ChildSafe Training

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• ChildSafe Training
• South Perth Church of Christ
• Sunday 20th May 2007

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PURPLE       GREEN       RED    BLUE ORANGE
WHITE
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(No Transcript)
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Introduction
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• Introducing ChildSafe
• Why do we want to implement Childsafe?
• We want to ensure a safe and welcoming
  environment for children and young people in the
  name of Jesus.
• We want to protect kids, young people and the
  church from damage.

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Why a system of safety and care?

• Excuses, excuses!
• We never had these worries before.
• Children didnt matter as much.
• We dont have a problem.
• Problems only happen to others.
• We always use common sense.
• Well worry about problems when they happen.

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And more excuses!

• We didnt know.
• We didnt check.
• The kids just love the way he throws them around.
  
• Ouch!
• I know she was 16 and it was 1am, but she needed
  me.
• Who needed whom?
• We havent the time.
• Tell that to the magistrate.
• I know what Im doing. Shell be right.
• Now Im worried.

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Definitions

• For our purposes, a child is any person below 18
  years of age.
• We realise that this does include teenagers
  young people.
• The intention is to include all who are minors
  where we have a particular duty of care.

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ChildSafe People

• Ministry Application
• Working with Children Check
• Childsafe Training
• Policies and procedures that protect people

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Scenarios

• At a water based activity, a 14 year old girl
  wearing a bikini is hoisted onto the shoulders of
  a male leader who plans to initiate a water
  fight.
• What issues are raised here?

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Scenarios

• You are on a ministry team involved in Sparklers
  (4 5 year olds). During the session, one of
  the children comes and sits in your lap putting
  an arm around your neck.
• What issues are raised here?

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Part 1Keeping People Safe
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• Child Protection
• Understanding the Issues
• Abuse
• Indicators of abuse
• Facts and myths
• The impact of sexual abuse
• Our reactions

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Abuse

• An act that endangers the physical or emotional
  health or development of a child or young person.

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Types of Abuse

• Emotional Abuse
• a situation in which a caregiver repeatedly
  rejects the child/teen or uses threats to
  frighten them
• eg name-calling, put-downs or continual coldness
  to the extent that it significantly damages the
  child/teens physical, social, intellectual or
  emotional development

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Types of Abuse

• Neglect
• a situation in which a caregiver fails to
  provide the child/teen with the basic
  necessities of life to the extent that the
  child/teens health and development is, or is
  likely to be significantly harmed

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Types of Abuse

• Physical Abuse
• a situation in which a child/teen suffers or is
  likely to suffer significant harm from an injury
  inflicted by a caregiver

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Types of Abuse

• Sexual Abuse
• a situation in which a person uses power or
  authority over a child to involve the child/teen
  in sexual activity
• can involve an adult, an adolescent or an older
  child/teen

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Indicators of Abuse

• Please look at the indicators of abuse on pages
  60-64 of your Team Member Book

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Facts and Myths

• Child sexual abuse only happens in poor and
  dysfunctional families.
• Most children are abused by people they know
  well.
• Sex offenders are older men.
• Children often lie about sexual assault.
• Men who sexually abuse boys are homosexual.
• Most sexual abuse continues over a long period of
  time and not as a single isolated event.
• It is only abuse when physical violence is
  involved.
• A child only has to tell someone for the abuse to
  be stopped.

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Why Children Dont Speak up

• Children may not tell someone about abuse because
  they want to protect others, such as a parent, or
  they want to protect themselves. Perpetrators
  often threaten to harm the child.

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Why Children Dont Speak up

• Sometimes a child may be embarrassed or ashamed
  because they think the abuse is their fault. A
  child may tell an adult who does not believe them
  or who does nothing to stop the abuse. They are
  unlikely to tell again.

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The Impact of Child Sexual Abuse on an individual
is influenced by

• Age/developmental stage at which abuse
  began/continued
• Duration and frequency of abuse
• Nature of the abuse
• Closeness of the relationship with the offender
• Presence or absence of other significant
  relationships with caring adults
• Reaction of significant others to the abuse
• Type and responsiveness of the intervention

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Effects of child sexual abuse include

• Low self esteem
• Self hatred
• Guilt
• Sense of helplessness
• Shame
• Grief
• Anger
• Damaged capacity to trust others

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Short-term effects of child sexual abuse

• Younger children may demonstrate inappropriate
  sexual behaviour including sexual play with
  dolls.
• Preschoolers tend to show increased withdrawn
  behaviour
• Older children are more likely to show
  depression.

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Short-term effects of child sexual abuse

• Adolescents engage in acting-out behaviours
  including running away, truanting, drug/alcohol
  abuse, promiscuity, delinquent behaviour.
• There is an increased incidence of suicide.
• Learning difficulties and behaviour problems are
  common.

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Long-term effects of child sexual abuse

• Sexual dysfunction
• Higher incidence of homosexuality
• Chronic anxiety, fear and depression
• Sleep disturbances
• Suicide
• Obesity
• Eating disorders
• Alcohol/drug abuse
• Self harm

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Our Reaction

• What feelings does the subject of child abuse
  arouse in you?

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Our Reaction

• How do you think you would feel if a child
  disclosed abuse to you?
• What would your immediate reaction be?

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Our reactions

• Shock
• Denial
• Sympathy, pity, desire to help
• Frustration
• Anger
• Distress and anxiety

• Guilt and self-recrimination
• Blame
• Sadness or depression
• Revulsion, horror, disgust
• Revenge

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• Child Protection
• Responding to Child Abuse
• Recognising abuse
• Responding sensitively to a child
• How children disclose
• Reporting abuse
• Mandatory reporting

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Responding Sensitively

• You are concerned about Stephen aged 8.
• He seems to know plenty about sexual behaviour
  but you attribute that to the fact that he lives
  on a farm. In casual conversation Stephen
  reveals that his teenage stepbrother often comes
  into his bed at
  night.

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Responding Sensitively

• Zac is a very active 10 year old. You see him
  regularly at church and he likes to talk to you.
  He tells you that one of the leaders has hit him
  across the ear because he didnt do as he was
  told. He asks you not to tell anyone because he
  fears he will not be allowed to come back to
  church anymore.

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Responding Sensitively

• Listen carefully
• Tell the child that you believe them
• Tell them that it is not their fault
• Let them know that you will have to tell someone
  so that they can help stop the abuse
• Tell the child that you are pleased that they
  told you
• Do not promise that you will not tell anyone
• Involve your Team Leader

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Example

• Disclosure in a group setting
• Protect the child sensitively
• Protect the group sensitively

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Responding to Disclosure or Suspected Abuse.

• As a team member you have a moral responsibility
  to inform a ministry leader if you know or
  suspect of abuse.
• Do not raise your concerns with another person.
• Speak directly to your Ministry Team Leader

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Responding to Disclosure or Suspected Abuse.

• Speak directly to your Ministry Team Leader for
  further action. At SPCC these people are
• Tania Childrens Ministry
• Rod Emily - Youth
• David Keren Pastoral Care

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Barriers to Reporting

• Fear of recrimination
• Want to give the benefit of the doubt
• Fear that the allegation could be wrong
• Fear of getting involved
• Feel it is too difficult
• Feel it will involve more work
• Feel havent enough training to deal with it
• Responsibility of parents
• Dont know what to do
• Dont trust the system
• Thinking that reporting is optional

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Reasonable Grounds

• A child tells you
• Someone close to the child tells you
• Indicators arouse your suspicions
• Physical signs
• If you make a notification with reasonable
  grounds, you cannot be held legally liable
• If you are unsure whether you have reasonable
  grounds to report, then report

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Questions?This probably has raised questions
for you. Take a couple of minutes and jot any
questions you have on the question cards.
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Part 2Safe Environments
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• Safe Environments
• Accidents and Incidents do happen!
• As a Team Member you are encouraged to keep your
  eyes and ears open!

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What do you see?

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And now?
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Accidents and Incidents

• Accident
• An undesired event that results in harm
• People are hurt, property is damaged, program is
  disrupted.

• Incident
• An undesired event which could have resulted in
  harm or damage
• A near miss

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Blood Bodily Fluids

• Pages 44 onwards
• Wear disposable gloves
• Use paper towels
• Use disinfectants and wash areas
• Dispose of waste materials appropriately

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Blood Bodily Fluids
Any blood spill should be washed with lots of
cold water. ALWAYS wash your hands!
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First Aid Kits
A First aid kit is located in the kitchen and the
demountable. A portable First Aid kit is always
taken to outside events.
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Fire Exits
Muster Point Top of the church carpark (near
tennis court)
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Fire Exit Points
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Medical Emergencies
On Sunday mornings locate Julie Bond or Graham
Faulkner who will alert medical
professionals. There will always be someone in
the vicinity who has been First Aid trained. Call
for help!
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How can you help a child through an accident or
incident?

• Ensure that the child feels safe
• Provide for the childs immediate needs
• Reunite the child with their family
• Communicate with the child
• Involve the child
• Accept regressive behaviour
• Protect the child from exposure (media, people,
  danger)

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Where to from here?
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Read your Team Member Book Sign the Training
Acknowledgement Form
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To the SPCC Ministry TeamI . Att
ended the ChildSafe Training Seminar on Sunday,
20th May at South Perth Church of Christ. I
have received, and commit to undertake to read
the ChildSafe Team Member Booklet. I will
endeavour to follow the safety and care
strategies of SPCC.Signed ----------------------
-------------- Date --------------
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Questions?
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Enjoy the café! Thank you for being here tonight.