CAIA CHILDREN & YOUTH POLICIES & PROCEDURES

Under the terms of the Children Act 2004 anyone under the age of 18 is considered to be a child or a young person. Any reference in these policies and procedures to a child or children includes a young person or young people respectively.

A) CAIA CHILD PROTECTION POLICY STATEMENT

Safeguarding children is the responsibility of everyone.

The Centre for Armenian Information & Advice (CAIA) recognises its responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of children within the legal framework of the Children Acts 1989 and 2004, the Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023 guidance and any other subsequent changes in legislation.

We are aware that many children are the victims of different kinds of abuse and that they can be subjected to social factors that have an adverse impact upon their lives – including domestic violence, substance misuse, bullying, child prostitution and ritualistic abuse.

We aim to create a safe environment within which children can thrive and adults can work with the security of clear guidance.

These guidelines are for the use of all paid staff, volunteers, and visitors. We will make them available to the parents and carers of the children to whom we offer a service. Through them, we will endeavour to ensure that:

• Children are listened to, valued and respected.

• Staff are aware of the need to be alert to the signs of abuse and know what to do with their concerns.

• All paid and unpaid staff are subject to rigorous recruitment procedures.

• All paid and unpaid staff are given appropriate support and training.

• All child protection concerns should be acted upon immediately. Any concerns that a child might be at risk or is suffering abuse will be reported to our Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL).

Furthermore, we will endeavour to keep up to date with national developments relating to the care and protection of children.

CAIA adheres to Ealing’s Child Protection Procedures and Policies (the Yellow Book) and the code of conduct that is outlined within.

Designated Lead for Safeguarding: Misak Ohanian (CEO)

Deputy Leads for Safeguarding: Armine Sargsyan (Playworker) & Venetia Abrahamian (Youth worker)

Trustee for Safeguarding: Alexandra Sarkis (CAIA Board Co-Chair)

(Reviewed and adopted by the CAIA Board on 31/07/2021, 25/02/2023, 10/02/24, 28/02/25, 28/06/25)

B) AIM OF CAIA’S WORK WITH CHILDREN & YOUNG PEOPLE

The aim of CAIA’s work with children shall be to advance their education below compulsory school age or outside school hours as part of the CAIA’s overall charitable aims and objectives. More specifically:

To establish and maintain Armenian language preschool learning activities, parents & toddlers club, summer / winter projects, after school youth club and other safe and satisfying educational indoor and outdoor activities.
Promote Armenian culture & language by organising exhibitions, cultural events, mother-tongue classes, etc.
Encourage children of Armenian origin to grow up in an atmosphere of non-discrimination and racial harmony by encouraging interaction with each other as well as with others, as equals.
To enable children of Armenian origin to integrate into wider society without depriving them of their ethnic identity, culture, and heritage.
Research and identify the various needs of Armenian children and their parents and offer support.

CAIA treats safeguarding the children as our number one priority. We adhere to all safeguarding policies for children and abide by safeguarding procedures highlighted on the www.gov.uk under “Working Together to Safeguard Children”.

C) CHILD PROTECTION POLICY AND APPENDICES 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5

This policy applies to all CAIA Associated/Connected Persons, including members of the Board, paid staff, volunteers and sessional workers, agency staff, students or anyone working on behalf of the CAIA. Throughout this Policy, any references to “staff and volunteers” refers to all CAIA Associated/Connected Persons so far as it is relevant, appropriate, and feasible.

1. General Overview

The purpose of this policy is:

To protect children and young persons whether they are CAIA service users or children of service users or connected with CAIA in any other way, such as a visitor, irrespective of the age of their parent(s).
To provide staff and volunteers with the overarching principles that guide our approach to child protection.

CAIA believes that a child should never experience abuse of any kind. We have a responsibility to promote the welfare of all children and to keep them safe. We are committed to practise this policy in a way that protects them.

We recognise that:

The welfare of the child is paramount.
All children, regardless of age, disability, gender, racial heritage, religious belief, sexual orientation, or identity have the right to equal protection from all types of harm or abuse.
Working in partnership with children, their parents, carers and with other agencies is essential in promoting children’s welfare.

We will seek to keep children and young person’s safe by:

Valuing them, listening to them and respecting them.
Adopting child protection practices through procedures and a code of conduct for staff and volunteers (see Appendix 1).
Providing effective management for staff and volunteers through supervision, support, and training.
Recruiting staff and volunteers safely, ensuring all necessary checks are made.
Sharing information about child protection and good practice with children, parents, staff, and volunteers.
Sharing concerns with agencies who need to know and involving parents and children appropriately.

A list of useful contact details including the Safeguarding Officers at CAIA, can be found at the bottom of this Policy.

CAIA is committed to reviewing this Policy and good practice annually.

2. THE RISKS TO CHILDREN

Children can be vulnerable to different forms of abuse and harm. It is important to recognize that abuse and harm of children can cover a wide range of circumstances and behaviours. The main categories of abuse are as follows:

Physical abuse: This is violence causing injury or occurring regularly during childhood. For example, this may include:

a child is hurt or injured by being hit, shaken, squeezed, thrown, burned, scalded, bitten, or cut.
someone tries to drown or suffocate a child.
someone gives a child poison, alcohol, or inappropriate drugs.
someone fabricates the symptoms of, or deliberately induces, illness in a child.

In some cases, the injuries will be caused deliberately. In others they may be accidental but caused by the child being knowingly put at risk.

Sexual abuse: This occurs when someone uses power or control to involve a child in sexual activity to gratify the abuser’s own sexual, emotional, or financial needs or desires. It may include:

forcing or enticing a child to take part in sexual activities, whether or not the child is aware of what is happening.
encouraging children to behave in sexually inappropriate ways.
showing children pornographic material or involving them in the production of such material.
involving children in watching other people’s sexual activity or in inappropriate discussions about sexual matters.

Emotional abuse: This is persistent or severe emotional ill-treatment of a child that is likely to cause serious harm to his/her development. It may include:

persistently denying the child love and affection.
regularly making the child feel frightened by shouts, threats, or any other means.
hurting another person or a pet to distress a child.
being so overprotective of the child that he/she is unable to develop or lead a normal life.
exploiting or corrupting a child (e.g. by involving him/her in illegal behaviour).
conveying to a child the message that he/she is worthless, unlovable, inadequate, or his/her only value is to meet the needs of another person. This may or may not include racist, homophobic, or other forms of abuse.

Neglect: This involves persistently failing to meet a child’s physical, psychological, or emotional needs. It may include:

failing to ensure that a child’s basic needs for food, shelter, clothing, health care, hygiene and education are met.

failing to provide appropriate supervision to keep a child out of danger. This includes lack of supervision of particular activities or leaving a child alone in the house.

It is important to be aware of more specific types of abuse that fall within the above categories, they are:

Bullying and cyberbullying

Sexual exploitation

Child criminal exploitation

Child trafficking

Domestic abuse

Socio-cultural malpractices, such as female genital mutilation

Radicalisation

Grooming

Historical abuse

Online abuse

The causal factors of any such harm or abuse can also be wide-ranging. For example, children can be placed at risk by family members or by members of the community.

3. SAFEGUARDING PRINCIPLES

Safeguarding children from harm and abuse is an essential responsibility for the CAIA. We are committed to ensuring that any child who comes into contact with our services is properly safeguarded. Every person under this policy must ensure that they play an active role in ensuring that children are properly safeguarded.

Every person to whom this policy applies holds responsibility for:

remaining alert and aware of possible safeguarding risks to children.

guarding children against harmful environments with appropriate actions (for example adequate supervision or ensuring safe environments).
taking positive steps to maintain the safety and wellbeing of children engaging with us as a Charity.

reporting concerns expeditiously and appropriately, in line with child protection procedures.

understanding the duty to report specific concerns (and understanding how these interplay with confidentiality).

challenging any inappropriate or harmful behaviour of any other adult and reporting this accordingly.

acting appropriately in the presence of children.

not taking any inappropriate risks.

not smoking, drinking, or taking any form of illicit substance in the presence of children.

4. SAFEGUARDING OFFICERS

The management and oversight of all child safeguarding matters is allocated to:

Designated Lead for Safeguarding (“DSL”): Misak Ohanian (CAIA CEO)

Deputy Leads for Safeguarding: Armine Sargsian (Playworker) and Venetia Abrahamian (Youth worker)

Trustee for Safeguarding: Alexandra Sarkis (CAIA Co-Chair of the Board)

The roles of the DSL and the Trustee for Safeguarding are covered in CAIA’s overarching Safeguarding Policy.

5. CONFIDENTIALITY AND DATA PROTECTION

The Confidentiality and Data Protection and Security Policies contained in section 2 of CAIA’s Organisational Manual must be followed at all times.

6. AFTER SCHOOL YOUTH CLUB REGISTRATION FORM

Before first attendance at the Youth Club and on an annual basis thereafter each child attending the Youth Club and his or her parent/guardian must complete and sign the registration form contained in Appendix 3.

7. RESPONDING TO A SAFEGUARDING CONCERN

Where a child is at immediate risk of serious harm, or in need of urgent medical attention, any adult present should call 999, and if appropriate first aid should be given in the meantime. Thereafter, the DSL or their deputy should be contacted as soon as is reasonably practicable.

Where there is a safeguarding concern but no immediate risk of serious harm, the adult who has heard or witnessed this concern should consult with the DSL or their deputy as soon as practicable and by no later than the end of that same day. In the absence of the DSL and deputy the member of staff concerned should themselves follow the steps in 8 below.

Where any child makes a disclosure relating to harm or abuse to an adult, it is important for that adult to:

listen calmly and carefully, showing that their views are taken seriously.
Provide an appropriate and honest level of reassurance.
avoid interrogating children and asking probing, intrusive and/or leading questions.
avoid making false promises regarding secrets and confidentiality with the child (because any concern of abuse/harm must be shared with a safeguarding officer and any subsequent safeguarding referral)
make a confidential written record of the discussion either during the discussion or immediately afterwards. The record should include the key details of the disclosure together with any relevant times, dates, places, and people concerned. Audio and video recordings of children making disclosures should be avoided.

Refer all relevant information to the DSL or their deputy as soon as practicable afterwards, and by no later than the same day, together with a completed incident/concern recording log form – see section 7 below. if the allegation concerns the DSL, the report should be made to the trustee for safeguarding.

8. KEEPING A RECORD OF CONCERNS

The purpose of the “Incident/Concern Recording Log Form” is to record concerns of abuse or potential abuse and to detail how each notification is dealt with. The relevant sections of the form should be completed and signed at each stage of the procedure. It can be used to forward information to the statutory child protection authorities if a referral to them is needed.

The form should be signed and dated by all those involved in its completion and kept confidentially on the child’s file. The name of the person making the notes should be written alongside each entry.

The “Incident/Concern Recording Log Form” can be found in Appendix 2 below.

9. ROLE OF THE DSL IF THEY RECEIVE A REPORT OR DISCLOSURE ABOUT ABUSE

Where there is a disclosure or reported concern of abuse the following guidelines should be followed by the DSL or their deputy:

In the case of a disclosure or if a deliberate injury is suspected, there is a concern for the child’s safety or they are afraid to return home, Children’s Social Care should be contacted without delay. Do not discuss with parents/carers. If the child is in immediate danger, and this has not already been done, call the Police.
If the child is suffering from a serious injury, and this has not already been done, seek medical attention immediately from accident and emergency services (call 999). Also inform Children’s Social Care, and the duty consultant paediatrician at the hospital.
If the child is not at immediate risk but there are general concerns, the DSL should contact the ECIRS Consultation Line for advice on whether to refer to ECIRS or whether other services may be more appropriate, and what if anything should be said to the child’s parents/carers before making a referral.

10. Dealing with concerns regarding the conduct of an adult connected with CAIA

The steps set out in Appendix 4 outline what should be done if a child protection allegation is made against a member of staff, volunteer, or other persons working for or involved with the CAIA.

11. DEALING WITH ALLEGATIONS MADE OR INFORMATION RECEIVED AGAINST ANOTHER CHILD

Procedures covering allegations made or information received against another child are set out in Appendix 5.

12. RADICALISATION

If CAIA staff or volunteers are concerned that someone is at risk of being radicalised and drawn into terrorism, they should treat it in the same way as any other safeguarding concern and notify their supervisor/manager and the DSL immediately.

For more information, please visit: “Prevent duty guidance: for England and Wales” on www.gov.uk

13. LONE WORKING

Lone working with children and young people is not permitted at CAIA. All playgroup and youth sessions must have at least two adults present, namely the sessional worker and another member of staff/volunteer.

14. SAFER RECRUITMENT POLICY/SAFEGUARDING TRAINING

Safer recruitment policy and Safeguarding training are covered in CAIA’s Overarching Safeguarding Policy.

Contact details

Designated Lead for Safeguarding
Name: Misak Ohanian
Email address: hayashen@caia.org.uk
Telephone number: 07947 586226

Deputy Leads for Safeguarding
Name: Armine Sargsyan
Email address: acpg@caia.org.uk
Telephone number: 07969 323249

Name: Venetia Abrahamian

Email address: youth@CAIA.org.uk

Telephone number: 07710 442805

Trustee for Safeguarding
Name: Alexandra Sarkis
Email address: alex.sarkis@talk21l.com
Telephone number: 07740 932602

Local Police: Acton Police Station

020 8810 1212 or 101

Ealing Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) for allegations against staff and volunteers asv@ealing.gov.uk/ 020 8825 8930 or 07890 940241

Ealing Children’s Integrated Response Service (ECRIS) 020 8825 5000 (Immediate help if there is concern about the welfare or safety of a child)

ECIRS Professional Consultation Line 020 8825 5236 (if unsure whether to make referral to ECIRS)

NSPCC Helpline: 0808 800 5000 help@NSPCC.org.uk

ChildLine: 0800 1111

(Approved by CAIA Management Committee 12 April 2011)
(Reviewed and adopted on 19/03/2014, 21/06/2016, 10/04/2017, 13/02/2020, 31/07/2021, 25/02/2023, 10/02/2024, 28/02/2025, 28/06/25)

appendix 1 – code of practice

This Code of Conduct sets out CAIA’s expectations of appropriate conduct and behaviour for all staff and volunteers working with children. All staff and volunteers are expected to follow the Code of Conduct at all times and must contact the DSL or their Deputy if they have any questions or are unclear about any of the points included.

Staff and volunteers should:

Be aware that their main priority is the child/young person in their care.
Listen to children and young persons and talk to them about their right to be kept safe from harm.
Exercise caution about being alone with a child or young person. In situations where this may be needed (for example where a young person wants to speak in private) think about ways of making this seem less secret, for example by telling another worker or volunteer what you are doing and where you are, or leaving a door open. Where there is a safeguarding concern, remember to make a confidential written record of the discussion either during the discussion or immediately afterwards.
Make sure physical contact is initiated by the child’s needs, e.g. for a hug when upset or help with toileting. Always prompt children to carry out personal care themselves and if they cannot manage ask if they would like help.
Set an example to children and young person – dress appropriately, use appropriate language and show respect to your colleagues, parents/carers, children and young person at all times.
Seek advice and support from your colleagues, activity leaders or supervisors and your DSL.
Be careful about forming personal relationships with parents/carers. This could make it difficult to report allegations/suspicions of abuse. Remember your duty of care is to the child/young person.
Report all concerns, disclosures or allegations (made by children, parents/carers or colleagues) to the DSL or their deputy.

Staff and volunteers should not:

Use any kind of physical punishment or chastisement such as smacking or hitting.
Kiss or cuddle children or allow children to sit on your lap, and do not give them presents.
Invite a young person to your home or arrange to see them outside set activity times.
Engage in any sexual activity (this would include using sexualised language) with a young person you meet through your duties or start a personal relationship with them. This would be an abuse of trust.
Add children/young person or their families onto social networking sites. Also be aware of your online profile and check your privacy settings.
Take photographs of children without the consent both of them and their parents.
Investigate any concerns or reports. Instead, you should contact your DSL or their Deputy immediately.
Let allegations, made by anyone, go unacknowledged, unresolved or not acted upon – always talk to your DSL or their deputy.

APPENDIX 2 – Incident/Concern Recording Log

This form is to be used for reporting concerns or incidents involving the safeguarding of children and young persons.

Details of child and parents/carers

Name of Child:
Gender:	Age:	Date of Birth:
Ethnicity:	Language:	Additional Needs (if applicable):
Name(s) of parent/carer:
Child’s home address:
Parent(s)/carer(s) home address: (If different from child)

Your details

Your Name:

Your position:

Date, time, and place of incident (if applicable):

Report

Are you reporting your own concerns or responding to concerns raised by someone else? If responding to concerns raised by someone else, please provide their name and position:

Please provide details of the incident or concerns you have, including times, dates and other relevant information (such as a description of any injuries and whether you are recording fact, opinion or hearsay):

The child/young person’s account, if it can be given, of what has happened and how:

Please provide details of the person alleged to have caused the incident/injury including, where possible, their name, address and date of birth (or approximate age):

Please provide details of any witnesses to the incident(s):

Your signature:

Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) received information

Date: Time:

DSL’s signature:

ACTION REPORT (DSL to sign and date after each entry):

Please specify:

Agencies contacted including date, time, name and phone number of contact, and actions agreed.

What has happened since the referral to statutory agency/agencies, to include any feedback from the referral and a summary of the outcome, together with all relevant dates.

Any lessons to be learned for the future?

Signature of DLS: Date:

Appendix 3 – Youth Club Registration Form

‘HAYASHEN’ ARMENIAN AFTER SCHOOL YOUTH CLUB

‘HAYASHEN’ 105A Mill Hill Road, Acton, London W3 8JF

Registration Form (For children under 18 years of age)

Personal Details:

Name…………………………………………………………………D.O.B: ………………………………

Email Address:…………………………………………Age: …………………………………

Home Address:……………………………………………………….. M/F: ………………………………………

………………………………………………………..………………………….. Borough:……………………………………

Tel (Home)………………………………………………………………. Mobile: …………………………………….

School/Place of Study………………………………………………………..……………………………………………..

Interests/Skills:………………………………………………………..……………………………………………………………………….

Medical Details: Is there any Medical Problems/Disabilities we should be aware of?

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….………………

Next of Kin Emergency Contacts:

1. Name: ……………………………………………………………… Tel/Mobile: ………………………………………………

Home Address………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

……………………………………………………………………… Email:……………………………………………………………..

I agree to follow the rules of the ‘HAYASHEN’ Armenian Youth Club & Centre.

Signed by Young Person…………………… Dated…………………………………

I authorise CAIA to act on my behalf in case of an emergency, knowing I shall be informed at once.

I authorise my child to be photographed during Youth Club activities and for the material to be used for internal and external promotional purposes in line with CAIA charitable aims and objectives if they are stored securely.

I agree that this information may be processed by CAIA in compliance with all relevant and applicable data protection legislation

Signed by Parent/Guardian:…………………………………Dated:………………………………