1. Name of service : The Hive Hub Youth
2. Nature of service and principles to safeguard children from harm (brief outline of what our service is, what we do and our commitment to safeguard children): The Hive is a centre for children and young people based in Kildare Town which provides support through a range of specific youth work programmes and activities. The Hive recognise that the welfare, safety and protection of children and young people is of paramount importance and therefore the aim and purpose of this statement is to safeguard children, young people, and staff from abuse or neglect. The Hive Child Safeguarding Statement is a guidance document to support staff/volunteers in identifying, responding to and possibly reporting allegations or suspicions of Child Abuse or neglect. The Hive and its users engage young people to participate in a variety of programmes and activities that are designed to meet their needs and interest.
3. Risk Assessment We have carried out an assessment of any potential for harm to a child while availing of our services. The definition of harm in relation to a child is: ‘assault, ill-treatment or neglect of the child in a manner that seriously affects or is likely to seriously affect the child’s health, development or welfare, or sexual abuse of the child’. In the event of potential harm to a child, The Hive will follow a number of its policies and procedures: Protection of Young People, Health and Safety, Fire Procedures, Statement of Misuse of Drugs
4. Procedures The Hive Child Safeguarding Statement has been developed in line with requirements under the Children First Act 2015, Children First: National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children (2017), and Tusla’s Child Safeguarding: A Guide for Policy, Procedure and Practice.
In addition to the procedures listed in the risk assessment, the following procedures, available on request, support our intention to safeguard children while they are availing of our service:
- 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 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 or welfare concerns to Tusla; •
- Procedure for maintaining a list of the persons (if any) in the relevant service who are mandated persons;
- Procedure for appointing a relevant person.
5. Implementation We recognise that implementation is an on-going 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 on 1st March 2021, or as soon as practicable after there has been a material change in any matter to which the statement refers. Lynne O’Connor, Manager and Relevant Person under the Children First Act 2015 For Queries, please contact Lynne O’Connor on 085 2526839