Kenmare Butter Market

Child Protection Policy Statement

Kenmare Butter Market is committed to a child-centred approach to our work with children and young people. We undertake to provide a safe environment and an enjoyable experience, where the welfare of the child/young person is paramount. We will adhere to the recommendations of Children First: National Guidelines for the Protection and Welfare of Children, published by the Department of Health and Children. We have implemented procedures covering:

Our Child Protection Policy is updated annually. If you have any queries concerning Kenmare Butter Market’s Child Protection Policy, please contact Claire Bunbury, the Designated Child Protection Person at Kenmare Butter Market.

The following excerpt from Children First: National Guidelines for the Protection and Welfare of Children shows what would constitute reasonable grounds for concern:

1. Specific indication from the child or young person that s/he has been abused.
2. An account by a person who saw the child/young person being abused
3. Evidence, such as an injury or behaviour, which is consistent with abuse and unlikely to be caused another way;
4. An injury or behaviour which is consistent both with abuse and with an innocent explanation but where there are corroborative indicators supporting the concern that it may be a case of abuse (an example of this would be a pattern of injuries, an implausible explanation, other indications of abuse, dysfunctional behaviour).
5. Consistent indication, over a period of time that a child is suffering from emotional or physical neglect.

Recording Procedures

Kenmare Butter Market has appointed a Designated Person to deal with issues related to child protection and welfare within the organisation and to respond to any concerns that may be identified. This Designated Person is Claire Bunbury. A deputy has also been appointed to cover this role when the designated person is unavailable or if he or she is directly involved in an incident, suspicion or accusation. This Deputy is Miroslava Pavelkova. It has been made very clear to all staff, primary carers and children/young people who have been designated to deal with child protection issues and how to contact him or her.

Kenmare Butter Market has set up a system and mechanism for recording concerns about the protection of children and young people. These records will be kept in the office of the Director of the Butter Market and be accessible to the Designated Person and the Deputy Designated Person. They will be stored securely and confidentiality will be maintained.

Staff will record the following information in relation to children and young people:

Confidentiality Statement

Kenmare Butter Market is committed to ensuring peoples’ rights to confidentiality.

However, in relation to child protection and welfare we undertake that:

Information will only be forwarded on a ‘need to know’ basis in order to safeguard the child/young person;
Giving such information to others for the protection of a child or young person is not a breach of confidentiality;
We cannot guarantee total confidentiality where the best interests of the child or young person are at risk;
Primary carers, children and young people have a right to know if personal information is being shared and/or a report is being made to the Health Service Executive, unless doing so could put the child/young person at further risk;
Images of a child/young person will not be used for any reason without the consent of the parent/carer;
Procedures will be put in place in relation to the use of images of children / young people;
Procedures will also be put in place for the recording and storing of information in line with our confidentiality policy