuse, their first thought probably is of physical abuse such as striking, kicking, or shaking a child. Physical abuse can also include: holding a child under water, tying a child up, intentionally burning a child or scalding a child with hot water, throwing an object at a child or using an object to beat a child and starving a child or failing to provide a child with food”. SEVAI team is committed to work against Child physical abuse in all its projects.

1.3 Emotional abuse: Society for Education, Village Action and Improvement (SEVAI), has zero tolerance for Emotional abuse of children. SEVAI Team understands fully that Emotional abuse is a parent or caregiver’s inappropriate verbal or symbolic acts toward a child or a pattern of failure over time to provide a child with adequate non-physical nurture and emotional availability. Such acts have a high probability of damaging a child’s self-esteem or social competence. Emotional abuse occurs when a child’s basic need for attention, affection, approval, consistency and security are not met, due to incapacity or indifference from their parent or caregiver. Emotional abuse is not easy to recognise because the effects are not easily seen. A reasonable concern for the child’s welfare would exist when the behaviour becomes typical of the relationship between the child and the parent or care giver.SEVAI views emotional abuse as: Rejection, Lack of comfort and love, Lack of attachment, Lack of proper stimulation (e.g. fun and play), Lack of continuity of care (e.g. frequent moves, particularly unplanned),Continuous lack of praise and encouragement, Persistent criticism, sarcasm, hostility or blaming of the child,Bullying,Conditional parenting in which care or affection of a child depends on his or her behaviours or actions, Extreme over protectiveness, Inappropriate non-physical punishment (e.g. locking child in bedroom),Ongoing family conflicts and family violence and Seriously inappropriate expectations of a child relative to his/her age and stage of development. There may be no physical signs of emotional abuse unless it occurs with another type of abuse. A child may show signs of emotional abuse through their actions or emotions in several ways. These include insecure attachment, unhappiness, low self-esteem, educational and developmental underachievement, risk taking and aggressive behaviour.It should be noted that no one indicator is conclusive evidence of emotional abuse. Emotional abuse is more likely to impact negatively on a child where it is persistent over time and where there is a lack of other protective factors. Emotional abuse or psychological abuse is a pattern of behavior that has negative effects on a child's emotional development and sense of self-worth. Ignoring a child or withholding love, support, or guidance is considered emotional abuse. So is threatening, terrorizing, belittling, or constantly criticizing a child”. SEVAI team is committed to work against Emotional abuse of Child in all its projects.

1.4 Neglect: Society for Education, Village Action and Improvement (SEVAI), has zero tolerance for Neglect of children.  SEVAI is aware of that “Neglect is the failure by a parent or caregiver to provide a child with the conditions that is culturally accepted as being essential for their physical and emotional development and well-being. Neglect is any action  or inaction  on the part of a caregiver that causes a child physical or emotional harm. Basically, anything that interferes with a child's growth and development constitutes neglect. This also includes: failing to provide medical care when a child is injured or sick, locking a child in a closet or room, placing a child in a dangerous situation that could lead to physical injury or death. Abandonment is a type of neglect. This is when a child is left alone for extended periods of time or suffers serious harm because no one was looking after him or her.  Child neglect is the most frequently reported category of abuse. Ongoing chronic neglect is recognised as being extremely harmful to the development and well-being of the child and may have serious long-term negative consequences. Neglect occurs when a child does not receive adequate care or supervision to the extent that the child is harmed physically or developmentally. It is generally defined in terms of an omission of care, where a child’s health, development or welfare is impaired by being deprived of food, clothing, warmth, hygiene, medical care, intellectual stimulation or supervision and safety. Emotional neglect may also lead to the child having attachment difficulties. The extent of the damage to the child’s health, development or welfare is influenced by a range of factors. These factors include the extent, if any, of positive influence in the child’s life as well as the age of the child and the frequency and consistency of neglect. Neglect is associated with poverty but not necessarily caused by it. It is strongly linked to parental substance misuse, domestic violence, and parental mental illness and disability. A reasonable concern for the child’s welfare would exist when neglect becomes typical of the relationship between the child and the parent or care giver. This may become apparent where you see the child over a period of time, or the effects of neglect may be obvious based on having seen the child once”.SEVAI views the following are features of child neglect: Children being left alone without adequate care and supervision, Malnourishment, lacking food, unsuitable food or erratic feeding, on-organic failure to thrive, i.e. a child not gaining weight due not only to malnutrition but also emotional deprivation, Failure to provide adequate care for the child’s medical and developmental needs, including intellectual stimulation, Inadequate living conditions – unhygienic conditions, environmental issues, including lack of adequate heating and furniture, Lack of adequate clothing, Inattention to basic hygiene, Lack of protection and exposure to danger, including moral danger, or lack of supervision appropriate to the child’s age, Persistent failure to attend school and Abandonment or desertion. SEVAI team is committed to work against Neglect of Child in all its projects.

1.5 Child Sexual Abuse. Society for Education, Village Action and Improvement (SEVAI), has zero tolerance for Child sexual abuse.  SEVAI is aware of “Child sexual abuse is when a child is used by an older or bigger child, adolescent or adult for his or her own sexual stimulation or gratification, or economic gain. Sexual abuse involves contact and non-contact activities which encompass all forms of sexual activity involving children, including exposing children to pornographic images, or taking pornographic photographs of children. Sexual abuse occurs when a child is used by another person for his or her gratification or arousal, or for that of others. It includes the child being involved in sexual acts or exposing the child to sexual activity directly or through pornography. Child sexual abuse may cover a wide spectrum of abusive activities. It rarely involves just a single incident and in some instances occurs over a number of years. Child sexual abuse may happen within the family, including older siblings and extended family members also. Cases of sexual abuse mainly come to light through disclosure by the child or his or her siblings/friends, from the suspicions of an adult, and/or by physical symptoms. Examples of child sexual abuse include the following: Any sexual act intentionally performed in the presence of a child, an invitation to sexual touching or intentional touching or molesting of a child’s body whether by a person or object for the purpose of sexual arousal or gratification,Sexual exploitation of a child, which includes: Inviting, inducing or force a child to engage in prostitution or the production of child pornography [for example, exhibition, modeling or posing for the purpose of sexual arousal, gratification or sexual act, including its recording (on film, videotape or other media) or the manipulation, for those purposes, of an image by computer or other means],Inviting, coercing or inducing a child to participate in, or to observe, any sexual, indecent or obscene act, Showing sexually explicit material to children, which is often a feature of the ‘grooming’ process by perpetrators of abuse, Exposing a child to inappropriate or abusive material through information and communication technology, Consensual sexual activity involving an adult and an underage person. There may be also Nonspecific signs of sexual abuse. There may be some nonspecific types of signs. That might include things such as the following: Shame or a sense of embarrassment, Withdrawal or aggressive behavior, Sleep disorders or nightmares or difficulty either going to sleep or maybe waking up sometime during the night, Avoidant types of behaviors or fears or phobias-some kind of concern about being in a particular place or a concern about being with a particular person, Symptoms or signs of depression, Change in their school performance that is noticeably different than the way they used to act; a change in the type of activities in which they've been involved. Change in a pattern that they are typically involved in. That is, they might be very disruptive when they didn't used to be or very angry, acting out, defiant or oppositional. “Most often the sexual abuser is known to the child and is in a position to spend lots of time with the child. The sexual abuser engages in a process, where the initial overtures are nonsexual and gradually grow more intrusive. The molester is usually very patient during this process. A sexual abuser usually has a relationship with the child and that ensures the secrecy and it also allows them to have legitimate physical access to the child. Many times a sexual abuser will use pornography, whether it is adult or child pornography, to lower the child's natural inhibitions toward sex. Sexual abuse happens when a child is forced to commit a sexual act. But it's also any sort of sexual contact with a child or any behavior that is meant to sexually arouse the abuser. So, in addition to having sex with a child, fondling a child's genitals or making a child touch someone else's genitals, sexual abuse also includes: making a child pose or perform for pornographic pictures or videos, telling a child dirty jokes or stories, showing a child pornographic material, forcing a child to undress, “flashing" a child or showing them one's genitals”. SEVAI team is committed to work against Child Sexual Abuse in all its projects.

1.6 Grooming. Society for Education, Village Action and Improvement (SEVAI), has zero tolerance for grooming children for sexual abuse.  SEVAI is well aware of “Grooming generally refers to behaviour that makes it easier for an offender to procure a child for sexual activity. It often involves the act of building the trust of children and/or their care givers to gain access to children in order to sexually abuse them. Grooming is a process used by people with a sexual interest in children to prepare a child for sexual abuse. It is often very carefully planned and it can take place over weeks, months or even years. Grooming is about making a child think that sex with the offender is normal or that they have no choice. Offenders do this by building a relationship and emotional connection with the child. This relationship can take different forms. They could try to convince the young person that they are in a loving relationship as boyfriend or girlfriend. They might become a mentor to the young person, making them think they are someone who can help them or teach them things. Sometimes they will become a dominant figure in a young person’s life, perhaps by having a relationship with their parent or caregiver. They may also build a relationship with the child’s family, making them think that they are someone who can be trusted with the child. One of the most sinister aspects of grooming is the way in which it so closely mimics genuinely positive relationships. This can leave its victims very unsure of who to trust, sometimes assuming that they can trust no one, even people who seem to be nice and to care. It is Gaining power over a child. In all of these relationships they will be looking to gain power over the young person. This enables them to manipulate or coerce them into sexual activity. If a young person feels they are in love, this gives an offender power. The offender can emotionally blackmail the child by threatening to withdraw their affection or saying, ‘if you loved me you would. ‘Offenders also blackmail children by threatening to share secrets that the child has told them. In some cases they will tell the child there will be terrible consequences for refusing to do sexual things. Offenders will use any means they can to exert power over a young person. In all cases they will look to make sure that the young person won’t tell anyone else about the abuse, telling them to keep it secret. They often tell young people that no one will believe them, or that if they tell anyone they will be the one in trouble. This is why it is so important to tell a young person that you believe them and do not blame them if they disclose they have been sexually abused. SEVAI team is committed to work against grooming children for Sexual Abuse in all its projects.

1.7 Online grooming. Society for Education, Village Action and Improvement (SEVAI), has zero tolerance for on-line grooming children for sexual abuse.  SEVAI is well aware of that “ the act of sending an electronic message with indecent content to a recipient who the sender believes to be less than 18 years of age, with the intention of procuring the recipient to engage in or submit to sexual activity with another person, including but not necessarily the sender. This can be far easier online. Games, social media, live streaming platforms and chartrooms enable people to make contact with children to try to groom them. They can create multiple online identities and even pretend to be children and young people to trick real children into chatting and sharing. They can find out a lot about individual children before they make contact by looking at the things the child has posted. Using this information they can target children who are particularly vulnerable and carefully plan what they will say and show an interest in. They can also contact lots of children very quickly in the hope that one will respond. People who want to groom children will use any sites and services which are popular with young people. They can become very active in online games or communities popular with children. On social media they might send out multiple ‘friend requests’ at random in the hope that young people will accept them. They also try to identify young people who might be particularly vulnerable by looking at the things they post. In games and chartrooms they will try to start conversations with young people and then ask them to chat privately, perhaps on social media or on a mobile chat app. You should assume that if a site or app is popular with young people then people with a sexual interest in children will try to use it to communicate with them. This doesn't mean you should panic or not let your children use them, simply that they should be aware that there can be risks on any platform they are using”. SEVAI team is committed to work against on-line grooming children for Sexual Abuse in all its projects.

2. Awareness: SEVAI will ensure that all staff and others are aware of the problem of child abuse and the risks to children. The effects of child abuse are devastating and typically long-lasting, including a lifetime of potential struggles with mental health issues, low self-esteem, increased risk of drug abuse/addiction, and patterns of dysfunctional and unhealthy relationships. The parents, Staff members and contacts of SEVAI is aware of child safety from physical abuse, child neglect, sexual abuse, and emotional abuse are also included, as are tips on what you can do as an individual to raise awareness and make a difference.  This is a good starting point to find answers to questions regarding child abuse, its causes, and appropriate prevention. The best way to prevent child abuse is to help SEVAI Team and parents develop the skills and identify the resources they need to understand and meet their children’s needs and protect them from harm. SEVAI describes “common activities of prevention programs, keys to successful prevention services, and protective factors that increase the health and well-being of children and families. It also lists simple things everyone can do to support families in raising safe and healthy children. The staff members are to be trained how Molesters behave: Molesters take great pain not to be caught. Some of the ways they maintain the secrets are as follows: Bribery. They'll actually give gifts or other favors to that interested child. Blame, The child molester tells a child it's his/her fault the molestation took place. Embarrassment, during the molestation, the child realizes that what is taking place is wrong, Loss of affection. Ninety-eight percent of the time, the molester is a wonderful person in a child's life. It's that 2 percent of the time that he is molesting the child. Displaced responsibility, In this case, the child blames him/herself for the molestation or the acts that are taking place. And then the molester may actually threaten the child, whether physical harm to the child or someone in the child's family”.SEVAI hereby commits to create Awareness among SEVAI staff and its contacts in the field of Child care and its all projects.

2.1 Training and Development. All staff will receive information relating to SEVAI’s Child Protection Policy and Code of Conduct during the induction process. SEVAI commits to impart training of how to prevent child abuse for the Staff members and its contacts in the areas of “Introduction to Child Protection issues will be provided as part of the SEVAI orientation program provided for all new staff. Further training will be conducted on specific areas of responsibility as appropriate on an annual basis. SEVAI is committed to providing Intensive training for its staff members. This training is designed to heighten the awareness of child sexual abuse and to offer information and guidelines to prevent sexual abuse while at workshop and beyond. The task of creating a safe environment for children is a team effort imparting awareness training that Child sexual abuse is not solely restricted to physical contact; such abuse could include non-contact abuse, such as exposure, voyeurism, and child pornography. The facts are that sexual abuse does harm the child and that the damage often carries over into the child's adult life in difficulty in forming long-term relationships; sexual risk-taking that may lead to contracting sexually transmitted diseases, including AIDS; physical complaints and physical symptoms; depression, suicidal thoughts, and suicide; Links to failure of the immune system and to increases in illnesses, hospitalizations, and early deaths. In addition to the tangible physical and emotional damage that sexual abuse does to the child, that terrible secret that is held so close by two or three family members can go on to tear at the fiber of the family generation after generation”. Every Board members, consultant, and staff member as well as SEVAI office staff has a part in being informed and carrying out his or her role in keeping children safe. Every SEVAI employee is required to take training with accuracy. A certificate for every employee at training session workshop verifying participation in the course must be provided.

3. Risk Assessment SEVAI has a risk management policy including a key business risk register which includes child protection. SEVAI project designs should include child protection as part of the overall project assessments. This ensures that we meet risk management policy. SEVAI as organization providing a relevant service undertakes a risk assessment. This considers the potential for harm to come to children while they are in the organisation’s care. It should be noted that risk in this context is the risk of abuse and not general health and safety risk.A risk assessment is an exercise where the organisation examines all aspects of its service from a safeguarding perspective, to establish whether there are any practices or features of the service that have the potential to put children at risk. The risk assessment process is intended to enable SEVAI to: Identify potential risks, Develop policies and procedures to minimise risk by responding in a timely manner to potential risks, Review whether adequate precautions have been taken to eliminate or reduce these risks.SEVAI has adopted Risk Assessment policies to provide additional security for children as “ These Risk Assessment policies are primarily for the protection of the children; however, they also serve to protect our adult leaders from false accusations of abuse. 1. Avoid One-on-One Contact. a. Adult to Child: Adult should use extreme care in avoiding one-on-one encounters with children. In situations that require personal conferences, the meeting is to be conducted in view of other adults and children. If a child approaches you when you are alone, move quickly to an area where there are others or ask the student to meet you somewhere else (in a more public area) in a few minutes. b. Child to Child: Care should also be taken to minimize one-on-one encounters between children. 2. Respect children’s’ Privacy. Adult must respect the privacy of children in situations such as changing clothes and taking showers at workshop, and intrude only to the extent that health and safety require. Adults must respect their own privacy in similar situations. 3. Constructive Discipline. Discipline used at shelter should be positive and constructive. Corporal punishment is not permitted. If behavioral problems escalate, involve another adult and follow SEVAI guidelines. 4. Children’s Responsibilities. All Children are expected to conduct themselves in accordance with the principles set forth in the Workshop Guidelines. Physical violence, bullying, theft, verbal insults, and drugs and alcohol have no place at children space and may result in the removal of a participant from children space. A risk assessment is the systematic collection of information on threatening family conditions and current, significant, and clearly observable threats to the safety of the child. The purpose is to determine the degree to which a child is likely to suffer maltreatment in the immediate future. Risk assessment is the collection and analysis of information to determine the degree to which key factors are present in a situation that increase the likelihood of maltreatment to a child.SEVAI uses safety or risk assessment instruments to help staff assess the situations. These tools can provide a structure for assessing current and future harm to the child. However, used alone they do not provide a comprehensive picture to help engage them in problem solving. The tools are considered to be most effective when they are directly connected to service planning and monitoring ongoing progress of the case. Risk Assessment in protection practice, risk assessment tools are used to identify problems and concerns to determine the likelihood of maltreatment occurrence/recurrence. This assessment often involves rating the child and family situation on a set of explicitly stated risk factors to gain a comprehensive understanding of the service needs of a family or individual. Risk assessments are initiated by SEVAI in the child protective services process and are used”. SEVAI staff members and its contacts for all the projects improve their professional knowledge, experience, and understanding of individual children.

4. Prevention SEVAI will ensure that through awareness and personal and professional conduct, that staff and others minimize the risk to children. Preventing child abuse risk factors involves numerous efforts including child sexual assault prevention classes. As opposed to the child abuse prevention protective factors that aim to change a parent's behavior, the child sexual assault prevention steps aim to reduce the risk of child abuse by changing the child's behavior. This is done by educating children on physical abuse and sexual abuse, as well as how to avoid risky situations. Additionally, knowing how to respond to abuse, if it takes place, is also part of child abuse prevention programs. Home visitation can also be a powerful tool in preventing child abuse. Home visits can alert professionals to developing risky situations and provide parents with the information needed to avoid them becoming full-blown child abuse cases.

4.1 Vigilance in Recruitment and Selection the Human Resources team adheres by strict guidelines in the recruiting process of new staff, consultants, volunteers and contacts. The recruitment guidelines will be reviewed and updated regularly to ensure that they accurately reflect child safe recruiting and screening standards. The recruitment guidelines will include:  A clear and bold statement that confirms SEVAI’s commitment to child protection in all advertising  Adopting ‘best practice‘ recruitment and selection techniques.  Interviews will include behaviour questions for positions which involve working with children.  Conducting verbal reference checks is mandatory when the position involves working with children Conducting police checks where required and feasible. Criminal Record Checks .All personnel who work with children will be asked to sign an authority for a criminal record check. In addition, criminal record checks will be conducted for all employees, regardless of whether or not they work with children. No candidate with a criminal record of sexual and/ or physical violence will be recruited for a position. Before induction, all selected candidates will provide an affidavit that they have not been in receipt of any accusations under any provision of laws related to children any other sexual and/or violent crimes under any other law, for the time begin in force.The candidate shall provide two references, pertaining to his/her character and suitability from their current or last employer and by any other person if repute, preferably in the field of child rights. Such references may be cross verified by the human resources department of SEVAI.There shall be police verification of all such candidates. The personnel when appointed shall be given the orientation of the child safeguarding policy of the organization, within ten days of induction. The recruitment assessment will be based on a checklist of parameters that would enable assessment of suitability. Eplanations for matters that include gaps between duration of employment, frequent change of jobs, or sudden resignation will be sought.

4.3 Code of Conduct: All staff and others will be expected to sign and adhere to a Code of Conduct for the Protection of the Child complying with JJ ACT, POCSO ACT  and other acts for safeguarding children.

4.4 Use of Child Photos and Information Pictures, images, or other likenesses of children and/or information related to children that could compromise their care and protection will not be made available through any form of communication media without proper protection and understanding of their use. Any images of children should not be accompanied by detailed information relating to their place of residence. Images with corresponding text which may identify a child should be removed.

5. Reporting SEVAI will ensure that staff and others are clear what steps to take where concerns arise regarding the safety of children.

 5.1 Incident reporting it is mandatory for any allegation, belief or suspicion of sexual or physical abuse (past or present) by a SEVAI employee, contacts, donor, board member or other associates to be reported immediately to the SEVAI Director or the Associate Director of SEVAI. The SEVAI Director must notify this immediately, who will determine the appropriate reporting requirements – including to the donor and/or legal authorities - and record the report. If a child reports an incident, the child must be taken seriously and listened to carefully. Once an allegation is made there should be an immediate response that protects the child from further potential abuse or victimization. Where appropriate, the family of the child victim should be informed of the allegation and action proposed and they should be consulted where possible as to the process to be followed. SEVAI and guided by the Director of SEVAI, the Associate Director will have a Child Protection reporting procedure that takes into account the context.

5.2 Document the incident the incident should be documented immediately (within a period of 24 hours of the disclosure), the staff member receiving the disclosure needs to have fully documented the allegation, including the time, place, witnesses. This report will possibly be used in court if charges are forthcoming. All reports should be submitted to the Senior Management of SEVAI (SMT).

5.3 Report follow-up where any person has made a report and believes insufficient action has been taken, that person is encouraged to have initial follow-up with the SEVAI Director in the first instance. Responding SEVAI will ensure that action is taken to support and protect children where concerns arise regarding possible abuse.

6.1 Distance the alleged perpetrator the best interests of the child may warrant the standing down of a staff member or volunteer/intern while an investigation commences. Staff members stood down receives full pay and are entitled to a just process that does not pre-suppose guilt or innocence. The allegations should not be discussed or communicated to other people until such have been considered and a decision made by management. The decision made should be documented and filed.

6.2 Confidentiality is crucial to a fair and effective reporting procedure. It is unacceptable and potentially defamatory for concerns of child abuse (and abusers) to be spread throughout the organization rather than being directed through a formal complaints process. All participants must understand the importance of following the set reporting lines when concerns arise. Confidentiality protects the child, the notifier, the respondent and the organisation, and ensures a fair and proper process.

6.3 SEVAI will not tolerate any form of coercion, intimidation, reprisal or retaliation against any employee who reports any form of abuse or exploitation, provides any information or other assistance in an investigation.

6.4 Counselling support Professional counselling support will be made available to all parties involved.

6.5 Investigation of complaints Physical and/or sexual abuse of a child is a crime. Organizations will be required to notify authorities when there are reasonable grounds for reporting abuse. The investigation may consist of interviews with witnesses and others as appropriate, collection of information about the alleged conduct, gathering of documentation, or other procedures as appropriate. The individual alleged to have violated this SEVAI policy would have the opportunity to present his or her view of the events in question. SEVAI will hold its determination until the investigation is completed.

7. Review of this Policy SEVAI will review this policy every five years or earlier if warranted.

Code of Conduct for the Protection of the Child

INTRODUCTION Child abuse and exploitation is unacceptable to SEVAI and the organisation is committed to abiding, upholding and promoting appropriate risk-based Child Protection standards at all times. SEVAI will provide training and guidance for staff to meet these standards. Any instances of alleged abuse or exploitation will be immediately and thoroughly addressed. SEVAI’s capacity to ensure the protection of and assistance to the children that we work with depends on the ability of its staff to uphold and promote the highest standards of ethical and professional conduct. We, the staff members of SEVAI, are personally and collectively responsible for and committed to abiding, upholding and promoting appropriate Child Protection standards at all times. It is recognised that SEVAI’s work often puts its staff in positions of power in relation to its children that we work with. Staff Members have an obligation not to abuse this power. This Code of Conduct is intended to serve as an illustrative guide for staff to make ethical decisions in their professional lives, and at times in their private lives. However, the behaviours stipulated are not intended to interfere with normal family interactions. While acknowledging that local laws and customs may differ from one country to another, the Code of Conduct is based on international legal standards. The Code applies to all SEVAI staff members, who will be requested to sign it. Any breach of the Code of Conduct will be seen as a serious concern and will result in disciplinary action or dismissal, in accordance with SEVAI’s disciplinary procedures. Other SEVAI associates will also receive the Code and be requested to confirm that they uphold its standards. All SEVAI staff are responsible for encouraging, advocating and promoting the dissemination of the Code of Conduct. They also have a role in implementing, monitoring and enforcing its standards. Staff members are also urged to encourage partners to adhere to these standards and to join SEVAI staff in upholding them.

As a staff member of SEVAI, I commit myself to:

1. Treat all children fairly, and with respect and dignity, regardless of sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, property, disability, birth or other status. I will always seek to care for and protect the rights of children, and act in a manner that ensures that their best interests shall be the paramount consideration.

2. Uphold the integrity of SEVAI, by ensuring that my personal and professional conduct is, and is seen to be, of the highest standard. I will demonstrate integrity, truthfulness, dedication and honesty in my actions. I will be patient, respectful and courteous to all persons with whom I deal in any capacity, including children. I recognise that my personal conduct will reflect on SEVAI’s reputation and may impact on community perceptions, therefore I will refrain from inappropriate behaviour that may be compromising or detrimental to SEVAI. I understand that the onus is on me, as a person associated with SEVAI, to avoid actions or behaviours that could be construed as child exploitation and abuse.

3. Safeguard and make responsible use of the information and resources to which I have access by reason of my employment with SEVAI. I will exercise due care in all matters of official business, and not divulge any confidential information about a child and other work-related matters in accordance with the staff regulations and rules and current guidelines. I will protect, manage and utilise SEVAI human, financial and material resources appropriately. I will never use SEVAI resources to exploit or harass children or access child pornography. When photographing or filming a child for work-related purposes, I must:  Before photographing or filming a child, assess and endeavour to comply with local traditions or restrictions for reproducing personal images. Before photographing or filming a child, obtain consent from the child or parent or guardian of the child. As part of this, I must explain how the photograph or film will be used.

4. Prevent, oppose and combat all exploitation and abuse of the child. I undertake not to abuse the power and influence that I have by virtue of my position over the life and well-being of a child. I will report concerns or allegations of child exploitation and abuse by a SEVAI staff member, consultant, volunteer, intern, partner, visitor or donor. I will not use language or behaviour towards children that is inappropriate, harassing, abusive, sexually provocative, demeaning or culturally inappropriate. I will never request any service or favour from a child in return for protection or assistance. I will never engage in any exploitative relationships – sexual, emotional, financial or employment-related – with a child. I will refrain from hiring children for domestic or other labour which is inappropriate given their age or developmental stage, which interferes with their time available for education and recreational activities, or which places them at significant risk of injury. I will report in writing on the nature and conditions of this employment to my supervisor. Wherever possible, I will ensure that another adult is present when working in the proximity of children. I will not invite unaccompanied children into my home, unless they are at immediate risk of injury or in physical danger. I will refrain from physical abuse of children. I will not engage in behaviour to shame, humiliate, belittle or degrade a child or young person or otherwise emotionally or psychologically abuse a child or young person including exposing them to family violence.

I will not use any computers, mobile phones, video cameras, cameras or social media inappropriately, and will never exploit or harass children or access child exploitation material through any medium. I will not inappropriately use social media to contact, access, solicit or befriend a child involved in SEVAI programs or activities and misuse images of those children on personal social media sites (e.g. publishing them online).

5. Refrain from any involvement in criminal or unethical activities, activities that contravene human rights, or activities that compromise the image and interests of SEVAI. I will neither support nor take part in any form of illegal, exploitative or abusive activities, including, for example, child labour, child pornography and trafficking of human beings and commodities. I will not engage children under the age of 18 in any form of sexual activity or acts, including paying for sexual services or acts. Ignorance or mistaken belief of the child’s age is not a defence. Failure to report such a relationship may lead to disciplinary action pursuant to SEVAI’s policies and procedures. I will comply with all relevant local legislation, including labour laws in relation to child labour.

SEVAI Staff must:

Treat all children equally, respectively, with warmth and empathy, and listen to their wishes and feeling.

Behave in a calm, positive, supportive and encouraging way with children. Value and consider the participation of children seriously, actively involving them in planning activities wherever possible.

Ensure staff report on any suspicious, concerns, allegations or disclosures made by a child or adult, including any made against staff. This includes and suspicions about ‘grooming’ behavior (on and offline) where an adult is deliberately befriending a child with the intention of sexually abusing them.   The staff must report such concerns and allegations via the safeguarding procedures.
Ensure that the focus of staff relationship with a child that staff have met through SEVAI remains professional at all times. The aim should never be to develop the relationship into a friendship or intimate relationship.

Endeavour to plan activities that involve more than one other person begin present, or at least within sight of others. Where this is not practically possible or it is necessary to plan activities where staff will be alone, ensure that there is at least one another person available.

Ensure that if staff are required to spend time alone with a child/ren in the execution of your duties, or if a child specifically asks for, or needs, one to one time with staff, that other staff know where you and the  child/ren will be and  the purpose of this meeting.

Respect a child’s right to personal privacy but never agree to keep any information relating to the harm of a child confidential.

Risks assess any new activities for children.

Ensure that dangerous or otherwise unacceptable behavior, including bullying or initiation ceremonies by children are challenged and addressed.

Be aware that children can develop infatuations (crushes) with adults working with them. If this is happening, you should tell your line manager and then respond to the situation in a way that maintains the dignity of all concerned.

Ensure that it a child needs physical comfort that this is done in a way that is both age appropriate and respectful of their personal space. Never act in a way which may be perceived as threatening or intrusive. Always check out with a child before you act to make sure they are comfortable with staff touching them. Physical conduct should not be done in a hidden or secretive way that could be misconstrued by the child or anyone else observing it. Physical contact should be limited to a hug or touch of the arm/hand.

Ensure that if any kind of physical support is required during any activities, it is provided only when necessary in relation to the activity and that you are doing this in a way that other colleagues can observe you

Ensure that the child is produced before the concerned child welfare committee (CWC), within 24 hours or rescue, excluding the time taken to travel to the CWC. In the case of the CWC not sitting, ensure that the child is presented before any one of the members of the CWC and then the child can be taken to the children’s home as agreed with the member concerned.

Report any allegations from a child of any abuse, including sexual abuse, to the police/GRP. All necessary support i.e. medical, legal, counseling, rehabilitation and relevant information must be provided to the child and family.

In the matter of cases related to elopement, both are children and should be considered as child in care of care and protection (CNCP) and appropriate procedures should be followed.In the case of a rescued child running away from the care of the staff a written report should be filed in the police station and with the CWC along with the details of the child and circumstances in which the child has run away. Respect the importance of the personal space of the child at all times.

Staff  MUST NOT:

·         Conduct a sexual relationship with a child or indulge in any form of sexual contact with a child.

·         Swear or make sarcastic, insensitive, derogatory or sexually suggestive comments or gestures to or in front of children.

·         Engage in or allow any sexually provocative games involving or observed by children, whether based on talking or touching.

·         Show favouritism or gossip about children.

·         Reply on your reputation, position or the organization to protect you.

·         Work or visit a project/programme under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

·         Smoke or vape in front of children.

·         Discuss your own personal/sexual relationship in frontof children.

·         Give or relieve gifts and.or substances such as drugs, alcohol, cigarettes at children should also be avoided whenever possible an only if alternative forms of discipline have failed.

·         Do things of a personal nature that the child can do for themselves.

·         Travel alone with a child in a car unless it has been risk assessed and is in line with the transport policy of SEVAI.

·         Steal, or condone someone else’s stealing, regardless of the value the stolen item.

·         Photograph or film children for which no prior consent has been sought.

·         Broadcast or show any audio and/or visual material (CSs, DVDs, videos, photos, films, computer or games etc.) that has inappropriate content for children.

·         Invite, or allow a child whom you have met through your work to your   home (see safeguarding procedures for action to take in a crisis situation when a child is in need of a place of safety).

·         Arrange to meet a child outside of your work context where the purpose is one of friendship or an intimate relationship.

·         Stay alone overnight with children benefiting from SEVAI’s programmes unless specifically requited and vetted to provide supervision for children in our care overnight.

·         Share a bedroom or a bed with a child you are caring for, working with or visiting.

·         Hide any allegation of child abuse.

OPENNESS AND SCRUTINY:

·         Always communicate with children in a way that is open to others to see, Do not use personal messaging facilities on social networks or apps. If the communication needs to be private then do this by email exchange or phone and note the conversation afterwards.

·         Ensure there is always a record of such conversation that would be open to others to check if necessary.

Ensure it is always clear who the communication is from when SEVAI staff and volunteers are communicating with a child

6. Disclosure. I will immediately disclose all charges, convictions and other outcomes of an offence, which occurred before or occurs during my association with SEVAI, that relate to child exploitation and abuse.

CODE OF CONDUCT For the Protection of the Child I acknowledge that I have received, read and understand SEVAI’s Code of Conduct for the Protection of the Child and agree to abide, uphold and promote appropriate risk based Child Protection standards at all times. I also understand that any breach of the Code of Conduct for the Protection of the Child will result in disciplinary action or dismissal, in accordance with SEVAI’s disciplinary procedures and could also result in criminal prosecution. ____________________________________________________________ (PRINT NAME) ____________________________________________________________ (SIGNATURE) ___________________________________________________

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