Aims & Objectives of the Youth Programme
The Coldstream A.S.C.'s and Youth Group's aim to:
1. Provide a safe place for young people to spend time with their peers.
2. Provide activities that will enhance the lives of the young people whom attend the groups.
3. Provide unbiased and on the spot support and information for the young people whom attend the groups.
4. Provide educational activities to complement the work that young people are doing within their school curriculum.
The Coldstream A.S.C.'s and Youth Group's objectives are:
1. To ensure that staff have access to accurate information, training and resources.
2. To ensure that all staff are familiar with policies, procedures and legal requirements and obligations.
3. To ensure that when providing young people with activities and information all young people's circumstances, choices and beliefs will be taken into account.
4. To encourage young people through activities and discussions to develop a healthier, safer lifestyle.
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Child Protection Policy
Within all the Youth Groups and After School Groups we plan to provide an environment which ensures that children are safe from potential abuse and will respond to any suspicion of potential abuse in a way which respects the child's dignity and reinforces the adult's responsibility to the children or young people.
In order to do this we will:
1. Ensure that all potential workers, both paid and voluntary, attend interview, provide references and agree to be Police checked. All of those who are successful will be required to work for a probationary period. Qualification certificates will be required and past employers will be contacted directly.
2. Never allow an unregistered person to be alone with a child or young person, e.g. going to the toilet with them or supervising them in another room.
3. Offer ongoing training to all adults involved with the care and education of children and young people. This will help them recognise and respond to suspected abuse whether physical, emotional, sexual or as a result of neglect.
4. Have clearly set out procedures, which all adults are aware of, to respond to concerns of suspected abuse. These are displayed above the office desk for everyone to be made aware of.
5. Recognise that parents should always be involved in the monitoring of children and young people's behaviour or development and should be the first point of contact (except in sexual abuse).
6. Will have a designated person to whom all concerns will be referred (Julie Middlemiss).
7. Work with Social Services and Police to ensure that the child's best interests are being met.
8. All details of concerns, progress etc. is confidential and will not be discussed with anyone not authorised to have the information.
9. If a child is absent from a session with no prior notification from parent/carer then contact is within 30 minutes to the parent/carer to confirm the situation.
Supervision of Children:
To help the young people and children who attend both the youth groups and the A.S.C.s develop socially, mentally and physically there needs to be proper supervision at all times. This means that they will be less likely to come to harm.
We will ensure that all young people are kept safe by:
§ Those in charge of the groups are fully competent to do so.
§ The young people and children are supervised at all times.
§ Workers are aware as to how many children are in the building and know where they are at all times.
§ There are sufficient staff.
§ Adults work in pairs.
§ Activities are planned and appropriate.
There will be no more than
Code of Good Practice on Protecting Children from Harm:
We have principles of good practice to ensure that all young people and children are protected from harm. These principles will also help promote good health and welfare, including physical, emotional, social and intellectual development.
These are:
1. Treating children and young people as individuals entitled to dignity and respect.
2. Promoting effective partnerships amongst all those involved with children.
3. Promoting the safety of young people and children in all aspects of the groups.
4. Minimising the opportunities for children to suffer harm.
5. Adopting and applying safe recruiting practices for all staff.
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Children & Young People's Behaviour Policy
The Coldstream A.S.C.s and Youth Groups aim to provide a stimulating range of experiences and activities for children and young people. By providing a happy, well-managed environment the children and young people are encouraged to develop social and life skills to help them become accepted and welcomed in society as they grow up. We recognise that the busier they are the less likely they are to behave in an unacceptable or antisocial way. For this reason we set reasonable and appropriate limits which all the adults will maintain in the management of children's behaviour.
We will never administer physical punishment or punishment which will cause pain or humiliation to a child or young person. We also understand the importance of the adult's behaviour as a role model for the young people and therefore will not allow physical or verbal abuse towards anyone.
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Confidentiality Policy
Confidentiality within the Coldstream A.S.C.s and Youth Groups implies that any information given to a worker from or about a particular person or family member will not be passed on to a third party without that person's explicit consent or agreement except in exceptional circumstances, as outlined below in section entitled "Exceptions".
EXCEPTIONS:
Confidentiality may need to be broken if a person lets it be known that they are likely to cause themselves, or someone else, serious harm. Under these circumstances the staff reserve the right to break confidentiality without obtaining specific consent to do so.
This includes informing a third party of the whereabouts of a particular person and the belief that there is likely to be an incident which could result in serious harm for an individual, e.g Child Protection Procedure.
Staff will not respect confidentiality when urgent medical attention is required for a person.
PROCEDURES:
This policy will be explained to all members of staff who will be working within these groups.
With regard to the children and young people who attend these groups any staff working with the children must not talk about the children to anybody outside of the centre. If staff feel they are concerned about a particular child or young person then they must raise this with the Project Leader.
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Equal Opportunities Policy
Here within the Coldstream Youth Groups we intend to ensure equality of opportunity so that no person should be disadvantaged or discriminated against in seeking employment, admission to groups and services that we offer. Every reasonable effort will be made to accommodate any individual with a disability.
We actively encourage an anti-racist environment. Childhood and teenage years have a key role in developing awareness about other cultures and as youth workers we have a responsibility to encourage positive racial attitudes. The Youth Groups and A.S.C. welcome, respect and value every child, young person and family.
At the Youth Groups we actively seek to combat sexism and to promote equality of opportunity for girls and boys, women and men.
ALL children and young people are entitled to equal treatment and to equal access regardless of race, culture, gender, ability, or sexual orientation.
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Special Needs Policy
Coldstream Youth Project works within an equal opportunities framework. It recognises that everyone has a contribution to make to society and has the right to equal treatment regardless of their ability. The club is committed to including all children with special needs.
The children will be:
§ treated as valued members of the project
§ supported and equally involved while their needs and abilities will be respected
§ given the opportunity to participate in all activities
§ encouraged to interact, socialise, form friendships and have fun.
The club will:
§ meet with parents/carers to discuss the children's needs and ways of meeting these needs
§ provide one-to-one support where appropriate
§ provide a range of activities and play opportunities in accordance with the ages and abilities of the children
§ make adaptations where possible so that the children can participate in group activities
§ regularly review staff training in special needs
§ make regular users aware of the needs of all children in order to overcome fears or prejudice.
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Good hygiene is important to protect against possible infection, therefore it is a matter of routine in the care of all children and young people.
In all youth groups and A.S.C.s to prevent the spread of infections we:
1. Wash hands with liquid soap after contact with body fluids, e.g. going to the toilet.
2. We use disposable aprons.
3. Cuts and open sores will be covered with a waterproof dressing.
4. If a child or young person has an accident which results in bleeding the following procedure will be followed:
§ Wear disposable gloves.
§
§ Apply a suitable dressing
§ Blood stained tissues must be wrapped in a plastic bag and put out with the rubbish.
§ Wash blood splashes off skin or out of eyes with water.
5. When wiping up spills of any bodily fluid protect hands with plastic gloves. Cover the spill with household bleach and paper towels. Dispose of in a plastic bag in the rubbish bin.
6. Any clothes, toys or soft furnishings stained with bodily fluids should be boil washed.
Infection Control:
A child (or adult) will be excluded from a group if they are suffering from any of the following infectious diseases:
|
|
Incubation period Of Infection (Days) |
Period of Exclusion from the Group |
Contacts (Other Family Members to be excluded) |
|
Chicken Pox |
7-21 |
7 from the onset of the rash or until all the spots have started to form scabs |
None |
|
Diarrhoea |
Variable |
Until fully recovered |
None
|
|
Measles |
8-15 |
4 from onset of the rash and the child is fully recovered |
None |
|
Meningitis Acute Meningococcal |
2-10 |
Until 24 hours after completion of antibiotic treatment |
Until 24 hours after preventative 2-day course of antibiotics |
|
Mumps |
12-26 |
9 from onset of swelling: less if swelling has subsided |
None
|
|
Rubella |
14-21 |
4 after onset of rash or when rash has faded and child is fully recovered |
None (women of child-bearing age should contact their G.P. if not immune) |
|
Scarlet Fever |
1-3 |
Until doctor confirms fit; isolation may be terminated after first 48 hours of antibiotics |
None |
Conjunctivitus:
The child or young person should be fully recovered from this before they return back to any groups.
If a child is found to have any of these infectious diseases and is present at a group, the Leader will contact the parents/carers to come and collect the child. In some cases all parents will need to be contacted that this disease has been present at the group
H.I.V./A.I.D.S
1. The Hygiene Policy in any case of an accident causing bleeding will always be followed.
2. The Hygiene Policy will always be followed in any cases of diarrhoea or spillage of any other body fluids.
3. The knowledge that any child or adult is H.I.V. positive or has A.I.D.S. MUST never be shared with anyone. Parents of children and young people at the group will NOT be informed.
Use and Storage of Medication:
If a child or young person is taking medication during their time at the A.S.C.s or Youth Groups:
1. A letter of consent must be completed by the parent/carer of the child before staff are able to administer the medicine.
2. All medication must be handed to the Project Leader when the child or young person begins a session.
3. All medication must be placed in a lockable cabinet or drawer until the Group Leader administers it.
Fire Safety Policy & Evacuation Procedure
1. In the event of a fire it is the duty of all concerned to prevent injury or loss of life. All adults should be made aware of their means of escape and also the position of fire alarm call points, fire blankets & fire extinguishers.
2. If you discover a fire you should raise the alarm using your nearest break glass button.
3. If the fire is small enough only trained staff will tackle it.
4. The Group Leader is responsible for ensuring that the Fire Brigade is called immediately.
5. After the alarm you should:
Ø See that all doors are closed around the fire.
Ø Escort all the young people to the War Memorial, closing all doors behind you.
Ø If there are any Disabled/Blind or Deaf people within the setting the worker supporting this person is to safely assist this person out.
Ø When arrived at the War Memorial the register must be called by the Group Leader, acting quietly and calmly at all times.
Ø No-one should re-enter the building until a Fire Officer has determined it is safe to do so.
Fire drills will be practised in all groups at least once a week.
The fire alarm system will also be checked once a week.
All members of staff are trained during their Induction on Emergency and Fire Safety Procedures
Secondary Policy
If in the event there is a Fire when the group is out, the Group Leader is to phone the Fire Brigade immediately and ensure that no-one enters the building until a Fire Officer has determined it is safe to do so. The Group will remain at the War Memorial as outlined above.
In the Event of an Epileptic Seizure
A person diagnosed with epilepsy has a tendency to have recurrent seizures (fits) that arise from a disturbance in the brain.
It is requested that all members of staff and users to the ASC/Youth setting disclose this information on registration with instructions on 'what to do' that works for them. This information is shared with relevant members of staff so that Health & Safety procedures are adhered to.
The First Aider on duty will have necessary information on hand relating to all staff and users to that session.
Step 1: Appointed First Aider notified immediately of any changes to behaviour. All staff are to communicate observations calmly and sensitively.
Step 2: Appointed First Aider will adhere to First Aid training, assess the situation and severity of Seizure and act accordingly. Please refer to the table below.
Step 3: The second member of staff and/or volunteers are requested to move all other children/young people away from the area of incidence to allow the situation to be dealt with calmly. The children/young people will be given support, with questions/answers dealt with sensitively. Parents/Carers will be notified on collection if deemed necessary.
Step 4: The Patient's Parents/Carers will be informed of specific details upon collection. If in the event of a Major Seizure and it has been necessary to contact Emergency Services, Parents/Carers will be contacted immediately.
|
Type of Seizure |
Possible Signs & Symptoms |
Treatment |
|
Minor 'absence seizure' or 'petit mal' fits |
May appear to start day dreaming. May last only seconds before recovery, the patient might not even realise what has happened. May be accompanied by strange movements, such as twitching the face, jerking of an individual limb, or lip smacking. The patient may make a noise, such as letting out a cry |
Remove any source of danger, such as knife or hot drink in their hands
Help the patient to sit down in a quiet place and reassure them
Stay with the patient until they are fully alert
If the patient is unaware of their condition, advise them to see a doctor
|
|
Major
|
Aura If the patient has had fits before, they may recognise that they are about to have one. The warning sign may be strange taste in mouth, a smell, a peculiar feeling. The aura may give the patient chance to seek help, or simply lie down before they fall.
Tonic Phase Every muscle in the body suddenly becomes rigid. The patient may let out a cry and will fall to the floor. The back may arch and the lips may go blue. This phase typically lasts less than 20 seconds.
Clonic Phase The limbs of the body make sudden, violent jerking movements, the eyes may roll, the teeth may clench, saliva may drool from the mouth (sometimes blood-stained as a result of biting tongue)and breathing could be loud like 'snoring'. The patient may lose control of the bladder or bowel.
This phase can last 30 seconds to hours, although most fits stop within a couple of minutes. Any fits lasting more 15 minutes is a dire medical emergency - Phone: 999 AMBULANCE
Recovery Phase The body relaxes, though the patient is still unresponsive. Levels of response will improve within a few minutes, but the patient may not be 'fully alert' for 20 minutes or so. They may be unaware of their actions and might want to sleep to recuperate.
|
During Help the patient to the floor to avoid injury if possible
Cushion the patient's head to help avoid injury.
Loosen tight clothing around the neck to help the patient breathe.
Move any objects from around the patient that may harm them and ask bystanders to move away.
If you are concerned about the Airway, roll the casualty onto their sides.
Take note of the exact time the fitting started and its duration.
Dial 999 for an ambulance if: The fitting lasts more than 3 minutes.
The patient's levels of response don't improve after the fit within 10 minutes.
The patient has a second fit.
The patient is not diagnosed as epileptic or this is their first fit.
You are unsure.
As soon as the fitting stops: Check Airway and Breathing. Resuscitate if necessary.
Place the patient in the recovery position.
Keep the patient warm and reassure them.
Monitor Airway and Breathing.
Move bystanders away before the casualty awakes and protect modesty.
Check the levels of response regularly. Dial 999 if they don't improve within 10 minutes (or any reasons mentioned above). |
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Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures
To be reviewed and updated.
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Whistle Blowing Policy
If any staff are unhappy about:
- Systems we use
- Failure to use systems properly
- Conduct or professionalism of any colleague
...TALK TO
- Project Manager (Julie Middlemiss Brown) - If possible, or failing that,
- Catherine Hadshar - If possible, or failing that,
- Staffing Sub-Committee via Bob Stevenson / Catherine Hadshar - failing that,
- Main Committee via Janice Gillie.
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Lone Working Procedure
To be reviewed and updated.
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Staff Policy
Recruitment and Selection of Staff:
When recruiting staff we will follow our Equal Opportunities Policy to ensure no prejudice within the process. All positions will be posted in the local newspaper (where appropriate) and at local Job Centres.
Application forms will be sent to all who request one with a closing date and covering letter. Applications received after this date will not be accepted.
Interviews will be held with the Project Leader, at least one member of the Management Committee and, where possible, the young people will be involved in the interview procedure also.
Successful and unsuccessful applicants will all be informed by mail.
Employment will depend on;
· A successful Disclosure Scotland check being credited.
· Two Personal References received. One of which should be the previous employer.
· A Medical Report deeming the individual of good Health should be provided by the individual's GP with written consent being granted by the prospective new employee.
Supervision and Appraisal:
All staff at the Coldstream Youth Groups and A.S.C.s have the right of supervision. Supervision will be provided in various ways including one-to-one supervison for paid members of staff. This should take place no less than every 6 weeks. Volunteers will receive 1 individual appraisal each year plus 2 group sessions per term. These can be issue based or training related sessions, or simply feedback time.
Appraisals will be for paid staff only and will take place once yearly with the Project Leader (at present). Staff who leave the project will also be given the chance of an exit interview to reflect on their time in the project.
Induction and Training:
All staff and volunteers will be able to access a variety of training within the Centre within the training budget. This will include First Aid, Child Protection, SVQs and Basic Food Hygiene. Other youth work specific courses will be encouraged for all staff to attend if at all possible. In-house training will be a regular part of staff meetings.
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Smoking Policy
The Coldstream A.S.C.s and Youth Groups ask all young people and staff to refrain from smoking whilst on the premises of the Coldstream Community Centre.
However, we do believe that all young people aged over 18 years of age and staff have the right to smoke if they choose and they are allowed to stand outside of the premises to smoke. This is always to be done in an orderly, adult fashion with no more than 3 people to be smoking at one given time.
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Complaints Procedure
For Service Users:
Step One
Parent/Carer makes a complaint:
Satisfied Not Satisfied
Complaint logged Complaint passed on to Group Leader
No further action
Step Two
Senior Staff Member deals with complaint
Satisfied Not Satisfied
Complaint logged Complaint passed on to Project Leader
No further action
Step Three
Project Leader deals with complaint
Satisfied Not Satisfied
Complaint logged Complaint passed on to:
No further action Care Commission
Galabank Mill
Wilderhaugh Trading Estate
Galashiels TD1 1PR
For All Staff:
The process is the same for all staff and volunteers within the groups. They would start the process at Step 2.
Click here to download our policies and procedures pack
As we are a youth project, our policies and procedures are constantly adapted to make sure we are covering all children, young people, staff and parent's best interests. Therefore, policies that you see here might not be up to date - however hard we try and make sure they are. If you have any questions about the way our policies and procedures work, please do not hesitate to contact: JULIE MIDDLEMISS BROWN (Project Manager) on 01890 883332.