Upload
saher8901
View
235
Download
0
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
8/9/2019 Guidline for Emergency Shelter
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/guidline-for-emergency-shelter 1/31
Operational Guidelines for Emergency
Shelters
for Children in Afghanistan
August 2012
8/9/2019 Guidline for Emergency Shelter
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/guidline-for-emergency-shelter 2/31
Table of Contents
Forward........................................................................................................3
Guiding Principles for Emergency Shelters for hildren...............................!
1. "e#ning an Emergency Shelter for hildren............................................$
1.1 %&'ecti(es...........................................................................................$
1.2 )arget *ene#ciaries.............................................................................+
2. %perating an Emergency Shelter.............................................................,
2.1 -denti#cation.......................................................................................,
2.2 Admission............................................................................................
2.3 ase Planning...................................................................................10
2.! Ser(ice Pro(ision...............................................................................12
2.3 "ischarge..........................................................................................13
2.! Follow /p...........................................................................................1!
3. hild Friendly and hild Safe %perating Procedures..............................1!
3.1 Pro(ision of -nformation....................................................................1!
3.2 *eha(iour anagement....................................................................1!
3.3 hild Protection Policy.......................................................................1
3.! Safety and Security...........................................................................1+
!. "ata anagement and on#dentiality..................................................1,
!.1 "ocumentation.................................................................................1,
!.2 on#dentiality...................................................................................1,
. uman esources e4uirements...........................................................1
Anne5 A......................................................................................................20
8/9/2019 Guidline for Emergency Shelter
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/guidline-for-emergency-shelter 3/31
Forward
)here are currently (ery few emergency shelter facilities for childrenoperating in Afghanistan. )his is despite an urgent need to respond to
protection ris6s faced &y children who are e5periencing7 or at ris6 of7(iolence7 e5ploitation7 a&use and8or separation from their family due todisplacement resulting from con9ict or natural disaster. )he :ationalStrategy for hildren At is6 highlights the high le(els of inter and intrafamily stress that e5ists in many communities7 and which is fre4uentlyaccompanied &y (iolence within homes.1 any children are also e5posedto protection ris6s outside the home7 due to engagement in informal7street;&ased wor6. Sur(eys of wor6ing children in (arious locations ha(efound that signi#cant proportions of wor6ing children ha(e e5periencedphysical a&use7 ranging from 11< in the )or6ham &order area up to 3!< in=andahar ity and !2< in Spin *olda6.2 oreo(er7 of the estimated
!!,7000 people who are internally displaced in Afghanistan7 o(er half arechildren.3
/nder the framewor6 of the hild ights onsortium ---7 a pro'ectsupported &y the European ommission7 three non;go(ernmentalorganisations >)erre des hommes Foundation7 Aschiana and ?oy =andahareconstruction %rganisation@ came together to pro(ide a model foroperating emergency shelters for children. An emergency shelter wasesta&lished in =a&ul and operated &y Aschiana7 pro(iding short;termshelter for &oys who had run away from home or &een separated fromtheir families to see6 wor6. )his operational guideline draws one5periences gained &y Aschiana through their operation of this facility.onsultations with other organisations implementing emergency sheltersha(e also enriched the guideline.! -n addition7 reference has &een madeto (arious international and national standards and regulations7 rangingfrom &road human rights norms to detailed re4uirements for operatingshelters.
)he operational style of emergency shelters for children will dierdepending upon the speci#c group of children targeted for assistance7 andin response to the e(ol(ing local conte5t. )his guideline does not
represent an e5hausti(e manual for e(ery type of emergency shelter.ather7 it e5plains core emergency shelter functions. ore &roadly7 theguideline contri&utes to the implementation of Brights;&asedC
1 inistry for ?a&our7 Social Aairs7 artyrs and "isa&led and /nicef7 National Strategy for Children At Risk 7 April 200$7 p!.2 AfghanAid7 Protection Assessment of Working Children at the Border Areas of Torkhamand Islam Qala7 2007 p. !D AfghanAid7 Child Protection Assessment of Street WorkingChildren in Kandahar City and Spin Boldak 7 200,7 p. 2!.3 -nternal "isplacement onitoring entre7 Afghanistan I!P "ig#res and Pro$ling7 12arch 20117 a(aila&le at http88www.internal;displacement.org8idmc8we&site8countries.nsf8<2,httpEn(elopes<
28,A2F"1,FA033"12+,200!3+!A2%pen"ocumentH1.2.1I.! -ncluding Jomen for Afghan Jomen and :ew Society econstruction and "e(elopment%rganisation.
8/9/2019 Guidline for Emergency Shelter
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/guidline-for-emergency-shelter 4/31
programming7 through acti(ating the rights of children encompassed inthe /: on(ention on the ights of the hild >/:@. For e5ampleArticle 17 outlining childrenCs right to protection from a&use and neglect7is ensured &y re4uiring inter alia criminal history record chec6s during sta recruitment and the implementation of a child protection policy.
)his document complements legal re4uirements for emergency andresidential facilities for children. Should legislation &e enacted thatcreates more rigorous procedures7 higher standards or hea(ier o&ligationsfor the operators of emergency shelters for children than is outlined here7the more stringent re4uirements must always &e met.
8/9/2019 Guidline for Emergency Shelter
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/guidline-for-emergency-shelter 5/31
Guiding Principles for Emergency Shelters for
Children
ertain core principles for the operation of emergency caregi(ing facilities
for children are implicit in these operational guidelines7 and should informinterpretation of the guidelines and their application in uni4ue or atypical
situations. )hese include
Rightsbased determination of the best interests of the child
)he on(ention on the ights of the hild >@ states that the &est
interests of the child will &e a primary concern in all actions concerning
children. Jhile the concept of &est interests of the child is not conduci(e
to easy de#nition7 the ommittee on the ights of the hild has repeatedly
emphasiKed the interrelationships &etween articles of the that refer tonon;discrimination7 sur(i(al and de(elopment7 and childrenCs right to
participate in decision;ma6ing on matters aecting them.$
-mportantly7 the ommittee on the ights of the hild has noted that
States cannot interpret &est interests in an o(erly culturally relati(ist way
and cannot use their interpretation of the &est interests of the child to
deny rights now guaranteed to children &y the on(ention7 for e5ample to
protection against traditional practices and (iolent punishments.
)his indicates that a determination of the &est interests of the child must
see6 to realiKe all the rights of the child as comprehensi(ely as possi&le.
!ondiscrimination
All children ha(e a right to access emergency protecti(e care7 should their
indi(idual circumstances and &est interests re4uire it. )herefore7 it is
important that the pro(iders of emergency care ser(ices to children7 and
particularly Go(ernment duty &earers7 ensure the a(aila&ility of
emergency care ser(ices to all groups of marginaliKed children7 including
those li(ing with disa&ilities or with special needs.
ecognising that child (ictims of se5ual a&use and e5ploitation face great
o&stacles in Afghanistan7 including se(ere stigma within the community
and lac6 of appropriate ser(ices7 the a(aila&ility of emergency residential
care ser(ices for these children is especially needed. E4ually importantly7
ser(ices must &e accessi&le to children from all ethnic &ac6grounds and
geographic locations.
Article 3>1@.$ )hese concepts appear in articles 27 $ and 12 of the and7 together with the concept
of &est interests of the child7 ha(e ac4uired the status of general principles.
8/9/2019 Guidline for Emergency Shelter
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/guidline-for-emergency-shelter 6/31
Positi(e discrimination that directs resources towards particularly
(ulnera&le and marginaliKed groups of children is a practice endorsed in
the .+
Reuni"cation with family and reintegration to community
)he well;&eing of children is &est promoted in a family setting. Formal
residential settings are appropriate only if 6inship care or community
&ased options are una(aila&le or the child re4uires formal institutional care
for legal7 medical or protection reasons. -t is the o&ligation of the shelter
to pro(ide periodic re(iew of the placement with the o&'ecti(e of
reintegrating the child into the family or an alternati(e community setting
4uic6ly7 safely and permanently.
aintenance of family and community ties helps to facilitate this7 andshould &e underta6en in light of childrenCs right to meet and interact with
their family. Jhere this poses protection ris6s7 the physical safety and
emotional well;&eing of the child must &e ensured. -n order to support the
maintenance of family and community ties7 it is often &est for children in
need of emergency shelter to &e a&le to access an appropriate facility in
their own community7 where possi&le.
esidential care pro(iders must also ensure pro(ide children with access to
a community of their peers and encourage positi(e relationships andattachments.
Participation in decision ma#ing and informed consent
hildren ha(e a right to e5press their opinions and participate in decisions
on matters aecting them in a manner consistent with the age7 maturity
and de(eloping capacity of the child., At a minimum7 this re4uires that
childrenCs (iews and opinions on actions that directly aect them are
acti(ely sought7 ac6nowledged and recorded in their case #le.
Jhere(er possi&le7 the informed consent of the child to actions that
directly aect them should also &e sought. Pro(ision of information is the
&asis of informed consent and denial of information is only 'usti#ed &y
reasona&le protection concerns or possi&le psychological distress.
onsent should &e sought from children placed in emergency careD
howe(er7 their consent may &e wai(ed &y parents7 guardians and persons
in authority to ensure their protection and well;&eing.
+ See article 2., Articles 7 12 and 13 of the on(ention on the ights of the hild.
8/9/2019 Guidline for Emergency Shelter
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/guidline-for-emergency-shelter 7/31
-n the a&sence of consent7 which may &e diLcult to o&tain in an
emergency child protection situation7 pro(ision of rele(ant information in a
timely manner &ecomes a priority. )herefore7 in most circumstances7
people wor6ing for or with children ha(e a positi(e duty to ensure that
childrenCs are pro(ided with information a&out their situation7 identity7family and medical condition7 as well as any other rele(ant information.
8/9/2019 Guidline for Emergency Shelter
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/guidline-for-emergency-shelter 8/31
$% &e"ning an Emergency Shelter for Children
For the purposes of this document7 the following core de#nitions are used
Component &e"nition
Emergency
A situation where the life7
physical and mental well&eing or
de(elopment opportunities of a
child or children are under
serious and imminent threat7 to
which family and community
&ased resources cannot
ade4uately respond.
)his may &e due to• Armed con9ict
• :atural disaster
• *rea6down of social or legal
order
• Separation from family7
family (iolence or family
&rea6down
• Engagement or coerced
participation in haKardouswor6
• armful cultural practices
Shelter
A residential facility pro(iding
short;term care that is
immediately a(aila&le7 meets
&asic needs and facilitates
identi#cation of a long;term7
sustaina&le solution to theprotection ris6s of the client.
For hildren
"esigned to meet the needs of
people who ha(e not yet reached
the age of 1,. People o(er the
age of 1, are not recei(ed at the
shelter.
)his de#nition draws on Sa(e the hildren7 hild Protection )a6ing action against all
forms of a&use7 neglect7 (iolence and e5ploitation7 2010.
8/9/2019 Guidline for Emergency Shelter
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/guidline-for-emergency-shelter 9/31
1.1 Objectives
)he core o&'ecti(e of emergency shelters for children is to contri&ute to
the protection of children at ris6. Jhile this o&'ecti(e may ta6e many
forms7 in the conte5t of emergency shelters it should always include
• pro(ision of safe shelterD• facilitation of access to ser(ices that meet the needs of each of the
children in the shelterD
• identi#cation of a sustaina&le solution to the protection ris6s
aecting each child at the time of admissionD
• implementation of that sustaina&le solution in partnership with all
rele(ant sta6eholdersD and7
• follow up of the solution to ensure its eecti(eness.
Emergency shelters may further de#ne their own o&'ecti(es7 rele(ant tothe speci#c group or groups of children towards whom their ser(ices are
tailored.
1.2 Target Benefciaries
hildren re4uiring emergency residential care are children who ha(e &een7
or are at serious and imminent ris6 of &eing7 a&used7 neglected or
a&andoned. hildren without sta&le and relia&le parental or 6inship care
may &e at ris6 of a&use7 neglect and a&andonmentD howe(er7 where(er
possi&le7 eorts should &e made to resol(e issues related to the pro(isionof care at a community le(el and without remo(ing children from the
home. -t is only when parental or e5tended family support for the child is
not a(aila&le7 or poses serious protection ris6s7 that emergency residential
care in a shelter must &e considered.
E5amples of circumstances where placement in an emergency shelter
would &e appropriate include children who
• ha(e &een remo(ed from the home or ha(e chosen to lea(e the
home due to a&use or neglect7 or a serious and imminent ris6 of
a&use or neglectD
• ha(e &een a&andoned due to family &rea6down or other reasons7 or
are at serious and imminent ris6 of &eing a&andonedD
• are unaccompanied or separated from their families or usual
caregi(ers as a result of running away from home or displacement
following con9ict or natural disasterD
• were pre(iously displaced with their families7 either from or within
Afghanistan7 and ha(e returned alone or without 6inship supportD
• are sur(i(ors of traLc6ing or at ris6 of &eing traLc6edD
8/9/2019 Guidline for Emergency Shelter
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/guidline-for-emergency-shelter 10/31
• are entitled to &e released from a Mu(enile eha&ilitation enter &ut
are not a&le7 for any reason7 to return immediately to their familiesD
and7
• ha(e &een charged with an oence under the Mu(enile ode or any
other legislation and are awaiting trial7 pose no threat to the physicaland emotional well&eing of others and7 for any reason7 cannot &e
released into the custody of their families.
)he speci#c needs of each of the groups listed a&o(e may dier mar6edly.
oreo(er7 the needs of &oys and girls within each of the groups listed
a&o(e may also dier. )his guideline does not pro(ide detailed
recommendations on the speci#c needs of dierent &ene#ciary groups.
ather7 it see6s to pro(ide useful guidance on the core functions of
emergency shelters for children7 which will &e common to emergency
shelters ser(ing any of the groups listed a&o(e. -n some sections7 moredetailed ad(ice is pro(ided in relation to speci#c target groupsD howe(er7
the purpose of this guideline remains one of general7 practical guidance on
the &asic and essential functions of emergency shelters for children.
'% Operating an Emergency Shelter
)here are si5 core elements that ma6e up the main operating acti(ities of
e(ery emergency shelter
Element &escription
-denti#cation
)he way in which children who
re4uire the ser(ices of an
emergency shelter are found.
Admission
)he process that is underta6en
when a child physically enters an
emergency shelter.
ase Planning
)he in;depth assessment of a
childCs needs and how thoseneeds will &e met through the
ser(ices of the emergency
shelter.
Ser(ice Pro(ision
)he deli(ery of assistance to a
child at an emergency shelter7 of
whate(er type.
"ischarge )he process that is underta6en to
prepare for and implement thetransfer of the child from the
8/9/2019 Guidline for Emergency Shelter
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/guidline-for-emergency-shelter 11/31
emergency shelter to a more
permanent care situation.
Follow /p
onitoring that ta6es place after
the child has left the shelter7 to
ensure that the permanent caresolution identi#ed during the
discharge process is meeting the
needs of the child.
Each of these elements is descri&ed in more detail in the sections that
follow.
2.1 Identifcation
Pro(iding residential care for children outside the home7 especially in an
emergency conte5t where children may ha(e sur(i(ed a traumatic past
e5perience7 can &e highly sensiti(e within the community. )o safeguard
the integrity of the emergency shelter7 the physical safety of sta and the
&est interests of the children using the emergency shelter7 it is
recommended that identi#cation of children in need of emergency
residential care should &e underta6en only &y institutions or organisations
that operate independently of the emergency shelter. %nce children ha(e
&een identi#ed as in need of emergency residential care7 they may then
&e referred &y the identifying agency to the emergency shelter.
Narious categories of children who may re4uire emergency residential care
ha(e &een outlined a&o(eD howe(er7 it is unli6ely that ser(ice pro(iders
will &e a&le to meet the needs of all children falling into one or more of
those categories in the short to medium term. ather7 it will &e necessary
to implement gate6eeping procedures that ensure the most (ulnera&le
children are identi#ed and prioritiKed for access to emergency shelter.
Speci#c criteria may dier &etween ser(ice pro(iders &ut should ma6e
reference to the following factors• the childCs opportunity to access safe and appropriate family7 6inship
or community &ased careD
• the ser(ice pro(iderCs a&ility to pro(ide all re4uired specialiKed
support ser(ices >medical7 legal7 psychosocial and others@ to the
childD
• the physical7 #nancial and community &ased resources a(aila&le for
the &ene#t of the childD and7
• the childCs special (ulnera&ilities as a result of past trauma.
8/9/2019 Guidline for Emergency Shelter
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/guidline-for-emergency-shelter 12/31
%nce the gate6eeping criteria ha(e &een de#ned7 emergency shelter
operators must clearly communicate the criteria to referring agencies7 to
ensure smooth coordination.
2.2 Admission
hildren &eing admitted to emergency shelters may &e e5periencing
trauma or ha(e come directly from a crisis situation. Admission
procedures should &alance the need to collect information and underta6e
necessary assessments with the need to reassure the child that they ha(e
arri(ed at a safe place. Jhen children arri(e during the night7 it may &e
appropriate to delay all admission procedures that re4uire the participation
of the child until the morning. As soon as possi&le after admission7
children should &e pro(ided with access to &athroom facilities7 personal
hygiene items and clean clothing7 as well as a safe place to store personal
&elongings. Jhen these &asic needs ha(e &een met7 the child should &e
assisted to understand the day;to;day operations of the shelter such as
where to go for meals7 e5pectations for their &eha(ior and important
safety information >such as e(acuation procedures@.
As soon as possi&le after the admission of a child to an emergency shelter7
the following minimum information should &e recorded in the childCs
indi(idual case #le
• the childCs full name and date of &irthD
• the full name7 address and telephone num&er of the person withwhom the child was li(ing immediately prior to admission in the
emergency shelterD
• the full names7 addresses and telephone num&ers of the childCs
parent8s or caregi(er8s7 if dierent to >ii@ a&o(eD
• the full name7 address and telephone num&er of the person who
should &e contacted in case of emergency regarding the child7 if
dierent to >ii@8>iii@ a&o(eD
• names7 ages and gender of si&lings7 if anyD
• school last attended7 grade le(el and employer7 if applica&leD
• the full name and contact details of the person &ringing the child to
the shelterD
• name of the referring agencyD
• date of referralD
• reason8s for the referralD
• dates and reasons for prior placements in an emergency shelter for
childrenD
8/9/2019 Guidline for Emergency Shelter
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/guidline-for-emergency-shelter 13/31
• information regarding the childCs medical condition including medical
history7 chronic conditions7 allergies7 dietary re4uirements7 ongoing
treatment and any other pertinent information.
-t may &e possi&le to o&tain all or most of this information from the
organiKation referring the child to the emergency shelter and7 where(er
possi&le7 this should &e done. -t is important7 howe(er7 to chec6 the data
outlined a&o(e with the child in order to ensure that it is accurate and
re9ects the childCs understanding of their situation. )his is also a process
that can help the child gain a &etter understanding of their circumstances
and why they ha(e &een referred to the emergency shelter7 if necessary.
-t is strongly recommended that o?SA" &e noti#ed of all cases recei(ed
&y emergency shelters.
2.3 Case PlanningAn integral part of the ser(ices pro(ided to children through emergency
residential care is assistance in the formulation and implementation of a
plan to return them to a safe home en(ironment or reintegrate them into
another li(ing en(ironment that meets their indi(idual needs in a
comprehensi(e and sustaina&le manner. )his type of case planning should
&e underta6en &y a trained social wor6er7 social care wor6er or case
wor6er7 in parallel with indi(idual7 group and8or family counseling and7 if
needed7 mediation.
Family mediation is a (ital part of ensuring that children who ha(e
sur(i(ed a&use7 and especially se5ual a&use and e5ploitation or other
acti(ities attracting stigma7 are recognised &y their families as &eing in
need of care and protection. ediation with community leaders or
mem&ers of local shuras may also &e ad(isa&le in some cases7 to ensure
that children recei(e the support they re4uire from their families and the
&roader community.
Similarly7 it will often &e necessary for a social wor6er7 social care wor6er
or case wor6er to &uild lin6ages &etween a child or their family mem&ersand rele(ant pro(iders of social care or specialiKed ser(ices within their
own communities. )hese ser(ice pro(iders can contri&ute to and reinforce
the eorts of family mem&ers to pro(ide a safe home en(ironment that
meets the childCs needs7 and should &e included in the childCs after;care
plan. )he &uilding of these lin6ages is particularly recommended to
ensure that ser(ices a(aila&le to a child at an emergency shelter continue
to &e a(aila&le once the child has left the emergency shelter. Facilitating
this continuity of ser(ice pro(ision eases the discharge process and
promotes the success of the after;care plan. -t is also recommended that
8/9/2019 Guidline for Emergency Shelter
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/guidline-for-emergency-shelter 14/31
consideration &e gi(en to the ser(ices re4uired &y the family as a whole7
rather than only those re4uired &y the child in isolation.
)he components of the case planning process are outlined &elow
Component E(planation
ase File
A case #le is a comprehensi(e document that pro(ides
details a&out e(ery aspect of a particular childCs case.
-t should pro(ide enough detailed information a&out
e(ery step ta6en for a particular case to allow
someone unfamiliar with the case to understand the
case history7 the steps that ha(e &een ta6en and the
steps that must &e ta6en in the future.
Assessment
An assessment gathers information on the history7
needs and ris6s faced &y a child >and7 where rele(ant7
the childCs family@. At a minimum7 it should include
the following three dimensions
• Sur(i(al and de(elopmental needs of the child
o ealth7 education7 self;care7 emotional and
&eha(ioural de(elopment7 identity7 family and
social relationships
• Parental capacity
o *asic7 care7 ensuring safety7 guidance and
&oundaries7 emotional warmth7 sta&ility
• Family and en(ironmental factors
o ommunity resources7 familyCs social
integration7 income7 employment7 housing7
e5tended family7 family history and functioning
ase onference
A case conference is a meeting of sta6eholders
arranged &y a childCs case wor6er7 in order to share
information and concerns7 identify ris6s7 and agree
roles and responsi&ilities for mitigating ris6s andpro(iding support. -t may include any sta6eholder
rele(ant to these goals7 including representati(es from
specialiKed ser(ice pro(ision organisations and
go(ernment.
are Plan A care plan is a written document identifying who will
meet a childCs de(elopmental and protection needs in
the short and longer term. -t should &e the result of a
participatory process that in(ol(es the child and7
where rele(ant7 the childCs family. are plans should
include milestones7 against which it should &e
8/9/2019 Guidline for Emergency Shelter
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/guidline-for-emergency-shelter 15/31
regularly re(iewed7 and updated as re4uired.
2.4 Service Provision
esidential are
)he primary mandate of emergency shelters for children7 is the pro(ision
of a safe7 clean and therapeutic short;term residential space for children
depri(ed of a family en(ironment or e5periencing a crisis. )his includes
the pro(ision of child friendly areas and ade4uate7 well maintained
furniture and e4uipment for sleeping7 &athing7 eating7 playing7 praying and
storing personal &elongings. -n accordance with the goal of rapid
reuni#cation with family or integration into a long;term li(ing
arrangement7 the residential care pro(ided &y emergency shelters is
limited to 30 days7 with follow up monitoring and support continuing after
this date.
:one of the areas or rooms of the emergency shelter should &e used to
detain children7 or restrict their mo(ement unnecessarily. )his can create
an atmosphere of oppression that children may interpret as punishment
for wrongdoing. -t is particularly important to a(oid creating this
impression among children who ha(e sur(i(ed e5periences that may
stigmatiKe them in the eyes of the community. For the same reason7
emergency shelters should not &e located within the &oundaries of places
of detention. ather7 emergency shelters should &e child;friendly7 non;threatening and non;'udgmental en(ironments where an
ac6nowledgement of childrenCs rights is mainstreamed in all operational
procedures and communications7 as well as sta attitudes.
-n line with the goal of creating a Bhome;li6eC en(ironment for children7
consideration should &e gi(en to the pro(ision of personal space for each
of the children in the emergency shelter. -deally7 separate sleeping areas
for each indi(idual child should &e pro(ided. Jhen physical or #nancial
constraints re4uire the use of dormitories7 these should pro(ide ade4uate
personal space for children7 a &ed for each child and indi(idual cup&oardsor storage areas for personal items. hildren of dierent age groups
should &e pro(ided with separate sleeping areas and7 at a minimum7 it is
recommended that children under ten years of age ha(e a separate
sleeping area from those o(er ten years of age. -t is not appropriate for
adults to share a sleeping area with a child or children7 unless close
super(ision is re4uired for medical reasons.
*athroom facilities should &e ade4uate for the num&er of children the
emergency shelter has capacity to accommodate7 and pro(ide pri(acy for
8/9/2019 Guidline for Emergency Shelter
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/guidline-for-emergency-shelter 16/31
children who are a&le to meet all of their hygiene needs without adult
super(ision or assistance.
"iet
)hree meals per day should &e pro(ided to all children staying in
emergency shelters7 in a separate eating area. )hese meals should &enutritionally &alanced7 seasonally appropriate and reasona&ly (aried.
eals should contain a suLcient amount of food for each child and
reasona&le additional ser(ings of food should &e pro(ided. lean drin6ing
water should &e a(aila&le to all children at all times of the day and night.
ecommendations from a doctor or nurse related to the diet or feeding
schedule of a child should &e followed.
Acti(ities
At least one additional area and appropriate materials should &e pro(idedto children for educational7 recreational and religious acti(ities. aregi(ers
should &e present in suLcient num&er at all hours of the day and night to
ensure the physical safety of the children7 facilitate and super(ise
recreational acti(ities7 and pro(ide &asic psychosocial support including
guidance on appropriate social interactions and anger management. -f
safe and appropriate7 children in the emergency shelter may participate in
organiKed recreational acti(ities ta6ing place in the community7 among
their peer group7 under the super(ision of a sta mem&er.
*asic edical areA 4uali#ed nurse should also &e a(aila&le at the emergency shelter at all
times to respond to minor medical needs of children. For children ta6ing
medication in accordance with a doctorCs instructions7 this medication
should &e held and administered &y the nurse.
Specialised Ser(ices
-n addition to the core ser(ices outlined a&o(e7 children in emergency
shelters may re4uire more specialiKed ser(ice pro(ision. ealistically7 it
may &e &eyond the capacities of emergency shelters to pro(ide all 6inds of
specialiKed ser(ices themsel(es. -n this situation7 emergency shelter
operators should consider &uilding lin6ages with other specialiKed ser(ice
pro(iders7 which can pro(ide ser(ices to children within the shelter on an
Oas needed &asis. -t is recommended that these types of lin6ages &e
formaliKed through the conclusion of a emorandum of /nderstanding
that outlines the nature of the relationship and the e5pectations of &oth
parties.
)ypes of specialiKed ser(ices that may &e re4uired &y children in an
emergency shelter include
• edical and "ental are
8/9/2019 Guidline for Emergency Shelter
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/guidline-for-emergency-shelter 17/31
• Psychological ounselling
• Educational Assistance 8 Nocational )raining
• ?egal Assistance
• Family )racing
• Family 8 ommunity ediation
2.3 isc!arge
"ischarging a child from an emergency shelter7 li6e any change in a childCs
li(ing arrangements7 is disrupti(e and can &e desta&iliKing for the child.
)herefore7 discharge should occur as part of the implementation of
comprehensi(e care plan that see6s to realiKe the &est interests of the
child7 and ta6es the childCs needs and wishes into consideration.
-n order for discharge to occur7 there should &e a consensus &etween 6eypeople in(ol(ed with the child that the discharge of the child from the
emergency shelter7 and the plan that has &een formulated for the ongoing
care of the child7 represent the &est option for securing the &est interests
of the child in the circumstances7 and with the resources a(aila&le. )hese
6ey people include the social wor6er or social care wor6er monitoring the
childCs case >if applica&le@7 the director of the emergency shelter7 the
person responsi&le for referring the child to the emergency shelter and the
person into whose care the child will &e ta6en following discharge.
)he aftercare plan should include reference to educational or (ocationaltraining opportunities7 as well as safeguards against any identi#ed ris6s of
a&use7 neglect or e5ploitation. -t is recommended that this safeguarding
include a written commitment from the childCs family that they will protect
the child from these ris6s and agree to a&ide &y the aftercare plan. -t may
also &e ad(isa&le to ha(e indi(iduals from outside the family >such as the
local Ja6il or other community leaders@ act as guarantors of the familyCs
commitment.
)he location of discharge also warrants consideration. -t is recommended
that this occur in a neutral place7 such as the local "epartment of ?a&our7
Social Aairs7 artyrs and "isa&led or the local "epartment of JomenCs
Aairs.
"ischarge records should include written con#rmation of the consensus in
fa(our of the discharge plan &etween
• the social wor6er7 social care wor6er or case wor6er monitoring the
childCs caseD
• the director of the emergency shelterD
• the person responsi&le for referral of the child to the emergencyshelterD and7
8/9/2019 Guidline for Emergency Shelter
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/guidline-for-emergency-shelter 18/31
• the person into whose care the child will &e ta6en7 following e5it
from the emergency shelter.
2.4 "ollo# $%
Following the reintegration of a child to their family or another long;termcare situation7 follow up is necessary to ensure
• that any new or pre(iously e5isting protection ris6s are successfully
addressedD
• that the aftercare plan is &eing implemented as agreedD and7
• that the long term care solution remains appropriate.
Follow up re4uires (isits to the place where the child is li(ing7 as well as
discussions with others in(ol(ed in the childCs life7 including parents or
caregi(ers7 teachers and others. All follow up (isits and discussions should
&e documented &y the social wor6er7 social care wor6er or case wor6er
who underta6es them7 and added to the childCs case #le. )he o&'ecti(e of
follow up acti(ities should &e to gauge the ongoing de(elopment of the
child in relation to
• physical well&eing7 health and nutritionD
• relationships with family8caregi(ers and peersD
• intellectual de(elopment and educational progressD and
• emotional and spiritual de(elopment.
-t may &e challenging for emergency shelters to conduct follow up when
the childCs long term care situation is located far from the emergency
shelter facility. -n this case7 emergency shelter operators may consider
see6ing the colla&oration of social wor6ers7 social care wor6ers or case
wor6ers from the local "epartment of ?a&our7 Social Aairs7 artyrs and
"isa&led in the area where the child has gone to li(e. %ther agencies and
organisations may also colla&orate in ensuring follow up7 including
"epartments of JomenCs Aairs7 -nternational ommittee of the ed ross
and other non;go(ernmental organisations wor6ing in the sphere of child
protection.
-t should &e noted that current o?SA" guidelines re4uire a follow up
period of si5 months7 and that this is the minimum recommended follow
up period included in this guideline. Jhere possi&le7 it is desira&le to
continue follow up for a twel(e month period. )he timeline pro(ided &elow
pro(ides an indication of recommended times for conducting follow up
acti(itiesD howe(er7 more follow up acti(ities may &e necessary to ensure
the safety and well&eing of the child.
Time Follow )p Acti*ity
8/9/2019 Guidline for Emergency Shelter
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/guidline-for-emergency-shelter 19/31
"ischarge to long
term care situation
Social wor6er7 social care wor6er or case wor6er
accompanies the child to the location of their long
term care situation7 or to a meeting with
parents8caregi(ers in a neutral location7 such as a
go(ernment oLce.
Q 1 wee6
Follow up (isit to the location of the childCs long term
care situation7 and discussions with the child and
primary caregi(er7 as well as the rest of the
family8other caregi(ers.
Q 1 month Follow up (isits to the location of the childCs long
term care situation7 and discussions with the child7
their family8caregi(ers and any other rele(ant
people.
Q 3 monthsQ $ months
Q monthsQ 12 months
+% Child Friendly and Child Safe Operating
Procedures
Emergency shelters for children must stri(e to create a healing social and
physical en(ironment. -nteractions &etween children and the sta of the
shelter should generally &e friendly7 positi(e and non;authoritarian.
hildren must ha(e ade4uate time and opportunity for recreationalacti(ities and access to friends and family. hildren must &e pro(ided with
personaliKed space that includes their own &ed and the pri(ate storage of
their personal &elongings in surroundings that are comforta&le7 clean and
Bhome;li6eC. -t is also (ital that the physical safety and security of children
at shelters is maintained. is6s related to the &eha(iour of sta and
(isitors during their interactions with children7 as well as child;to;child
interactions7 must &e mitigated through the de(elopment and eecti(e
implementation of a child protection policy. is6s related to the safety and
security of the shelter premises must also &e recognised and addressedthrough appropriate safety protocols and maintenance procedures. Each
of these areas are e5plained in more detail in the paragraphs that follow.
3.1 C!ild Partici%ation
-t is important that processes and procedures related to e(ery aspect of an
emergency shelter recognise the importance of ena&ling children to
participate in ma6ing decisions that aect their li(es. )his means
childrenCs (iews and opinions should &e acti(ely sought7 listened to and7
where possi&le7 acted upon. At the same time7 the way in which childrenCsparticipation is promoted and facilitated should &e appropriate for the
8/9/2019 Guidline for Emergency Shelter
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/guidline-for-emergency-shelter 20/31
e(ol(ing de(elopmental capacity of the indi(idual child or children
in(ol(ed. )he ta&le &elow pro(ides guidance on measures to mainstream
child participation
Practice E(planation
E5plaining the
process
hildren are more con#dent in participating in a
process that they understand. For e5ample7 if a child
is in(ited to a case conference7 they should &e
assisted to understand &eforehand what the purpose
of the conference is7 who will attend7 how the
conference will &e conducted and what the outcomes
might &e.
hild;appropriate
participation
methods
Participation methods should &e appropriate for the
age and e(ol(ing capacity of the child. For e5ample7young children may ha(e diLculty paying attention
for long periods of time. So7 it may &e appropriate to
in(ite the child to participate in a long meeting &y
means of a trusted adult pro5y with whom they ha(e
discussed the issues7 or through a written statement
or drawings. hanging the location of a meeting to a
place where the child feels comforta&le7 rather than
an oLce7 may also enhance the childCs con#dence
and a&ility to participate.
Strong
relationships
&etween sta and
children
Sta who ha(e strong relationships with the children
in their care are &etter a&le to encourage them to
participate in the decision ma6ing processes of the
organiKation. %rganisations can facilitate the &uilding
of strong relationships &y ensuring that sta and the
children in their care ha(e time to get to 6now one
another and feel comforta&le in each otherCs
company.
esults
For children to thin6 that participation is worthwhile7
they ha(e to &e a&le to see that it is ha(ing some
impact on the decision ma6ing process and its results.
Jhere(er possi&le7 sta should ta6e time to ma6e
sure that childrenCs (iews and opinions are acted
upon7 and that children understand that this is
happening.
8/9/2019 Guidline for Emergency Shelter
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/guidline-for-emergency-shelter 21/31
3.2 Be!avio&r 'anagement
hildren at emergency shelters are relati(ely more li6ely than other child
populations to display e5treme &eha(iour7 due to e5periences of a&use7
neglect or other traumas. )his may range from withdrawal from social
interaction to challenging and aggressi(e actions. hildren may ha(ediLculty communicating with other children and sta in an appropriate
manner7 and should &e supported to impro(e their s6ills and con#dence in
this area. Jhere(er possi&le7 positi(e reinforcement should &e used and
children should &e gi(en opportunities to demonstrate their strengths and
a&ilities.
E5pectations for childrenCs &eha(iour should &e clear7 easy to understand
and achie(a&le. )hey should &e displayed in child;friendly language at 6ey
locations in the emergency shelter and e5plained to children (er&ally &y a
sta mem&er.
anagement of challenging or negati(e &eha(iour should always &e the
responsi&ility of sta mem&ers and should ne(er &e delegated to other
adults or children. *eha(iour management strategies should draw
attention to the speci#c action or &eha(iour that is pro&lematic7 rather
than the child. )he purpose of all &eha(iour management strategies
should &e to facilitate the childCs de(elopment of self; control7 courtesy
and respect for others and their property.
-t is recommended that the following &eha(iour management strategies &e
prohi&ited
• use or threat of corporal punishmentD
• forced e5ercise or adoption of a posture causing physical discomfort
to the childD
• name;calling7 taunting and (er&al a&useD
• any &eha(ior which humiliates or degrades the child in front of
his8her peersD
•
punishment of a group for the &eha(ior of an indi(idualD• depri(ation of meals7 sleep or seasonally appropriate clothingD
• use of mechanical7 chemical or e5cessi(e physical restraintD
• isolation for a period of more than half an hour7 or any isolation
calculated to induce fear in the childD and7
• any other measure that &reaches the rights of the child.
Physical restraint of a child should only occur when it is needed to mitigate
a real and imminent ris6 that the child will in9ict harm upon themsel(es or
another. -n any other situation7 the use of physical restraint should also &e
prohi&ited.
8/9/2019 Guidline for Emergency Shelter
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/guidline-for-emergency-shelter 22/31
3.3 C!ild Protection Polic(
Eecti(e child protection mechanisms are essential to mitigate the ris6 of
child a&use and &uild a child safe en(ironment and organiKational culture.
)he de(elopment and implementation of an institutional child protection
policy and rele(ant procedures re9ects the intention and commitment of that organiKation to protect the children in their care from all forms of
a&use and neglect. -t sets out the (alues and principles of the institution7
the roles and responsi&ilities of the management7 a standard ode of
onduct for all sta and clear procedures for raising concerns and
reporting allegations7 as well as other implementation tools. a(ing these
components organiKed in a clearly written document helps to ensure that
all sta react appropriately in emergency situations7 and that ris6s of &oth
the suspicion and the commission of harmful &eha(iours towards children
are mitigated. -n order to &e eecti(e7 an institutional child protectionpolicy re4uires thorough planning7 the participation of all sta and any
other rele(ant sta6eholders7 and a wor6a&le procedure that is
accompanied &y concrete tools for implementation.
ecommended core principles for a child protection policy include
• hildren ha(e the right to &e protected from any treatment posing aris6 to their sur(i(al7 de(elopment and physical7 mental andemotional well&eing.
• Ensuring the protection and promotion of the rights of children and
young people is a paramount duty of e(ery adult7 group7 community7and go(ernmental and non;go(ernmental institution.
• hild a&use and neglect can occur at any place7 at any time and &eperpetrated &y any person. -t may occur as a result of rec6lessnessor lac6 of awareness.
• omplacency and a Oculture of silence &oth reduce theeecti(eness of child protection policiesD therefore7 managementtools designed to com&at these tendencies are integral to afunctioning child protection system.
Furthermore7 it is recommended that e(ery hild Protection Policy includethe following si5 minimum components
-nstitutional ommitmentAn -nstitutional ommitment is a clear and simple paragraph outlining thecommitment of the institution towards the protection of the children underits care.
anagement oles and esponsi&ilities-t is important that the roles and responsi&ilities of dierent le(els of management are made clear7 in order to ensure that accounta&ility is
maintained. ow roles and responsi&ilities are di(ided up amongst sta will depend on the siKe of the organiKation and its e5isting management
8/9/2019 Guidline for Emergency Shelter
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/guidline-for-emergency-shelter 23/31
structure. -t is recommended that the director of the organiKation orinstitution always ha(e ultimate responsi&ility for ensuring implementationof7 and adherence to7 the hild Protection Policy.
Sta Selection Policy
ecords should &e 6ept of e(ery mem&er of sta of the emergency shelterand their recruitment process. -t is recommended that this record
includes
• full name7 address and telephone num&erD
• copies of 4uali#cations and a minimum of two
references from pre(ious employersD
• dates and locations of pre(ious employmentD
• original copy of a criminal history &ac6ground
chec6 conducted within the three months prior to
&eginning wor6 at the emergency shelterD
• original copy of a medical certi#cate o&tained
within the three months prior to &eginning wor6 at the
emergency shelterD and7
• date of and reason for separation from the
emergency shelter.
)hese sta records should &e stored for 12 months following theseparation of the sta mem&er from the emergency shelter.
Sta Support and "e(elopment/pper management plays a (ital role in Osetting the tone of theinstitution7 and must pro(ide leadership in this respect &y encouragingclear and open communication and pro(iding regular opportunities forinformal discussions with sta mem&ers throughout the institution. Signsof stress among sta should &e carefully monitored and support pro(idedto sta e5periencing diLcult personal circumstances or encounteringprofessional challenges. -n addition7 regular training on child protectionand the hild Protection Policy should &e pro(ided to all sta.
ode of onduct
A ode of onduct must ful#ll a num&er of o&'ecti(es. Firstly7 it mustpro(ide clear rules for sta7 (olunteers and others for their interaction withchildren. -t must also contri&ute to the creation and maintenance of achild;safe and child;friendly en(ironment and7 #nally7 it may pro(ideguidance on &eha(iour management7 if this guidance does not alreadyappear in a separate document. A sample ode of onduct is included inAnne5 A.
eporting and esponse echanisms-t is the duty of any person wor6ing or coming into contact with children to
report concerns a&out the safety or welfare of a child or children. )hechild protection policy should ensure that there is &road awareness a&out
8/9/2019 Guidline for Emergency Shelter
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/guidline-for-emergency-shelter 24/31
this duty among sta7 (olunteers7 (isitors7 children and other persons
interacting with children at the institution. -t should also esta&lish
mechanisms to allow for child protection concerns to &e raised discretely7
followed up eecti(ely and resol(ed in accordance with the &est interests
of the child8children concerned.
3.4 Sa)et( and Sec&rit(
)he following safeguards for the physical safety and security of the shelter
premises7 children7 sta and (isitors are strongly recommended
• Firearms and other weapons are a&solutely prohi&ited within the
grounds of the emergency shelter.
• Alcohol and other addicti(e su&stances are a&solutely prohi&ited
within the grounds of the emergency shelter7 unless prescri&ed &y a
4uali#ed doctor.• Emergency shelters ensure local police authorities are apprised of
their location and any speci#c ris6s to the shelter or indi(idual
children residing at the shelter.
• A guard is on duty at the emergency shelter at all times.
• )he arrangement of e5terior walls allows all entrances into the
emergency shelter to &e monitored at all times.
• Emergency shelters for children may not &e clearly identi#a&le from
the e5terior of the facility. -t should conform7 as closely as possi&le
in light of space7 safety and security re4uirements7 to the e5teriorappearance of other residences in the surrounding area.
• aintenance of physical structures is carried out on a regular &asis
and noted in the maintenance log.
• aintenance issues are recorded in the maintenance log and
followed up in a timely manner. Any maintenance issue posing a ris6
to the physical safety of children resident at the emergency shelter7
or in any way 'eopardiKing their health and well&eing7 is satisfactorily
addressed within 2! hours.
• aintenance of plum&ing7 electrical and heating systems is carriedout &y appropriately 4uali#ed or s6illed adults.
• )here is an identi#ed rendeK(ous point for children and sta of the
emergency shelter in the e(ent of #re or earth4ua6e.
• Fire haKards are identi#ed and sand &uc6ets are placed near&y.
• )he physical structure of the emergency shelter meets minimum
standards for earth4ua6e resistance.
• )he perimeter of the emergency shelter is walled.
• Jhether the transportation is arranged or directly pro(ided7 the
following conditions are met
8/9/2019 Guidline for Emergency Shelter
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/guidline-for-emergency-shelter 25/31
o the child8children is8are accompanied &y a sta mem&er or
parentD
o if pri(ate transportation is used7 the dri(er is licensed and the
(ehicle is roadworthyD and7
o
the adult accompanying the child has a mo&ile telephone orradio.
,% &ata -anagement and Con"dentiality
4.1 oc&mentation
Pro(iding out;of;home residential care to a child is a signi#cant
inter(ention that will ha(e a su&stantial impact on the immediate
circumstances of the children concerned7 especially in an emergency or
crisis situation. reating and maintaining written records a&out each childthat specify the reasons for the child &eing placed in emergency shelter7
their special needs7 the ser(ices pro(ided to them &y the shelter7 and the
manner in which they were discharged is integral to demonstrating that
the emergency shelter is operating in an accounta&le and transparent
manner and in the &est interests of children from the target populations.
-t is strongly recommended that an indi(idual case #le &e created for each
child who is pro(ided with care at an emergency shelter7 to &ring together
written records a&out dierent stages of the childCs engagement with the
emergency shelter in one place. )he same information should &ecollected a&out each child7 as far as possi&le7 and standard forms should
&e used to facilitate this. -nformation is pro(ided throughout this
document regarding the type of information that should &e collected and
recorded at the stages of admission7 ser(ice pro(ision7 discharge and
follow up.
4.2 Confdentialit(
hildren placed in emergency residential care will typically ha(e serious
and comple5 challenges that re4uire the inter(ention of a num&er of specialiKed ser(ice pro(iders in order to identify and implement
sustaina&le solutions. )herefore7 the sharing of information a&out the
child can &e 6ey to deli(ering the type of assistance that will &e most
useful for them. At the same time7 the types of challenges faced &y
children in emergency residential care will also typically &e e5tremely
sensiti(e and7 if shared inappropriately7 could e5pose the child to
stigmatiKation7 family estrangement or harmful social practices.
All documentation related to children in emergency residential care7 andtheir families7 must &e stored securely. Access should &e limited and
8/9/2019 Guidline for Emergency Shelter
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/guidline-for-emergency-shelter 26/31
go(erned &y an organiKational policy on information management that
minimiKes access on a Oneed to 6now &asis and adheres to all rele(ant
legislati(e and regulatory re4uirements.
Jhen deciding what information to share7 with whom and when7 the &estinterests of the child are paramount. As a general rule7 information should
only &e used for the purposes for which it was pro(ided7 and the person
a&out whom the information is concerned7 which will often &e the child7
should &e a&le to decide how it is shared and for what purpose.
-nformation a&out a childCs history should not &e shared with any other
children in the emergency shelter. Sharing this information with other
children can create the potential for &ullying and e5clusion. -nformation
may &e shared with caregi(ers to the e5tent that it is necessary for
caregi(ers to understand the &eha(iour of the child and to react
appropriately. )he social wor6er7 social care wor6er or case wor6er
following the childCs case will generally &e the only sta mem&er to ha(e
all details and information regarding the childCs historyD howe(er7 suLcient
information should &e shared with senior sta to allow for the proper
super(ision of the sta mem&erCs wor6. Sharing information with
specialiKed ser(ice pro(iders may &e necessary to ensure that a childCs
needs are met. Jhere possi&le7 the childCs consent to this information
sharing should &e sought. -n all cases7 arrangements &etween the
emergency shelter and the specialiKed ser(ice pro(ider8s should includeclear stipulations regarding the con#dentiality of information related to
children. Jhere(er possi&le7 these stipulations should &e included in a
formal emorandum of /nderstanding.
.% /uman Resources Re0uirements
Emergency care facilities ha(e the following minimum staLng
re4uirements
• A director to manage daily operation of the emergency shelter7
who is also responsi&le for ensuring up6eep of childrenCs
records7 sta records7 administrati(e records and #nancial
records. -n the a&sence of the director7 the director appoints
another suita&le person to the role of acting director.
• A social care wor6er responsi&le for de(eloping and
implementing the social care program at the emergency
shelter.
• A registered doctor7 dentist and psychologist7 either as sta
mem&ers or on an Bon;callC &asis.
8/9/2019 Guidline for Emergency Shelter
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/guidline-for-emergency-shelter 27/31
• aregi(ers trained to super(ise the children resident at the
emergency shelter. -t is recommended that caregi(ers do not
underta6e concurrent duties as coo6s7 cleaners or guards. -t is
further strongly recommended that the ratio of caregi(ers to
children &e no fewer than one caregi(er for e(ery ten children>110@.
• A coo6 to direct procurement of food supplies and produce
nutritious meals for the children resident at the emergency
shelter.
• A cleaner to ful#ll daily cleaning and routine maintenance
tas6s.
• Guards to monitor and protect the physical safety of the
emergency shelter structure.
-t is recommended that when new sta mem&ers are recruited7 they arementored for the #rst month of their employment. "uring this mentoring
period7 new sta mem&ers should not &e left alone with any of the
children resident at the emergency shelter.
8/9/2019 Guidline for Emergency Shelter
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/guidline-for-emergency-shelter 28/31
Anne( A
Sam%le Code o) Cond&ct i
1nstitutional Code of Conduct
C#rrent and in force as at %& 'an#ary &(%&
1ntroduction
)he ode of onduct is a &inding statement of the e5pectations of the institution
for indi(iduals and organisations with whom it has entered into a contractual or
cooperati(e relationship7 regarding their interaction with children. -t forms part of
the institutionCs child protection policy and re9ects the pro(isions of the /nited
:ations on(ention on the ights of the hild.
Purpose
)he ode of onduct is a constant reminder that adults wor6ing with and forchildren under the auspices of the institution ha(e a duty of care to ensure the
physical7 mental and emotional well&eing of the children in their care. )his
re4uires that &est practices &e adhered to at all times and that all necessary
measures are ta6en to protect children from harm and a&use &y any person.
Applicability
)he ode of onduct applies to all indi(iduals and organisations with whom the
institution has entered into a contractual or cooperati(e relationship7 including
&ut not limited to sta7 (olunteers7 (isitors7 suppliers and other contractors.
Re0uired 2eha*iour
All persons &ound &y this ode of onduct are e5pected to
• treat e(eryone with respect and honesty >this includes sta7 (olunteers7children7 young people7 parents and caregi(ers@D
• ena&le and encourage children to play an acti(e role in decisions aectingtheir li(es7 in accordance with their de(eloping capacityD
• remem&er to &e a positi(e role model to children in all your conduct withthemD
• set clear &oundaries a&out appropriate &eha(iour &etween yourself and thechildren in your organiKationD
•follow all child protection guidelines7 policies and directionsD
• always ha(e another adult present or in sight when interacting with a child ona one;to;one &asisD
• raise any concerns7 pro&lems or issues with management as soon as possi&leDand7
• record and act appropriately on all suspicions7 disclosures and allegations of a&use or mistreatment of a child.
Prohibited 2eha*iour
All persons &ound &y this ode of onduct are e5pected to refrain from
• engaging in rough physical games7 including horseplayD
• de(eloping any BspecialC relationships with children that could &e seen asfa(ouritism such as the oering of gifts or special treatmentD
8/9/2019 Guidline for Emergency Shelter
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/guidline-for-emergency-shelter 29/31
• &ecoming in(ol(ed with things of a personal nature that a child can do forthemsel(es7 such as going to the toilet or changing clothesD and7
• recei(ing any gain7 pro#t or remuneration as a result of the wor6 of childrenin the care of the institution or in the employ >formal or informal@ or partnerinstitutions7 su&contractors or other entities with contractual or cooperati(e
relationships with the institution.
2eha*iour -anagement
easures ta6en to pro(ide children with constructi(e guidance regarding
appropriate &eha(ior must always &e proportionate7 instructi(e and fair. Such
measures must ne(er in(ol(e physical force7 (er&al a&use or any language or
&eha(ior that humiliates a child in front of his8her peers or detracts from the
dignity of the child.
Prohibition and -andatory Reporting of Child Abuse
Any physical7 emotional or se5ual a&use or neglect of a child is a&solutely
prohi&ited7 including inappropriate disciplinary measures. All persons &ound &ythe ode of onduct must report any suspicion that such a&use is &eing
perpetrated &y any person7 including a child7 in accordance with the child
protection policy.
&eclaration
- here&y declare and aLrm that - ha(e recei(ed and ta6en due note of this ode
of onduct and of the institutionCs child protection policy and that - underta6e to
follow its pro(isions. - also here&y declare and aLrm that - ha(e not in the past
&een the su&'ect of any administrati(e or criminal in(estigation7 or found guilty in
any administrati(e or criminal hearing7 related to indi(idual &eha(iourincompati&le with the responsi&ility of caring for or super(ising children or
minors. - ac6nowledge that
a@ in the e(ent of suspicion of &eha(iour incompati&le with responsi&ility forchildren and contrary to institutional policies7 the institution may ta6eprotecti(e measures in(ol(ing pro(isional suspension pendingin(estigationD
&@ in the e(ent of e(idence of incidents incompati&le with the protection of children placed under my responsi&ility7 the institution may ta6enecessary safeguarding measures7 including pro(isional termination of contractD
c@ in the e(ent of termination of contract on the grounds of &eha(ior contraryto the &est interests and protection of children7 the institution reser(es theright to inform other organiKations8institutions see6ing professionalreferences of the reasons for the termination of contract7 in accordancewith the legislati(e framewor6 applica&le to the protection of informationDand7
d@ that the organiKation will act in accordance with its legal o&ligations toreport suspicions7 allegations and disclosures of child a&use andmistreatment to competent authorities and reser(es the right to terminatecontractual relationships with persons su&'ect to such suspicions7allegations and disclosures with immediate eect.
Signature of sta mem&er8(olunteer8contractor RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
8/9/2019 Guidline for Emergency Shelter
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/guidline-for-emergency-shelter 30/31
Place RRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
"ate RRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
8/9/2019 Guidline for Emergency Shelter
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/guidline-for-emergency-shelter 31/31
i Sample adapted from a com&ination of Child Wise7 :ew South Jales ommission for hildren and oungPeople7 200!7 a(aila&le online at http88www.dfc.sa.go(.au8pu&8ta&-d82,18item-d8!,38module-d8110$8"e(eloping;a;code;of;conduct.asp5I last (iewed Manuary 2012 and olin )uc6er7Child Protection Policy 7 )erre des hommes Foundation7 200$.