choose with care building safer organisations for children and young people bernadette mcmenamin...

CHOOSE WITH CARECHOOSE WITH CAREBuilding safer Building safer

organisations fororganisations forchildren and young children and young

peoplepeople

Bernadette McMenaminBernadette McMenaminNational DirectorNational Director

Child WiseChild Wise

introducingintroducingCHILD WISECHILD WISE

ECPAT in AustraliaECPAT in Australia

CHILD WISE is a non profit organization working to prevent the sexual abuse and exploitation of children in Australia and

overseas.

The organization was launched in 1993 as part of an international network that

now exists in over 50 countries.

What is Choose With Care?What is Choose With Care?

Choose With Care is an information and Choose With Care is an information and training program designed to assist training program designed to assist

organisations establish a safe organisations establish a safe environment for the children and young environment for the children and young

people in their care.people in their care.

The focus of Choose With Care is the The focus of Choose With Care is the prevention of child sexual abuse however prevention of child sexual abuse however the strategies recommended are generic the strategies recommended are generic and will help prevent and reduce all harm and will help prevent and reduce all harm

to children.to children.

The Choose With Care ProcessThe Choose With Care Process

ProactiveProactive

PreventativePreventative

ParticipatoryParticipatory

Reflect Act

Plan

Why Choose With Care?Why Choose With Care?

Sex offenders target organisationsSex offenders target organisationsworking with children.working with children.

The vast majority of child sex offendersThe vast majority of child sex offendersdo NOT have criminal convictions.do NOT have criminal convictions.

The vast majority of child sex offendersThe vast majority of child sex offendersare known to the victim.are known to the victim.

Organisations have a moral and legalOrganisations have a moral and legalresponsibility to prevent abuse.responsibility to prevent abuse.

Four preconditions modelFour preconditions modelof sexual abuse.of sexual abuse.

A potential offender needs to have some A potential offender needs to have some motivationmotivation to abuse a child sexually. to abuse a child sexually.

The potential offender has to The potential offender has to overcome overcome internal inhibitionsinternal inhibitions against acting on that against acting on that

motivation.motivation.The potential offender has to The potential offender has to overcome overcome

external impedimentsexternal impediments to committing to committing sexual abuse.sexual abuse.

The potential offender or some other The potential offender or some other factor has to factor has to undermine or overcome a undermine or overcome a child’s possible resistancechild’s possible resistance to the sexual to the sexual

abuse.abuse.

David Finkelhor (1984) suggests that all David Finkelhor (1984) suggests that all factors relating to sexual abuse can be factors relating to sexual abuse can be grouped as contributing to one of four grouped as contributing to one of four

preconditions that need to be met before preconditions that need to be met before sexual abuse can occur.sexual abuse can occur.

What are the

features?

A Child Safe OrganisationA Child Safe Organisation

A Child Safe OrganisationA Child Safe Organisation

A Child Safe OrganisationA Child Safe Organisation

Understanding abuseUnderstanding abuse

A Child Safe OrganisationA Child Safe Organisation

Managing riskManaging risk

to minimise abuseto minimise abuse

A Child Safe OrganisationA Child Safe Organisation

Developing a childDeveloping a child

protection policyprotection policy

A Child Safe OrganisationA Child Safe Organisation

Creating clear boundariesCreating clear boundaries

A Child Safe OrganisationA Child Safe Organisation

Recruitment, selectionRecruitment, selection

and screeningand screening

A Child Safe OrganisationA Child Safe Organisation

Staff supportStaff support

and supervisionand supervision

A Child Safe OrganisationA Child Safe Organisation

Managing complaintsManaging complaints

A Child Safe OrganisationA Child Safe Organisation

Training and informationTraining and information

A Child Safe OrganisationA Child Safe Organisation

Empower, involve andEmpower, involve and

listen to childrenlisten to children

A Child Safe OrganisationA Child Safe Organisation

Management, staff and volunteersManagement, staff and volunteers

A Child Safe OrganisationA Child Safe Organisation

Children, young peopleChildren, young people

and parentsand parents

Understanding abuse

Developing a child protection policy

Creating clear

boundaries

Recruitment, selection & screening

Staff support & supervision

Managing complaints

Training & information

Empower, involve and listen to

children

Management, staff and volunteers

Children, young

people and parents

Managing risk to minimise

abuse

A Child Safe OrganisationA Child Safe Organisation

Barriers to becoming Child Safe:Barriers to becoming Child Safe:What are the barriers and challenges?What are the barriers and challenges?

ComplacencyComplacency

Lack of resourcesLack of resources

FearFear

DenialDenial

Competing Competing prioritiesprioritiesEntrenched cultureEntrenched culture

Child ProtectionPolicy & Procedures

Overcoming the BarriersOvercoming the Barriers

Identify the barriers and bring them Identify the barriers and bring them out into the open. Look for out into the open. Look for

opportunities to discuss the barriers opportunities to discuss the barriers that arise.that arise.

Child ProtectionPolicy & Procedures

Overcoming the BarriersOvercoming the Barriers

Try not to view barriers as a Try not to view barriers as a disadvantage – it is a natural part of disadvantage – it is a natural part of

the process of change.the process of change.

Managing Risk ToManaging Risk ToMinimise Abuse.Minimise Abuse.

Factors in determiningFactors in determiningthe level of risk include:the level of risk include:

ParticipantParticipant

SettingSetting

ActivityActivity

SupervisionSupervision

Maintaining a Maintaining a child safe organisationchild safe organisation

Ensure open and clear communicationEnsure open and clear communication

Establish transparent reporting Establish transparent reporting proceduresprocedures

Empower childrenEmpower children

Support and supervise staff and Support and supervise staff and volunteersvolunteers

Monitor and review policy, procedures Monitor and review policy, procedures & practice& practice

Encourage participation of all Encourage participation of all stakeholdersstakeholdersStay vigilant!Stay vigilant!

Conduct annual child protection auditConduct annual child protection audit

CHOOSE WITH CARECHOOSE WITH CAREThank YouThank You

Bernadette McMenaminBernadette McMenaminNational DirectorNational Director

Child WiseChild Wise

ecpat@ecpat.orgecpat@ecpat.org