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CHILD PROTECTION POLICY BARNHEM THAI-SWEDISH FOUNDATION  

1. Policy and procedures
2. Education and training
3. Recruitment
4. Code of conduct
5. Rules for visits by and communication with people from the outside (sponsors, media, other aid organisations and so on)
6. Reporting

POLICY AND PROCEDURES

• Barnhem Thai-Swedish Foundation regards all forms of abuse against children a violation of their rights protected by UN´s Child convention.

• Abuse can be sexual, physical, emotional, exploitation and/or neglect.

• According to Barnhem Thai-Swedish Foundation anyone below the age of 18 is a child.

• Barnhem Thai-Swedish Foundation is aware that it holds moral as well as legal responsibility to ensure that children staying with us are protected against exploitation, harassment, violence and neglect from all adults working or living at Barnhem Thai-Swedish Foundation as well as members of the board, consultants and visitors to Barnhem Thai-Swedish Foundation.

• Barnhem Thai-Swedish Foundation is aware that employees, volunteers and adults living at Barnhem Thai-Swedish Foundation can pose a threat to the children and abuse the trust children have put in them

• Managers of Barnhem Thai-Swedish Foundation are responsible for developing and promoting an environment that diminishes the risk of exploitation and abuse against the children.

• Managers of Barnhem Thai-Swedish Foundation must ensure that all adults, working, living in or visiting Barnhem Thai-Swedish Foundation have access to our Child Protection Policy, understand its contents and what is expected of them and their responsibilities in dealing with the children.

• Managers of Barnhem Thai-Swedish Foundation are responsible for seeing to that Barnhem Thai-Swedish Foundation is a place open for questions and discussions regarding child abuse.

• Barnhem Thai-Swedish Foundation will ensure that its Child Protection Policy is mentioned in all contracts and agreements with the rest of society.

• Barnhem Thai-Swedish Foundation will ensure that its Child Protection Policy continually is updated when necessary.

EDUCATION AND TRAINING

• Barnhem Thai-Swedish Foundation finds it highly important that employees and volunteers are provided awareness-raising education about all types of abuse, exploitation and neglect of children. They shall also get education in Children’s Rights referring to the UN Convention.

• All employees, volunteers and adults living at Barnhem Thai-Swedish Foundation will get education in Barnhem Thai-Swedish Foundations Child Protection Policy and Code of Conducts.

• Children living at Barnhem Thai-Swedish Foundation will get provided with information about their rights and how to protect them selves against abuse.

• Employees and volunteers at Barnhem Thai-Swedish Foundation will get support and education in how to listen to, and talk to children about abuse. And also how to offer help to a child when it is needed.

• Barnhem Thai-Swedish Foundation will build net works with other organisations to share knowledge and experience regarding Child Protection issues.

• Barnhem Thai-Swedish Foundation will promote the possibility for employees and volunteers to engage in workshops and trainings in issues concerning children.

• Barnhem Thai-Swedish Foundation will have a monthly meeting with employees and volunteers concerning Child Protection issues. This meeting will be a meeting where everyone can raise concerns in Child Protection issues and where possible changes in the Child Protection Policy can be presented and discussed.

RECRUITING STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS

• Barnhem Thai-Swedish Foundation must ensure that all information regarding recruitment, volunteer work and living at Barnhem Thai-Swedish Foundation also contain information on our Child Protection Policy and how it affects you as employee, volunteer or person living at Barnhem Thai-Swedish Foundation.

• All adults seeking employment, volunteer service or shelter at Barnhem Thai-Swedish Foundation will initially receive written information regarding the Child Protection Policy of Barnhem Thai-Swedish Foundation.

• Employees must sign a contract of employment stating that he/she has taken part of and agrees to follow the Code of Conduct of Barnhem Thai-Swedish Foundation, before taking up their position.

• Volunteers must sign a contract stating that he/she has taken part of and agrees to follow the Code of Conduct of Barnhem Thai-Swedish Foundation, before starting their volunteer work.

• All adults seeking shelter at Barnhem Thai-Swedish Foundation must sign a contract stating that he/she has taken part of and agrees to follow the Code of Conduct of Barnhem Thai-Swedish Foundation, before moving in.

• Work application, volunteer application and application for help and shelter must contain the following:

-        Personal details

-        Application with answers to questions outlined by Barnhem Thai-Swedish Foundation

-        CV

-        References

-        Copy of criminal records

• Staff in charge of hiring and approving application for shelter must be cautious and react on:

-        Periods unaccounted for in history of employment

-        Frequent changes in place of work

-        Reasons for termination of employment at former place of work

• During the first week of employment respectively first week of staying at Barnhem Thai-Swedish Foundation, a manager will verbally go through the CPP, procedures and Code of Conduct.

• Everyone staying at Barnhem Thai-Swedish Foundation , all employees and all volunteers must receive their own copy of the CPP and procedures.

CODE OF CONDUCTS

Barnhem Thai-Swedish Foundation will always put the childes wellbeing and safety first. Therefore do we not accept any form of abuse – physical, emotional, sexual or neglect.

All adults, working or living at Barnhem Thai-Swedish Foundation must therefore be fully aware that they at all times are responsible for their actions towards the children.

To ensure this Barnhem Thai-Swedish Foundation has produced the following Code of Conducts.

• Employees and volunteers are not allowed to engage in sexual relations with adults seeking help and living at Barnhem Thai-Swedish Foundation. This because they are based on inherently unequal power of dynamics. Such relationships undermine the credibility and integrity of our ambition to help.

• Sexual activities with children under the age of 18 years are prohibited. Mistaken belief in the age of a child is not a defence.

• All adults working or living at Barnhem Thai-Swedish Foundation must be aware that they may work with children who, because of the circumstances they have experienced, may use a relationship to obtain “special attention”.  The adult is always considered responsible even if a child behaves seductively.

• The adults working and living at Barnhem Thai-Swedish Foundation are responsible for ensuring that they don’t spend time alone with a child away from the others.

• All activities where children are involved should be conducted in a way ensuring that not less than two adults are present.

• It is not allowed for an adult to hit a child at Barnhem Thai-Swedish Foundation.

• All adults working or living at Barnhem Thai-Swedish Foundation must avoid actions or behaviour that can be experienced as threatening for a child in any way. You should therefore never scream at a child, humiliate a child, threaten to hit a child, neglect a child or act sexual provocative towards a child.

• Adults working or living at Barnhem Thai-Swedish Foundation should never act in ways intended to humiliate, shame, belittle or degrade a child or otherwise perpetrate any form of emotional abuse.

• Adults working or living at Barnhem Thai-Swedish Foundation should never discriminate against, show differential treatment towards, or favour children to the exclusion of others.

• Employees and volunteers should never do things for children of a personal nature that they can to for themselves.

• Employees and volunteers at Barnhem Thai-Swedish Foundation should not hire minors for any form of work.

• Drinking alcohol or taking other forms of drugs is not allowed at Barnhem Thai-Swedish Foundations.  Drunken or drug crazed behaviour is not allowed at Barnhem Thai-Swedish Foundations.

• ALL FORMS OF PROVEN ABUSE TOWARDS, OR EXPLOITATION OF PERSON SEEKING HELP AT BARNHEM THAI-SWEDISH FOUNDATION ARE LEADING TO IMMEDIATE TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT OR VOLUNTEER SERVICE.

• DURING INVESTIGATION OF ALLEGATIONS THE ACCUSED WILL BE SUSPENDED FROM THEIR NORMAL RELATIONSHIP WITH BARNHEM THAI-SWEDISH FOUNDATION.

•  BARNHEM THAI-SWEDISH FOUNDATION WILL SEVER ALL RELATIONS WITH PERSON WHO IS PROVEN TO HAVE COMMITTED CHILD ABUSE.

RULES FOR VISITS BY - AND COMMUNICATION WITH - PEOPLE FROM THE OUTSIDE (sponsors, visitors, media and other aid organisations)

Barnhem Thai-Swedish Foundation is home to people seeking help – be it children or adults. Visitors must be advised to show the same kind of respect that they themselves will expect from someone they do not know who visits their home.

It is our obligation to protect the children and their identity and ensure that their integrity isn’t violated.

• All files of personal records must be safely locked up with only a minimal number of staff having access to these documents.

• Barnhem Thai-Swedish Foundation is a very small aid organisation and will not use sponsorship of individual children. Individuals wanting to help Barnhem Thai-Swedish Foundation will have to help all children. This will minimize interest of individual contact between sponsors and children.

• We want Barnhem Thai-Swedish Foundation to be a warm, open and friendly place but still we must try to see to that all visits are booked in advance. This to ensure the safety of our children.

• An employee or a volunteer must supervise all visits to Barnhem.

• Visitors of Barnhem Thai-Swedish Foundation must be informed not to take pictures of individual children. Neither personal questions to, nor interviews with, the children are allowed.

• Visitors must be informed that they cannot give gifts directly to individuals living at Barnhem Thai-Swedish Foundation. This is to prevent feelings of people living at Barnhem Thai-Swedish Foundation being ”recipients”.

• Employees and volunteers must not tell the individual story of anyone staying at Barnhem Thai-Swedish Foundation.

• A visitor will not be allowed to see the inside of a home unless the persons living in it approve this.

• Barnhem Thai-Swedish Foundation will not allow media to interview or take pictures of individual children.

• If media wishes to write about or depict Barnhem Thai-Swedish Foundation by visiting Barnhem Thai-Swedish Foundation, this must be done under the supervision of a manager of Barnhem Thai-Swedish Foundation. Barnhem Thai-Swedish Foundation will demand to read and approve all material before it is printed. This is only to ensure the safety and integrity of the people staying at Barnhem Thai-Swedish Foundation.

• It is not allowed for media to publish pictures of children accompanied by their full names.

• In Barnhem Thai-Swedish Foundation’s communication we must be cautious not to reveal detailed information about the children. All pictures used must be respectful towards the children and not portray them as being victims. The language must be respectful and by no means degrading.

• If someone unannounced shows up at Barnhem Thai-Swedish Foundation it is the responsibility of the member of the staff or volunteers who first notices this to find out who the visitor is, and what the purpose of the visit is.

• The children must be informed not to leave the premises of Barnhem Thai-Swedish Foundation, for whatever the reason, without having informed a member of the staff about in advance. The same rule applies even if he/she leaves with an adult. The children must also be informed not to answer any personal questions or to accept presents from visitors.

REPORTING MECHANISM AND REFERRAL

• Employee, volunteer or person living at Barnhem Thai-Swedish Foundation who develops concerns or suspicions regarding abuse or exploitation must report such concerns to the managers at Barnhem Thai-Swedish Foundation. If the concerns or suspicions are towards any of the managers you should report this to the chairman of the board.

• It is important that all adults, working or living at Barnhem Thai-Swedish Foundation are working together to ensure that a culture of openness exists to enable any issues or concerns to be raised or discussed.

• Barnhem Thai-Swedish Foundation must ensure that it takes all concerns raised seriously, coming from adults or children.

• Barnhem Thai-Swedish Foundation will ensure that it supports children, employees, volunteers or people living at Barnhem Thai-Swedish Foundation who raise concerns or who is the subject of concerns.

• The managers at Barnhem Thai-Swedish Foundation are responsible for ensuring that procedures are in place for reporting and responding to concerns.

• The childes welfare is of prime importance to Barnhem Thai-Swedish Foundation. If any form of abuse is proven or suspected, every effort should be made to assist the child in coping with any trauma or guilt he or she may be experience.

• If any employee, volunteer or person living at Barnhem Thai-Swedish Foundation has charges made against him or her. The person should be informed and given an opportunity to respond. The person charged should be encouraged to participate in the investigation by providing information. During the investigation the person charged will be suspended from its normal relationship with Barnhem Thai-Swedish Foundation. At the conclusion of the investigation, the person charged should be informed of the results of the investigation and what corrective action, if any, will be.

The investigation must be documented in writing. All documentation is confidential.

• If employee, volunteer or person living at Barnhem Thai-Swedish Foundation raises a legitimate concern about suspected abuse in any form, which proves to be unfounded, no action will be taken against that person.

• If employee, volunteer or person living at Barnhem Thai-Swedish Foundation is proven to have made false and malicious accusations. He or she will have to terminate their time at Barnhem Thai-Swedish Foundation immediately.