Child Protection Policy
General Purpose Statement
The Hope Haven Charitable Trust seeks to provide a safe and secure environment for the children who participate in our programs and activities. By implementing the below practices, our goal is to protect the children who attend the Hope Haven Rwanda school from incidents of misconduct or inappropriate behavior while also protecting our staff and volunteers (workers) from false accusations.
Definitions
For purposes of this policy, the terms “child” or “children” include all persons under the age of eighteen (18) years. The term “worker” includes both paid and unpaid persons who work with children.
Selection of Workers
All persons who desire to work with the children participating in our programs and activities will be screened. This screening includes the following:
Written Application – All persons seeking to work with children must complete and sign a written application in a form to be supplied by us. The application will request basic information from the applicant and will inquire into previous experience with children, as well as disclosure of any previous criminal convictions. The application form will be maintained in confidence on file at The Hope Haven Charitable Trust U.S. offices.
Criminal Background Check – A national criminal background check is required for all U.S. employees (regardless of position) and “volunteers” as defined above, age 18 or older. Before a background check is run, prospective workers will be asked to sign an authorization form allowing The Hope Haven Charitable Trust to run the check. If an individual declines to sign the authorization form, s/he will be unable to work with children.
A disqualifying offense that will keep an individual from working with children will be determined by the Chief Executive Officer on a case-by-case basis in light of all the surrounding circumstances. Generally, convictions for an offense involving children and/or for offenses involving violence, dishonesty, illegal substances, indecency and any conduct contrary to our mission will preclude someone from being permitted to work with children. Failure to disclose a criminal conviction on the application form will also be a disqualifying event. The background check authorization form and results will be maintained in confidence on file at The Hope Haven Charitable Trust U.S. offices.
Two Adult Rule
It is our goal that a minimum of two unrelated adult workers will be in attendance at all times when children are being supervised during our programs and activities. Some youth classes may have only one adult worker in attendance during the class session; in these instances, doors to the classroom should remain open and there should be no fewer than two students with the adult worker. We do not allow minors to be alone with one adult on our premises or in any sponsored activity unless in a counseling situation.
Responding to Allegations of Child Abuse
For purposes of this policy, “child abuse” is any action (or lack of action) that endangers or harms a child’s physical, psychological or emotional health and development. Child abuse occurs in different ways and includes the following:
Physical abuse – any physical injury to a child that is not accidental, such as beating, shaking, burns, and biting.
Emotional abuse – emotional injury when the child is not nurtured or provided with love and security, such as an environment of constant criticism, belittling and persistent teasing.
Sexual abuse – any sexual activity between a child and an adult or between a child and another child at least four years older than the victim, including activities such as fondling, exhibitionism, intercourse, incest, and pornography.
Neglect – depriving a child of his or her essential needs, such as adequate food, water, shelter, and medical care.
Workers may have the opportunity to become aware of abuse or neglect of the children under our care. In the event that an individual involved in the care of children at the Hope Haven Rwanda school becomes aware of suspected abuse or neglect of a child under his/her care, this should be reported immediately to the School Director for further action, including reporting to authorities as may be mandated by law.
In the event that an incident of abuse or neglect is alleged to have occurred at the Hope Haven Rwanda school or during our sponsored programs or activities, the following procedure shall be followed:
The parent or guardian of the child will be notified.
The worker alleged to be the perpetrator of the abuse or misconduct will immediately be placed on leave pending an investigation and instructed to remain away from the premises during the investigation. He or she should be instructed to have no contact with the victim or with witnesses.
All allegations of abuse should be reported to the civil authorities, and the organization will comply with the country’s requirements regarding mandatory reporting of abuse as the law then exists. The organization will fully cooperate with the investigation of the incident by civil authorities.
The insurance company will be notified, and the organization will complete an incident report. Any documents received relating to the incident and/or allegations will immediately be forwarded to the insurance company.
The organization will designate a spokesperson to the media concerning incidents of abuse or neglect. The advice of legal counsel will be sought before responding to media inquiries or releasing information about the situation to the congregation. All other representatives of the organization should refrain from speaking to the media.
A pastoral visit will be arranged for those who desire it. This should be for the purpose of providing pastoral support during the time of crisis and not for the purpose of investigating the incident or influencing the investigation.
Any person who is not found innocent of the alleged abuse or misconduct will be removed from their position working with children or youth.
Open Door Policy
Classroom doors should remain open unless there is a window in the door or a side window beside it. Doors should never be locked while persons are inside the room.
Teenage Workers
We recognize that there may be times when it is necessary or desirable for youth workers, who themselves are under age 18, to assist in caring for children during programs or activities. The following guidelines apply to teenage workers:
Worker’s between the age of 16-18
Must be screened as specified above.
Worker’s under the age of 16
Must be under the supervision of an adult and must never be left alone with children.
Discipline Policy
It is the policy of The Hope Haven Charitable Trust not to administer corporal punishment, even if parents have suggested or given permission for it. There should be no spanking, grabbing, hitting, or other physical discipline of children. Workers should consult with the School Director if assistance is needed with disciplinary issues.
Restroom Guidelines
For the protection of all, workers should never be alone with a child in a bathroom with the door closed and never be in a closed bathroom stall with a child.
Accidental Injuries to Children
In the event that a child or youth is injured while under our care, the following steps should be followed:
For minor injuries, scrapes, and bruises, workers will provide First Aid (Band-Aids, etc.) as appropriate and will notify the child’s parent or guardian of the injury at the time the child is picked up from our care.
For injuries requiring medical treatment beyond simple First Aid, the parent and/or guardian will immediately be summoned in addition to the worker’s supervisor.
Once the child has received appropriate medical attention, an incident report will be completed in the case of injuries requiring treatment by a medical professional.