Pledge to Restore is committed to promoting children welfare and protecting children from harm. This is everyone’s responsibility and everyone who comes into contact with children and families has a role to play.
We believes that child protection is both a corporate and an individual responsibility. Every person who shares in the work of Pledge to Restore, including Executive board members, staff, volunteers, contractors, ambassadors, volunteers and supporters also share in the responsibility of taking every precaution to protect the children and families we serve. How we care for the most vulnerable among us is an outward expression and evidence of our love for God and all of His creation.
The purpose of child protection policy is to protect children from sexual exploitation and sexual, physical and emotional abuse, all of which are unacceptable to Pledge to Restore. The objective of this policy is to create and maintain protective environments for children in the delivery of all of Pledge to Restore charity activities, including community education, children sports, events and overseas aid programmes. Our board members, partners, sponsors, members and volunteers to actively participate in building and maintaining a child safe environment.
Every individual or organisation that works with children under a Pledge to Restore funded activity has an obligation to protect children from exploitation and abuse. All partners implementing Pledge to Restore funded activities must have, maintain, and monitor the implementation of a Child Protection Policy that is compliant with our policy.
Pledge to Restore’s Child Protection Policy
We will work with children, parents and the community to ensure we support children’s rights and create and maintain the safest possible environment for children. We do this by:
- Recognising that all children have the right to freedom from abuse and harm
- Promoting joint working with parents and carers in the interest of children’s welfare
- Following safe recruitment procedures which ensure that members are carefully selected, vetted and have the relevant qualifications and experience.
- Ensuring that all volunteers, members and partners are aware of and accept responsibility for helping to prevent the abuse of child
- Designating a Child Protection Officer (DCP) who takes specific responsibility for children’s protection, safety and well-being
Supporting all members in bringing concerns to the Designated Child Protection Officer - Providing parents, carers, and children with the opportunity to voice any concerns they may have. This includes having knowledge of, and ensuring children have access to their preferred methods of communication.
- Adopting positive behavior management strategies which are non-violent and do not impose humiliation
- Reviewing the effectiveness of the organisation’s Child Protection Policy and Procedures
- Working in partnership with external organisations and professionals to ensure that children are protected
- Reflects the service’s philosophy, which can include values, ethics or code of conduct for management, volunteers, members, carers, children, families, students and the community;
- Identifies and details the procedures when an adult harms a child; a child harms another child; or an adult harms another adult in the service;
- Details complaints, grievances and disciplinary procedures;
Responding quickly and appropriately to all suspicions or allegations of abuse
There are laws in most countries to protect children as well as bring child abusers to justice. The aim of this policy is to prevent the abuse of children associated with Pledge to Restore’s programs and prevent any perpetrators from access to children associated with our programs. We upholds the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989), in particular Article 19 which states, ‘State Parties shall protect the child [1] from all forms of physical and mental violence, injury or abuse, neglect, maltreatment or exploitation, including sexual abuse’. In accordance with the Convention on the Rights of the Child, a child is defined for the purposes of this policy as a human being below the age of 18 years (unless under the law applicable to the child, majority is attained earlier).
We promotes appropriate policies and procedures to promote the safety and well-being of all children accessing or associated with our services and programmes. Pledge to Restore adheres to all relevant laws and legislation in both Australia and foreign countries regarding child exploitation. This includes the Crimes (Child Sex Tourism) Amendment Act 1994 which makes it punishable in Australia for Australian citizens or residents to engage in, promote, or encourage sexual activity with children under 16 years whilst overseas.
Pledge to Restore Commitment
Any form of abuse or neglect causes harm to the child’s physical and mental health, survival, development and dignity. Pledge to Restore affirms its commitment to oppose all forms of child abuse and to continuously strengthen our child protection processes to mitigate the risk of abuse within Pledge to Restore charity initiatives.
We commit to:
- Continuously develop, implement and review guidelines and practices that support the protection of children
- Network with other Non-Government Organisations and domestic agencies for the purpose of increasing awareness and support for the protection of children.
- Screen and provide orientation information to all individuals and groups visiting projects funded by Pledge to Restore including but not limited to staff, volunteers, board members, contractors, sponsors, ambassadors and donors
- Advocate for the protection of children from all forms of exploitation, especially sexual exploitation
- Be vigilant with protecting confidential information about children and their families in Pledge to Restore funded projects
- Share responsibility for child protection with implementing partners
- Adopt a ‘zero tolerance’ approach to child exploitation and abuse
- Recognize the best interests of the child
- Use fair and proper processes and procedures when making decisions that affect a person’s rights or interests
- Demonstrate responsibility to and respect for children by being sensitive in all communications that involve them
- Have a documented internal procedure for handling reports related to child exploitation and abuse including notification to relevant law enforcement agencies as appropriate
- Ensure Child Protection training for relevant personnel, particularly upon induction and prior
to overseas visits - Not permit a person to work with or visit children if they pose an unacceptable risk to children’s safety or well-being
- Include a provision in all employment contracts that Pledge to Restore reserves the right to dismiss the employee or volunteer should he/she breach our Child Protection Code of Conduct
- Apply Child Protection Policy and Procedures equally in all situations, whether emergency or development
- Monitor internal and external compliance with this policy
