1. Name of service: The Hive – Kildare Town Youth Hub
  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 Youth Hub in Kildare Town supports children and young people through a range of specific youth work programmes and activities.
  • The Hive recognises that the welfare, safety and protection of children and young people is of paramount importance. Therefore, this statement aims to safeguard children, young people, and staff from abuse or neglect.
  • The Hive Child Safeguarding Statement is a guidance document for staff and volunteers to identify, respond to, and possibly report allegations or suspicions of Child Abuse or neglect.
  • The Hive and its users engage young people in various programmes and activities designed to meet their needs and interests.

3. Risk Assessment:

We have assessed any potential for harm to a child while availing of our services. The definition of harm concerning a child is: โ€˜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 childโ€™.

In the event of potential harm to a child, The Hive will follow its policies and procedures, including those regarding the Protection of Young People, Health and Safety, Fire Procedures, and Statement of Misuse of Drugs.

4. Procedures:

The Hive Child Safeguarding Statement has been developed per 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 ongoing process. Our service is committed to implementing 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 2025, or as soon as practicable after a material change in any matter to which the statement refers.

Wayne Fitzgerald, Manager of The Hive and Relevant Person under the Children First Act 2015.

For queries, please contact Wayne on 045 530 599 / 085 252 6839 / manager@thehivekildare.ie