Child Protection Procedures - East Ayrshire Council

(Article 19 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child states
that there is an obligation to protect children from abuse and
neglect).
2.19.5 When abuse is disclosed or suspected the Voluntary and Private
Sector workers may be faced with ambiguous or uncertain situations
and may be reluctant to risk a working relationship with their client.
Any action taken should be on the basis that the welfare of the child
is paramount.
2.19.6 Managers of volunteers who are first line workers have a
responsibility to ensure that they are well supported and are given
access to child protection training.
2.19.7 In order to promote good practice it is the responsibility of
organisations, establishments and individuals to encourage
participation in general discussion about child protection matters.
Access to training is essential and should be sought in partnership
with East Ayrshire Council Social Work Service or links with staff in
other organisations. The dissemination of information, which
includes changes in legislation and Council policy and procedures
should be actively sought from East Ayrshire Council.
2.20 Local Community
2.20.1 The community as a whole has responsibility from the well being of
children. This means that all citizens should remain alert to
circumstances in which children may be harmed. Individuals can
assist the statutory authorities by bringing cases to their attention.
Relatives, friends and neighbours of children are particularly well
placed to do so, but they must know what to do if they are
concerned. They must also bee confident, because of the difficult
and sensitive nature of the situation, that any information they
provide will be treated in a confidential way and used only to protect
the interest of the child. They should know too that early action on
their part is often the best way of helping a family stay together as
well as protecting the child.
2.20.2 Any member of the public who suspects that a child may be being
abused or neglected should report it at once to their local Social
Work Department, the Police, or the Children’s Reporter for East
Ayrshire the relevant addresses and telephone numbers are
contained in Appendix 3 to these Procedures.
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