Safeguarding Children/Child Protection Policy

for Brook Creative Therapy

Introduction to the organisation

Brook Creative Therapy is a private organisation providing therapy training and supervision for counsellors, psychotherapists and play therapists. It also offers counselling, psychotherapy and play therapy for individual adults and children as well as groups.

Introduction to the safeguarding children/child protection policy

Although Brook Creative Therapy is privately run, it works with other counselling organisations and training establishments. Its child protection policy therefore takes account of its external as well as its in-house work. Its policy is outlined below. This is in the process of ongoing development, and changes will be notified on its website www.brookcreativetherapy.com and elsewhere as they become available. A full review of the policy will be made by the end of January 2015.

NOTE: The terms ‘safeguarding children’ and ‘child protection’ are used interchangeably throughout this document to reflect the growing trend towards the phasing out of ‘child protection’ and the phasing in of ‘safeguarding children’.

Standard 1: Policy

This policy is based on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Children, under which protection of children (up the age of 18) from abuse and exploitation is paramount.

Brook Creative Therapy is deeply committed to protecting children it works with from all forms of abuse, including sexual, physical and emotional abuse. It will also seek wherever possible to protect children from neglect, abandonment and exploitation. Children need safeguarding where they live (family or care home) as well as from any dangers posed at school, in the playground or elswehere outside.

Brook Creative Therapy recognises that when child abuse is suspected, children often experience unintentional abuse by being interviewed by social services or the police, or even separated from family members or placed in care. It will seek wherever possible to put the child’s needs first in such situations by being involved as much as it can with the statutory organisations.

Brook Creative Therapy will seek to establish a good working relationship with local social services children’s teams and police child protection departments..

Standard 2: Procedures and systems

Where abuse is suspected of or reported by a child in Brook Creative Therapy’s programmes, the person with the concern will in the first instance discuss the matter with the Safeguarding Children/Child Protection Officer Roger Day. If the child is at immediate risk the officer with make a direct call to the children’s team of the local social services department seeking to work with them on a professional-to-professional basis. In cases where there is no immediate risk of harm to the child, the officer may call a case conference or seek further specialist advice. The case conference would consist of all those involved in the welfare of the child. This may include parents, teachers, social workers and therapists. Further specialist advice may be sought from a specialist social work agency such as CCPAS (telephone: 0845 120 4550).

Where it is clear that the matter must be reported, the officer will contact the children’s team and seek to work with them on a professional-to-professional basis. If it is likely that a crime has been committed, the police will be informed so that they can conduct an investigation. This will uphold the law and hopefully prevent further abuse.

All discussion of a child considered at risk will be written down with time and date and notes kept in a secure, locked cabinet. Confidentiality to protect the child’s rights will be respected unless the child’s safety is at risk. Everyone involved in discussion about a suspected incident of child abuse will agree to these levels of confidentiality.

Brook Creative Therapy will aim to provide appropriate therapy for the child and for others concerned. If the child is expected later to be called as a witness, the therapy will be conducted within the guidelines of the Crown Prosecution Service on provisionof therapy for child witnesses (www.cps.gov.uk/publications/prosecution/therapychild.html), where therapy avoids direct discussion of details of the abuse until after the case has been heard in court.

Complaints about people working for or associated with Brook Creative Therapy should be addressed to the designated child protection officer Roger Day (mobile telephone 07870 737 652). Should the complaint need to be made about Roger Day or any member of his family the emergency designated child protection officer is John McDonald, a qualified counsellor (mobile telephone 0786 779 1251).

Standard 3: Prevention

Brook Creative Therapy requires anyone wanting to work for them in whatever capacity to undertake a Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) enhanced disclosure (see www.crb.gov.uk). If the check shows convictions that are likely to put children at risk, Brook Creative Therapy reserves the right to refuse the services of the person, whether the services are voluntary or not. In addition, each person will need to provide at least two written character references about them from trustworthy people.

If abuse is later suspected by an associate, the person concerned will be suspended while a full investigation is conducted by Brook Creative Therapy, the local social services and/or the police. If the abuse is confirmed, the person will be removed from the books of Brook Creative Therapy and recommended to undergo intensive therapy. He or she will be deemed a danger to children and steps may be taken to warn other groups of the person’s danger to children.

Any photographs of children used by Brook Creative Therapy on websites or in emails will seek not to give the name, identity or location of the child or provide other information that could be used abusively in any way. Where possible, permission from the parent/carer of the child concerned will be obtained in advance of the use of the photograph. Part of this permission is to inform the parent/carer exactly how the picture will be used, including any captions or digital change proposed.

Standard 4: Codes of practice and behaviour

Brook Creative Therapy’s therapeutic work is undertaken in a way that ensures safe, ethical practice. The therapist makes sure that someone else is present in the building where the work is being done. In many cases the person (such as a parent or translator) is present in the room. In other cases, the person is outside the room. This could be a parent waiting for her child, a fellow therapist or even someone else living in the building. If that person is aware that therapy is going on, he or she can be attuned to any difficulties and available in case of problems.

Almost all therapy takes place in a room with the door shut. This is standard practice for most therapists. There are instances, however, when leaving the door slightly ajar can be therapeutically justified, even if it means compromising confidentiality by risking someone overhearing what is happening. The child with extreme anxiety or claustrophobia is a case in point. So too is the child who has been subjected to sexual abuse behind a closed door, such as a bedroom or bathroom. In these instances, not only does the client feel safe but the therapist can feel less vulnerable.

Child clients are generally expected to stay in the room throughout the session. There are a few exceptions to this rule. These include children who have experienced being locked in their bedroom as a punishment and those who have not been allowed out of a room until they have engaged in a sexual activity with an abuser. In these rare instances the therapist gives the child permission to leave the room as often as she/he needs to.

Brook Creative Therapy’s therapists will sometimes video or tape-record the session, with the agreement of the parent/carer and the child concerned. The video or tape is for note-taking and training and is kept in a locked cabinet. It is available for loan to the parent/carer only with the clear agreement of the child and the therapist.

Since most issues with children impact on and are affected by the system (family, school, etc), it is sometimes appropriate to involve the parent/carer or brothers and sisters in some or all of the sessions. Having another person present, providing it is therapeutically justified, is a major contribution towards safe, ethical practice. It is especially important with the child who is either flirtatious or is known to be acting out sexually.

In its training and supervision work, Brook Creative Therapy will help trainees and supervisees to identify any potential safeguarding/child protection issues in their work. It is for the trainee/supervisee to take forward any child protection measures needed, with support from Brook Creative Therapy.

Children often need physical contact. With this in mind Brook Creative Therapy has developed a Safe Touch policy:

1. Always have other people in sight

Avoid being on your own with a child of any age.

2. Ensure that the child wants the physical contact you are offering

Where possible make eye contact with the child and indicate with gestures or verbally what you propose, waiting for the child's clear agreement. This is whether you are offering a hug, touching a shoulder, holding a hand, tickling or play fighting. If you believe a child may have been abused, it is important to avoid hugging, tickling and play fighting until they have learned the difference between ‘good’ touching and ‘bad’ touching.

3. Touch in appropriate areas only

Consciously avoid touching the child in areas of the body that would be covered by a swimming costume. The only exceptions are when changing or washing a baby or very small child, or helping a disabled child in the toilet or washing themselves. Touching the leg above the knee is also generally not acceptable.

4. Be cautious about having a child on your lap

Men are strongly advised to avoid children sitting on their laps. In exceptional circumstances they may let a small child sit on the knee end of their lap.

5. Avoid face-to-face hugging of a girl who has begun to develop

This is especially important with men. Instead of a face-to-face hug, try an arm on the shoulder 'sideways hug'. This satisfies the older girl's need for closeness and avoids inappropriate physical contact.

Special precautions are required when working with children who have a disability because of the increased risk of physical abuse or sexual exploitation. Only in very exceptional circumstances will an associate of Brook Creative Therapy be alone with a disabled child. Helping the child change clothes or to go to the toilet must always be done with the door open and, if at all possible, in the presence of another adult.

Brook Creative Therapy’s child-child policy includes addressing any public or age-inappropriate sexualised behaviour with another child, whether or not the two children are of the same age. While such behaviour may provide useful therapeutic clues to the child’s possible problematic background, it is essential that such behaviour is addressed to avoid any abuse arising as a result.

Children will be encouraged strongly to respect each other at all times. This includes avoiding any physical or verbal aggression towards another child because of the child’s own anger problems.

Standard 5: Implementation in different cultural contexts

Brook Creative Therapy works mainly in Great Britain. Its child protection policy applies in all its work, taking account of the different cultures it works with. Aspects of the child protection policy may need to be adjusted when taking account of different cultures.

Standard 6: Equality

From its inception, Brook Creative Therapy has been deeply committed to equality for children and adults it is involved with, regardless of culture, language, religious adherence, age, gender, level of disability, socio-economic group or sexual preference. In all its training programmes it promotes equality and protection for children.

Standard 7: Communication systems

Brook Creative Therapy publishes its safeguarding children/child protection policy on its website (www.brookcreativetherapy.com) as well as in workshops on working therapeutically with children.

Wherever possible, children’s views on protecting themselves will be heard and included within the policy. .

Standard 8: Education and training

Brook Creative Therapy provides training about child protection for its associates. This training is based on its own policy as well as including resources from experts elsewhere. The training will include how offenders operate – the cycle of abuse and ‘grooming’ of a potential victim.

Standard 9: Access to advice and support

Brook Creative Therapy is aware of the importance for children who have been or are being abused to have a way of getting help. It favours the model exemplified by ChildLine, where the child can speak on the telephone in confidence with a trained counsellor about what is concerning her or him (telephone 0800 1111). It also favours local initiatives where children who have been abused can seek advice and support in person, on line or by telephone.

Standard 10: Implementation and monitoring

Brook Creative Therapy as a small organisation is able to monitor any incidents of noncompliance with its child protection policy and to take appropriate action quickly. Any such incidents will start with a strategy meeting to propose a way forward.

In the case of a complaint being made about a staff member or associate, Brook Creative Therapy’s own supervision network will be involved as quickly as possible. This will include its UK clinical and training supervisor Rosemary Napper (07887 780 525). Again, the police and/or social services will be informed if appropriate.

Standard 11: Working with partners

Brook Creative Therapy seeks to work cooperatively with other organisations. Such partnerships will include Brook Creative Therapy providing training, consultancy, supervision and therapy for professionals as well as for adults and children being helped by the organisation.

Where working with children or training in child therapy is involved, Brook Creative Therapy expects such partnership organisations to have in place, or be in the process of developing, their own safeguarding children/child protection policy and procedures. Such policy and procedures need to be consistent with the standards outlined in this document.

Child protection issues that arise as a result of working with partners will be referred back to the partner organisation by Brook Creative Therapy for appropriate action.

Roger Day

Safeguarding Children/Child Protection Officer

February 2012

Brook Creative Therapy, Brook Cottage, 16 Burnside, Rugby, Warwickshire CV22 6AX Telephone: 01788 541 937 Mobile: 07870 737 652

Email: brookcreativetherapy@gmail.com

Website: www.tbrookcreativetherapy.com