CHILD PROTECTION POLICY

Child Protection Policy

1. POLICY STATEMENT
Children and Young People’s Protection and Development (CYPPD) recognise that children and young people form one of the most vulnerable groups in society. CYPPD acknowledges that working with children and youth is a critical responsibility and at all times, children and young people have the right to be safe and protected. Through implementing this policy, CYPPD aims to provide the safest possible environments for any children and young people with whom it works.

CYPPD has a duty of care towards the children and youth with whom they work and a responsibility to keep them safe. CYPPD is obliged to abide by local and international criminal laws and international conventions relating to child rights and protection.

CYPPD will protect all children and young people regardless of their nationality, culture, ethnicity, gender, religious or political beliefs, socio-economic status, family or criminal background or physical or mental health.

5. OPERATIONAL GUIDELINES

A. Child Safe Recruitment and Screening
CYPPD will create a child-safe organisation and actively encourage child-safe practices within our organisation.

B.1 Complaints Management and Reporting Process
CYPPD considers the abuse, neglect and exploitation of children to be unacceptable and uses clear procedures for reporting.

B.2. Complaints/Incident Management Guidelines
CYPPD is committed to ensuring that the safety and wellbeing of the child/children or young person(s) involved and their dignity and rights remain the overriding concern at all times.

C. Training and Awareness
All staff and volunteers where working directly with children, will participate in regular child protection awareness training.

D. Child Protection Code of Conduct
CYPPD provides guidance to staff and volunteers about ways to minimize risk to children/young people and standards of behaviour and practice required at all times when in contact with children.

E. Managing Personnel Risk to Children
CYPPD will identify any child protection risks in all programs, projects and positions. In consultation with staff, strategies will be adopted for managing perceived risks.

CYPPD will not permit personnel to work with children if they pose an unacceptable risk to children’s/young people’s safety or wellbeing.

F. Employment Contract Provision
CYPPD has the right to dismiss or transfer to other duties, personnel who breach the Child Protection Code of Conduct. This is written in all employment contracts.

G. Policy Monitoring
Monitoring the implementation of the Child Protection Policy is the responsibility of all staff, particularly the Director of CYPPD.

H. Policy Review
The Child Protection Policy is to be reviewed every 3 years and earlier if there are changes to relevant national and/or international legislation, so that it remains current, effective and appropriate.

2. PURPOSE
The Children and Young People’s Protection and Development (CYPPD) aims to protect children and youth below 18 years from abuse, neglect and exploitation in the context of CYPPD’s programs and operations. This will be achieved by:

Identifying and managing the risks associated with working with children and young people
Ensuring that staff, volunteers and other related personnel are aware of their responsibilities to protect children and young people

• Ensuring procedures are in place and known by all personnel for handling complaints related to child protection

3. SCOPE

This policy applies at all times to all CYPPD staff, partner organisation staff, volunteers and any visitors or contractors to CYPPD.

4. POLICY GUIDING PRINCIPLES

This policy is informed by the following principles and obligations:

Child Rights: Mongolia is a signatory to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, which recognizes that all children have the right to live safely, without fear of abuse, neglect or exploitation. Mongolia has also adopted the Law on Protection of Child Rights which provides a legal framework for actions concerning special protection of children; the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography; and ILO Convention No.182 concerning the Prohibition and Immediate Action for the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labour.

Zero Tolerance of Child Abuse: CYPPD will not tolerate any form of child abuse by anyone who is working within our programs or anyone who represents the organization in any way. CYPPD will not permit representatives to work with children and youth or access communities with whom we work if they pose an unacceptable risk to children’s safety or wellbeing.

Do No Harm: CYPPD will design and implement programs that do not perpetuate or reinforce systematic or structural abuse and discrimination of children and young people, seeking to ensure that all actions are in the best interests of the child.

Risk Management Approach: While it is not possible to eliminate all risks of child abuse, CYPPD will ensure any risks of child abuse are identified, monitored and reasonably mitigated against in the assessment of all of our activities.

a. All staff and volunteers will be provided with a copy of the Child Protection Policy.

b. All staff and volunteers will be briefed on the policy as part of their orientation to CYPPD.
c. All staff and volunteers will be required to sign a Statement of Commitment to the Child Protection Policy, including the Code of Conduct.
d. CYPPD will communicate the Child Protection Policy to all relevant parties including the Board and Committee members, staff, volunteers, consultants and partners by providing them with a copy.

e. For new staff and volunteers who will be required to work with children, the following child-safe processes will be followed:

o Targeted interview questions will be included in the interview schedule
o Prospective staff and volunteers will be required to provide two character referees that they have known for more than two years, excluding family members.

o Referees will always be asked if they hold any concerns about the applicant or if complaints were made about the applicant.
o Preferred candidates will be asked to undergo, and will be required to submit a completed Police Check.

o Any disclosure or allegation from a child, community member, staff or volunteer regarding the safety/abuse or exploitation of a child/children or young person(s).
o Any observation or concerning behaviour exhibited by CYPPD staff or volunteers that breaches the CYPPD Code of Conduct.
o Inappropriate use of the organisation’s photographic or video equipment or computers including suspicions of child pornography.
o Staff, volunteers or associated personnel engaging in suspicious behaviour that could be associated with sexual exploitation or trafficking.

a. CYPPD staff, volunteers and associated personnel are required to immediately report any suspicion of abuse or exploitation to the Director of CYPPD. Reports may be:

b. Reports are made both verbally and in written form by completing CYPPD’s Child Protection Incident Report Form.
c. The person receiving the report (or other relevant management staff persons) in consultation with the Director will discuss the concerns and decide on the next step. This will include:

o Interviewing the person who made the report / or other witnesses to gather more information towards making a decision, OR EITHER

o Report to local police and/or child protection authority/referral agency; OR

o Handle the concern internally if it is not a criminal matter; OR

o No further action taken.

a. CYPPD will make every effort to protect the rights and safety of the child/children, young person(s) throughout the investigation.
b. CYPPD will treat all concerns raised seriously and ensure that all parties are treated fairly.
c. CYPPD will deal with all reports in a confidential, fair and timely manner.
d. CYPPD will ensure that the interests of anyone reporting in good faith are protected. All reports made in good faith will be viewed as being made in the best interests of the child/young person regardless of the outcomes of any investigation.
e. Any personnel who intentionally makes false and malicious reports will face disciplinary action.

a. CYPPD staff and volunteers will be required to sign a Code of Conduct.
b. Failure of personnel to abide by the Code of Conduct may lead to disciplinary procedures, change of duties, termination of employment or legal action.