Children Policy

The YCSCO Child Protection Policy Statement

This policy is formulated and outlines the Your Cambodian street children’s organization commitment to ensuring that we strive for the best protection of children’s rights, safety, respect, health and well being.

Introduction:

Your Cambodian street children organization is highly committed to providing protection to all children; we take our duty of care seriously and are responsibly for the welfare and safety of all children.

We ensure that any person working and dealing with children in any particular job that has power or influence over any child is monitored and controlled to ensure the safety of children as well as to prevent any abuse of this position.

YCSCO is committed to the protection of all children from all forms of harm. In particular the safety and wellbeing of the children involved in YCSCO programs is a paramount concern. YCSCO also supports the rights and welfare of all our staff and volunteers and encourages their active participation in creating safe and respectful workplaces while on assignment and to provide clear guidelines for overseas volunteers.

This policy provides guidance and applies to all “representatives” (staff, volunteers, sponsors, visitors, trustees, contract workers implementing partners) on the acceptable behaviors and appropriate boundaries when working with children.

The YCSCO policy defines “A child” as being any person 18 years and under, regardless of the age of consent locally.

YCSCO staffs and volunteers will not:

· Engage in any behavior that is intended to shame, humiliate, belittle or degrade children

· Use language, make suggestions or offer advice that is inappropriate, offensive or abusive

· Do things of a personal nature that a child can do for him/herself, such as assistance with toileting or changing clothes

·Take children to their own home or sleep in the same room or bed as a child

·Smack, hit or physically assault children

·Develop sexual relationships with children or relationships with children that in any way be deemed exploitative or abusive

·Act in ways that may be abusive or place a child at risk of abuse

·Behave physically in a manner that is inappropriate or sexually provocative towards a child

·Condone, or participate in, behavior of children which is illegal, unsafe or abusive

· Act in a way that shows unfair differential treatment, or favoring particular children to the exclusion of others

·Photograph or video a child without the consent of the child and his/her parents or guardians

·Hold, kiss, cuddle or touch a child in an inappropriate, unnecessary or culturally insensitive way. Touching should: only be in response to the need of the child; be only with the child’s permission (except in an emergency situation); avoid the breasts, buttocks and groin; and be open and non-secretive.

YCSCO will increase awareness:

.All representatives will be individually and collectively responsible for the protection and will be aware of the policy and related guidelines, and code of practice

. All staff will be responsible for monitoring children protection issues and will facilitate the policy implementation, staff training and awareness as well as reporting

.Children friendly information will be provided to ensure children understand about their rights, safety. Protection and feel comfortable about if they have any concerns

Recruitment & Representatives

.Procedure for the recruitment of staff will take into account and promote the YCSCO including, where necessary, requesting background information and reference check at times there will also warrant a police back ground check to ensure that safety of the children.

.All successful candidates and existing representatives will be educated on these policy and will sign the code of conduct prior to commencing work

.Child protection issues will be considered during staff appraisals and evaluations

.All staff and representatives will need to obey all parts of the policy any code of conduct broken will be investigated and prosecuted.

Communications & information

.YCSCO will ensure that all information or images about children are never used in away which compromise the children’s dignity as a human being.

.We will respect the confidentiality of information regarding children’s health, family background and personal history: this private information will only be accessed by authorized staff for important legal issues.

Guidelines for prevention

·Treat every child with dignity and respect regardless of differences of ethnicity, religion, age, ability, gender, sexual orientation and economic circumstances

·Conduct themselves in a manner consistent with their position as a positive role model to children and as a representative of YCSCO

·Immediately raise any concerns for the safety or wellbeing of a child in accordance with the YCSCO Reporting Process

·Listen to children, take their concerns seriously and allow them to have a say in the decisions that affect them

·Be visible when working with children

.Avoid being alone with children where possible, and try to ensure that other adults are present when working with children

Procedure for reporting and reaction:

.In the event of any incidents, comments, suspicions or concerns the case will be immediately reported to senior management and any cases of abuse will be investigated thoroughly

.A child reporting concerns or claiming to be the subject of abuse will be protected, taken seriously and treated with respect; they will be reassured that they are not to blame; they are never to be treated with disbelief or in a way that might induce shame or embarrassment

. Adults will be clear about what will happen next, explaining that while the case will be kept as confidential as possible it cannot remain a secret

. Any adult reporting a concern will be treated seriously and with respect, and given support in dealing with the concern

. Any Staff or representative found in breach of policy rules and places any child in risk of abuses both mentally of physically will be prosecuted.