Safeguarding Children and Young People
Scouting Ireland has an obligation to all its members to provide an environment within which Scouting activities can be enjoyed in a safe, non-discriminatory and respectful manner.
Safeguarding our youth members should be paramount in everything we do and say. This item sets out the basics in overview, but you should keep yourself up to date on the Association’s Safeguarding policies and procedures.
As an adult in Scouting you should ensure that you and your team have completed the relevant training and are familiar with Scouting Ireland policies and the legal requirements in relation to the protection of children/vulnerable adults in the jurisdiction in which you operate; Republic of Ireland (ROI) or Northern Ireland (NI).
Scouting Ireland’s SID 39.05 - Code of Good Practice (COGP) for working with youth members contains key information and should be read by all adults in Scouting. It also contains useful fact sheets on social media, transport, medications and bullying.
If you think that you have a child protection issue you should contact the Child Protection Officer (CPO) at National Office. Scouting Ireland also has an out of hours call line for these cases. The CPO and/or the out-of-hours team will provide information on the best way to approach the issue and provide advice on whether you need to file a report.
Any Safeguarding issues are dealt with in a confidential manner by the CPO and the Child Protection Management Team (CPMT). They follow a documented and approved process when dealing with any reported cases regarding the wellbeing or safety of any child in our association. Information on reporting procedures is contained in the Scouting Ireland COGP along with a copy of an incident report form.
Following the guidelines contained in the Code of Good Practice will go a long way towards ensuring our youth members are safe and it is also the best way to ensure that our adult members are protected too.
Where to get help
If you have any concerns on this subject, please contact the CPO at National Office.
During normal office hours you can reach the CPO at National Office, by dialling 01 4956300 and asking for the CPO.
Outside normal office hours you can contact the out-of-hours team by dialling: 01 5547840 (ROI) or 028 95680080 (NI).
If you consider that the child is in immediate danger please call the Garda Síochana or PSNI directly and then report to the CPO as soon as possible afterwards
Other useful materials
SID 40.05 - Reporting Procedures
SID 39A.10 - Child Protection Management Team
