1. NAME OF SOCIAL ENTERPRISE AND ACTIVITIES ORGANISED
Life Connections is a social enterprise that provides the following:
PRIMARY SCHOOL CHILDREN
School-based workshops that support the school’s delivery of the SPHE and RSE curriculum. During workshops a teacher is always present in accordance with each schools’ policies and procedures.
Online courses that support the delivery of the SPHE and RSE curriculum. An adult, a parent, guardian or teacher will be the only one to register for the course. By registering for the course, the adult, the parent, the guardian or the teacher consents to the childs participation in the course and they will manage the childs learning, and how and when they access the online course. The child will never be contacted online by Life Connections. And the online course platform does not have any interactivity, so the child will not be able to communicate with other persons during the course.
SECONDARY SCHOOL CHILDREN
School-based workshops that support the school’s delivery of the SPHE and RSE curriculum. During workshops a teacher is always present in accordance with each schools’ policies and procedures.
Online courses that support the delivery of the SPHE and RSE curriculum. An adult, a parent, guardian or teacher will be the only one to register for the course. By registering for the course, the adult, the parent, the guardian or the teacher consents to the teenagers participation in the course and they will manage the teenagers learning, and how and when they access the online course. The teenager will never be contacted online by Life Connections. And the online course platform does not have an interactivity, so the teenager will not be able to communicate with other persons during the course.
YOUTH LEARNERS
Youthreach and CTC's are offered workshops that support the training center's curriculum. During workshops a trainer is always present in accordance with each training center's policies and procedures.
Youthreach and CTC's are offered online courses that support the training center's curriculum. If the learner is U/18 and legally a child, an adult, a parent, guardian or trainer will be the only one to register for the course. They will manage the teenage learners learning, and how and when they access the course. The teenager will never be contacted online by Life Connections. And the online course platform does not have an interactivity, so the teenager will not be able to communicate with other persons during the course. If the learner is an adult, they may register themselves. The online course platform does not have any interactivity, so the young adult will not be able to communicate with other persons during the course
ADULTS
RSE eLearning courses for adults who are parents and guardians of children, or teachers and principals of schools.
2. COMMITMENT TO SAFEGUARD CHILDREN FROM HARM
Life Connections is committed to safeguarding the children who attend our workshops in schools and in our online courses.
We believe that the welfare and safety of every child and young person who attends our workshops and online courses is paramount. We are committed to child centred practice in all our work.
Our policies and procedures to safeguard children and young people reflect national policy and legislation and are available upon request.
The rights of every child and young person who attends our workshops and online courses, including the rights to be kept safe and protected from harm, listened to and heard are upheld by all
Our policy declaration applies to everyone in our social enterprise, staff, volunteers, board members and students
3. RISK ASSESSMENT
RISK IDENTIFIED & POLICIES/PROCEDURES IN PLACE TO MANAGE RISK
Inappropriate personnel/volunteers/students
Garda Vetting Procedure – This has been completed for the CEO and youth volunteer, using Tipperary Volunteer Centre as the host organisation.
The following policies are in development and will be in place for when staff are recruited in the future.
When workshops with children take place in schools, with a teacher supervising each workshop, the schools anti-bullying policy will apply.
When courses take place online, there is no interactivity built into the design, so the child is not able to communicate with another child via the online platform, so no bullying can take place whilst participating in the course.
Physical assault by peers/corporal punishment by an adult
Code of behaviour for all staff, volunteers and students
Incident Report Form
As workshops with children only ever take place in schools, with a teacher supervising each workshop, the school’s child protection policy will apply
Inappropriate use of images/videos on social media
Consent for photo/video use given by school.
Social Media Management Policy is being developed in 2021 for staff, volunteers, students.
4. CHILD SAFEGUARDING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
Our child Safeguarding Statement has been developed in line with requirements under the Children First Act 2015, the Children First: National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children, and Tusla’sChild Safeguarding: A Guide for Policy, Procedure and Practice. In addition to the procedures listed in our risk assessment, the following procedures support our intention to safeguard children while they are attending our workshops:
Life Connections Child Safeguarding Policy document
Schools Child Protection Policies and anti-Bullying Policies
Child Protection and Welfare Reporting Procedures
Procedure for the management of allegations of abuse or misconduct against workers, volunteers, students by a child attending our workshops
Procedure to maintain a list of mandated persons and for appointing a relevant person
Confidentiality policy
Complaints policy (in development in 2021)
5. IMPLEMENTATION AND REVIEW
We recognise that implementation is an ongoing process. Life Connections is committed to the implementation of this Child Safeguarding Statement and the accompanying child safeguarding policies and procedures that support our intention to keep children safe from harm while attending our workshops
This statement will be reviewed every 2 years or as soon as practicable after there has been a material change in any matter to which the statement refers.
Signed:
Date: 08/03/2021
Jenny Fahy
CEO Life Connections
3 Sli na Beatha
Cloughjordan
Co. Tipperary
087-2226410
DLP for child safeguarding concerns - If there is a concern for the safety or wellbeing of any young person participating in a Life Connection schools-based workshop the facilitator will report this to the DLP in the school.
For further information on this Statement, contact the Relevant Person:
Jenny Fahy, CEO Life Connections; Tel: 087-2226410
