Cracking Light Productions
Child Protections & Welfare Safeguarding Summary
Full statement available on request.
Cracking Light Productions wishes to support the Arts Sector by providing information to all collaborators & the general public so there is an understanding of relevant information on;
Children's First act 2015 and Children's First National Guidance 2017 including “Relevant Services” & “Service Provider”
Undertaking a risk assessment and completing a Child Safeguarding Statement
Best Practice approaches in child safeguarding including required policies and procedures
The Arts Council “Quality Assurance Framework” with supporting information to ensure compliance.
Legal Framework:
The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child
The Childcare Act 1991 (and 2001)
Children First act 2015
The protection for Persons Reporting Child Abuse Act, 1998
National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons Acts 2012-2016
Domestic Violence Act 1996
Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2017
Data Protection Acts 1998 and 2003
Freedom of Information Acts 1997 and 2003
The Criminal Justice (Withholding of Information on Offences against Children and Vulnerable Persons) Act 2012
Protected Disclosures Act 2014
Definition:
‘Child’ means a person under the age of 18 years, other than a person who is or has been married.
Children First Act 2015:
The Act places a number of statutory obligation on specific groups of professionals and on particular organisations providing services to children, (i.e Cracking Light Productions). Through the provision of the act it is intended to:
Raise awareness of child abuse and neglect
Provide for mandatory reporting for key professionals
Improve child safeguarding arrangements in organisations providing services to children
Provide for cooperation and information-sharing between agencies when Tusla, Child and Family Agency, is undertaking child protection assessments
This legislation also contains a provision that removes the defense of reasonable chastisement in relation to corporal punishment as part of court proceedings.
Obligations on Organisations that provide relevant services to children
The Children First Act 2015 places obligations on organisations that provide relevant services to children (i.e Cracking Light Productions).
These obligations are:
To keep Children safe from harm while they are participating in Cracking Light Production's workshops or field trips.
To carry out a risk assessment to identify whether a child or young person could be harmed whilst participating in Cracking Light Production's workshops, screenings or field trips.
To Develop a Child Safeguarding Statement which much include both the written risk assessment and the procedures that are in place to:
Manage any risk identified
Investigate an allegation against any staff member about any act, omission or circumstance in respect of a child availing of the service of Cracking Light Productions.
Select collaborators who are suitable to work with children.
Provide information and training to collaborators on child protection and safeguarding issues.
Enable collaborators, whether mandated persons or otherwise, to make a report to Tusla in accordance with the Act or any guidelines issued by the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs.
Maintain a list of persons in the organisation who are mandated persons under the Act
Appoint a relevant person in the organisation for the purpose of the Act
Definition: Service Provider
As defined in the Children First Act 2015, provider means a person:
Who provides a relevant service, and
Who in the provision of such relevant service –
Employs (whether under contract of employment or otherwise) one or more than one person to undertake any work or activity that constitutes a relevant service,
Enters into a contract for services with one or more than one other person for the provision by the person of a relevant service, or
Permits one or more than one person (whether or not for commercial or other consideration and whether or not as part of a course of education or training, including an internship scheme) to undertake any work or activity, on behalf of the person, that constitutes a relevant service
Children First Principles:
The safety and welfare of children is everyone’s responsibility.
The best interests of the child should be paramount.
The overall aim in dealings with children and families is to intervene proportionately to support families to keep children safe from harm.
Interventions by the state should build on existing strengths and protective factors in the family.
Early intervention is key to getting better outcomes. Where it is necessary for the State to intervene to keep children safe, the minimum intervention necessary should be used.
Children should only be separated from their parents or carers when alternative means of protecting them have been exhausted.
Children have a right to be heard, listened to and taken seriously. Taking into account their age and understanding, children should be consulted and involved in all matters and decisions that may affect their lives.
Parents and carers have a right to respect and should be consulted and involved in matters that concern their family.
A proper balance must be struck between protecting children and respecting the rights and needs of parents, carers and families. Where there is conflict the welfare of the child must come first.
Child protection is a multiagency, multidisciplinary activity. Agencies and professionals must work together in the interests of the children.
Safeguarding Best Practice Procedures For Cracking Light Productions:
As Cracking Light Productions is an organisation that provides services to children, it has to implement specific policies and procedures on how to create a safe environment. As Cracking Light Productions provides a relevant service, as listed in Schedule 1 of the Children First Act 2015, this is adhered to implementing a Child Safeguarding Statement.
Cracking Light Productions now has detailed policies and procedures in place on the following:
Dealing with child protection concerns
Reporting Child Protection concerns
Working safely with children
Recruiting and managing collaborators
Child safeguarding awareness and training
Involving parents and children
Implementing and reviewing Cracking Light Productions safeguarding strategies
Child Safeguarding Statement
Name of service: My Nature Film Project
Nature of service and principles of safeguard children from harm: Cracking Light Productions are an event, media and film company based in Ennistymon Co. Clare. We create cultural events and make small scale film projects that help to build community and raise awareness for issues of Climate. The work aims to be engaging all ages including children as part of family units, schools and local arts/youth groups.
Cracking Light Productions is committed to providing service to and for children and ensuring that all children that are involved in projects are respected and kept out of harm.
Relevant persons will be Garda vetted and all child protection of welfare concerns will be reported to Tusla/Gardaí in a timely manner
Risk assessment
We have carried out an assessment of potential harm to a child while availing of our services.
Procedures
Cracking Light Productions' Child Safeguarding Statement has been developed in line with requirements under the Children First Act 2015, the Children First: National Guidance, and Tusla’s Child 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 availing of our service:
Cracking Light Productions' Child Protection Policy
Procedure for the Management of allegations of abuse or misconduct against workers/volunteers of a child availing of our service
Procedure for the safe recruitment and selection of workers and volunteers to work with children
Procedure for the provision of and access to child safeguarding training and information, including the identification of the occurrence of harm
Procedure for the reporting of child protection and welfare concerns to Tusla
Procedure for maintaining a list of persons (if any) in the relevant service who are mandated persons
Procedure for appointing a relevant person
All procedures listed are available on request
Implementation
We recognise that implementation is an ongoing process. Our service is committed to the implementation of this Child Safeguarding Statement and the procedures that support our intention to keep children safe from harm while availing of our service. This Child Safeguarding Statement will be reviewed in April 2022 or as soon as practicable after there has been a material change in any matter to which the statement refers.
For queries please contact: Maeve Stone, Co-Director and Designated Liaison Person for Child Protection at Cracking Light Productions / crackinglightproductions@gmail.com
(Relevant Person under the Children First Act 2015)
Role of the “Relevant Person”:
“Relevant Person” means a person who is appointed by a provider of a relevant service to be the first point of contact in respect of the provider’s child safeguarding statement.
Safeguarding Procedures:
Our Child Safeguarding Procedures has been developed in line with requirements under the Children First Act 2015, the Children First: National Guidance, and Tusla’s Child 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 availing of our service:
Procedure for the management of allegations of abuse or misconduct against collaborators/volunteers of a child availing of our service.
Procedure for the safe recruitment and selection of collaborators to work with children.
Procedure for the provision of and access to child safeguarding training and information, including the identification of the occurrence of harm.
Procedure for the reporting of child protection and welfare concerns to Tusla.
Procedure for maintaining a list of the persons in the relevant service who are mandated persons.
Procedure for appointing a relevant person.
Implementation.
Safeguarding Procedures – Review
We at Cracking Light Productions recognize that implementation is an ongoing process. Our service is committed to the implementation of the Child Safeguarding Statement and the procedures that support our intention to keep children safe from harm while availing of our service. Cracking Light Productions Child Safety Statement will be reviewed on 01st April 2022, or as soon as practicable after there has been a material change in any matter to which the statement refers.
Safeguarding Best Practice Procedures
Dealing with child protection concerns
Reporting child protection concerns
Working safely with children
Recruiting & managing staff
Child safeguarding awareness and training
Involving parents and children
Implementing and reviewing the safeguarding strategies