Plan Australia Policy Paper on Child Abuse - Neglect and Exploitation

Question: Identify policy issue, purpose, context for the issue, mandate and key social concerns. Answer: The Plan Australians unequivocal trust, effort and commitment to the principle Provided in Article 19 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) is formally expressed in this policy statement. The requirement to ensure that all children have a right to be protected cared for and should not be exposed to any forms of violence, abuse, maltreatment, neglect and exploitation anywhere in Australia despite their vulnerability. The children are exposed to risks of abuse, neglect, harm and exploitation during the implementation of aid and development activities and coordinating child consultations and participation activities. The objectives of this policy paper include the affirmation to the universally accepted principle that in all situations children have the freedom and right to be protected, provided for and to live freely from any kind harm, exploitation and abuse. Further, this policy guarantees that every individual working for Plan Australia in capacity as a Director, partners, staff, volunteers, and any other capacity comprehends and commits himself to this principle, make sure that there are processes and procedures that guarantee protection of the child are implemented by Plan Australia and cases of exposure of children into contact with other individuals is closely supervised and regulated in order to protect majorly the child from situations that would otherwise compromise his or her safety and freedom and also to ensure protection of the adult individuals from situations that could lead him into committing an action that would be deemed to be against the policy of Plan Australia. The justification for protecting children from abuse, neglect and exploitation, there is justification for ensuring protection of children globally from harm, abuse, neglect and exploitation. Cases of children being engaged in exploitative work including commercial sexual exploitation are rampant worldwide. The childrens vulnerability towards these vices is aggravated by their disability, desolation, misplacement or abandonment or otherwise. the occurrence of events involving emergency and disaster situations will definitely increase the chances of children being exposed and vulnerable to the abuses, neglect, harm and other exploitation by the fact that they are separated from their parents or dependents who should provide for them. The normal development of children who undergo such inhuman and barbaric situations are most likely interfered with probably having a long term impact including incurring mental health problems, low level of performance in school, increase in the chances of the child engaging in drug and substance abuse and criminal activities. The normal development of the abused and exploited child is greatly compromised. The acknowledgement by the international community of adults formal roles and responsibilities in working with or supporting children is welcome. The every adult person is in a position of trust and authority over a child, the child depending on the adult to care and protect. The collective responsibility of protecting our children cannot be challenged by positions of unsound mind or insanity. Plan Australia has entrenched this policy while acknowledging its duties and obligations, and its commitment and willingness in associating with its associates to necessarily prevent and respond to child abuse, neglect, and exploitation. There are recognized and documented cases of individuals who commit offences that cause harm, or other damages to children working with or seeking employment opportunities in organizations that promote ideal conditions for the children. There is a higher inclination towards their appeal for overseas organizations. This policy is a pillar that will provide the children their safety and normal growth as a right rather than a chance as it seem to be. There are disciplinary measures and sanctions related to offences of child abuse, neglect and exploitation including criminal penalties under Australian domestic and extra-territorial laws. Legislative and Regulatory Context The Australian Commonwealth, State and Territory Laws in particular are concerned with the well-being of the children and expressly provide for the same in their legislation. The Criminal Code Act 1995 provides for child sex offences outside Australias jurisdiction, pornography material relating to a child, and offences relating to telecommunications. These provisions and legislations require prosecution of individuals engaged in child abuse, neglect exploitation activities outside Australia to be accordingly arrested and prosecuted by virtue of extra territorial application. The Child Protection (Prohibited Employment) Act 1998 (NSW) (CPPE Act) in the demystification of employment relating to a child to involve any kind of employment involving a child and is not strictly supervised. Current Policy situation and challenges, specific policy area or focus on the implications of a specific social work field of practice, Plan Australias section relating to Child Protection Compliance is bestowed with the responsibility of ensuring timely and effectively responding to issues relating to child abuse, neglect and exploitation, and issues of failure to comply with the policy, ensuring internal and external policy compliance, providing training for child protection for Plan Australia staff, engaging with other organizations and donors, regularly reviewing the policy. Sensitization of staff members on matters relating to child protection obligations as provided under the policy. It is the policy of Plan Australia to inform, educate and sensitize its staff regularly issues relating to child protection, their responsibilities under this policy, including compulsory offering relevant information that relate to issues of child abuse, neglect and exploitation. The members of staff of Plan Australia are required to urgently inform relevant authorities of any concerns including allegations relating to child abuse, neglect and exploitation, failure to comply with the provisions of this policy by staff and other members of the community. The staff members are required to fill child protection training sheet and consequently, accept the roles and obligations by signing Plan Australias Child Protection Code of Conduct. The compliance with this code is compulsory when an individual is a staff member of Plan Australia. Plan Australias internal recruitment procedures are highly strict and steps to ensure that individuals likely to engage in activities and actions that are detrimental to the normal development of a child are not allowed chance to be part of Plan Australia. The screening measures involve checking of an individuals criminal and background record to assess his or her suitability in order to guarantee the right people are entrusted with the responsibility of protecting and caring for the children. There is a developed internal structures and procedures by Plan Australia for dealing with reports involving child abuse, neglect and exploitation and ultimately the assurance of notifying relevant law enforcement agencies. Responsibilities and obligations required for informing relevant authorities and checking irresponsible characters are outlined by these procedures. Plan Australia is working in conjunction with the Australian Federal Police to strengthen interagency responses to child abuse, neglect and exploitation issues. Strict guidelines by Plan Australia are in place to ensure responsible use of its communications systems in relation to child exploitation information to the extent that any act of using the agencys systems to access information that is of abusive and exploitative to children or online exposure to such demeaning information is outside the agencys required moral duty and should be dealt with accordingly. This requires reporting the same to the law enforcement agencies. The risk management processes and procedures should incorporate child protection strategies. The Plan Australias business processes and procedures have embedded risk management procedures into a comprehensive set of compliance and control systems. The identification of risk factors to children is done in advance and is managed according to the provisions of this policy paper. Humanitarian disaster responses include management of risks related to children. The vulnerability of children available in places that are affected by emergencies and disasters is recognized by Plan Australia. The requirement by all organizations implementing Plan Australia humanitarian disaster response activities to comply with the policys child protection compliance standards is mandatory. Special consideration should be accorded to children when developing humanitarian disaster response activities. Plan Australias Child Protection Code of Conduct provides for strict standards relating to personal character required of every staff member of Plan Australia. Actions and behaviors that could be construed as child abuse, neglect or exploitation should be highly avoided by Plan Australia staff. The provision requiring compliance with the Australian Public Service Code of Conduct for all Australian employees is also in place. References Barron, I., Topping, K. (2010). School based child sexual abuse prevention programs: Implications for practitioners. Australian Professional Society on the Abuse of Children, 22(2/3), 11-19. Belsky, J. (1980). Child maltreatment: An ecological integration. Australian Psychologist, 4, 320335. Dahlberg, L. L., E. G. Krug. 2002. "Violence: A Global Public Health Problem." In World Report on Violence and Health, ed. E. G. Krug, L. L. Dahlberg, J. A. Mercy, A. B. Zwi, and R. Lozano, 121. Geneva: World Health Organization Finkelhor, D., Mitchell, K.J., and Wolak, J. (2005). Online victimization: What youth tell us. In S.W. Cooper, R.J. Estes, A.P. Giardino, N.D. Kellogg, V.I. Vieth (Eds.), Medical, legal, and social science aspects of child sexual exploitation: A comprehensive review of pornography, prostitution, and Internet crimes, Vol. 1 (pgs. 437-467). St. Louis, MO: GW Medical Publishing, Inc.