Child Safeguarding Statement

In accordance with the relevant provisions of the Children First Act 2015, the Text About It child safeguarding statement (CSS) is circulated to all staff, Action Panel and Board members. The CSS is publicly available to our service users, their parents and guardians, to Tusla and any interested parties on the Text About It website. A hard copy of the CSS and its accompanying child protection policies and procedures are available on request.

1. NAME OF SERVICE BEING PROVIDED: TEXT ABOUT IT
   

2. NATURE OF SERVICE AND PRINCIPLES TO SAFEGUARD CHILDREN FROM HARM

Text About It is a free, 24/7 support for people in times of crisis provided by spunout CLG with the support of the Health Service Executive. Teams of trained volunteers respond to text and instant messages, providing active listening support and promoting help-seeking behaviour. The service’s first priority is helping people to move from a hot moment to a cool calm, guiding texters to create a plan to stay safe and healthy. 

As an organisation dedicated to the wellbeing of young people, Text About It is committed to ensuring that all young people, and specifically children under the age of 18 years, are safe from harm while availing of our services.

There are a variety of ways in which children and young people are involved with and/or receive Text About It services. These include through:

• Texting in as service users;

• Youth engagements (talks, outreach, training sessions and workshops);

• Mentoring programmes;

• Involvement at launches, fundraisers and events;

• Work experience placements;

• Communications via phone, internet and social media. 

Text About It’s interaction with children and young people adheres to the following guiding principles: 

• The best interests of children and young people are central to the ethos and work of Text About It and we are committed to upholding the rights of every child and young person who avails of our service;
  

• The safety and welfare of children and young people are of paramount importance; 
  

• Children and young people have the right to be protected from harm, including but not limited to assault, ill-treatment, neglect, or abuse of any kind.
  

• Children and young people have a right to be heard, listened to, treated with respect and taken seriously;
  

• A proper balance must be struck between protecting children and respecting the rights of parents/guardians/carers to be consulted and involved in matters concerning their family, while understanding that where a conflict arises, the safety of the child comes first; 
  

• The measures we have in place to safeguard children and young people reflect national policy and legislation and are underpinned by Children First: National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children (DCYA, 2017), Child Safeguarding: A Guide for Policy, Practice and Procedure (Tusla, 2018) and the Children First Act 2015. 
  

• Our guiding principles apply to all staff, volunteers, Board members and students on work placement within our organisation;
  

• All Board members, staff, volunteers and students must abide by the policies, procedures and guidance encompassed by our child safeguarding statement and accompanying child protection policies and procedures;
  

• Child protection is a standing issue on the Community Creations CLG Board of Directors, which has legal responsibility for Text About It. 
  

• We will review our CSS and accompanying child protection policies and procedures every 2 years or sooner if necessary;
  

• The designated liaison person (DLP) and deputy DLP for ensuring that our child protection and safeguarding procedures are followed are:
  

In the event of the DLP role becoming vacant, the Deputy DLP will act in their place until a new DLP can be appointed; this will take place as soon as possible. The organisation will endeavour at all times to have both a DLP and Deputy DLP in place; and any vacancy must be reported to the Board of Directors. As far as possible, Text About It will work to ensure an outgoing DLP or Deputy DLP can be replaced on the same day they formally leave that position.

3. Risk assessment

A. As a relevant service under the Children First Act 2015, and in accordance with section 11(1)(a), Text About It has undertaken an assessment of any risk/potential for harm to a child while availing of our service. 

B. ‘Harm’ is defined under section 2 of the Act as: 

C. “Harm’ means in relation to a child - 

1. Assault, ill treatment or neglect of the child in a manner that seriously affects, or is likely to seriously affect the child’s health, development or welfare, or,

2. Sexual abuse of the child

Whether caused by a single act, omission or circumstance or a series or combination of acts, omissions or circumstances or otherwise”

D. Below is a list of risks identified and a corresponding list of the measures in place to manage and mitigate against them. Text About It understands the need to continually review and, if necessary, expand this list as and when practice and procedure changes. Text About It will not be involved in organising or supervising overnight stays involving children, however, should this ever change it will necessitate a significant further risk assessment. 

4. Procedures

A. Our CSS has been developed in line with requirements under the Children First Act 2015, Children First: National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children (DCYA, 2017) and Child Safeguarding: A Guide for Policy, Practice and Procedure (Tusla, 2018). In addition to the procedures listed in our risk assessment, the following child protection policies, procedures and measures are in place to support our safeguarding commitment to children who avail of our service:

• A Designated Liaison Person and Deputy have been appointed

• The Designated Liaison Person will act as the Relevant Person

• Child Protection Policy is in place

• Child Protection and Welfare Reporting Procedures are in place

• Procedure for managing allegations of abuse or misconduct against workers/volunteers relating to a child availing of our service is in place

• Confidentiality Policy is in place

• Procedure for the safe recruitment and selection of workers and volunteers to work with children is in place

• Garda Vetting Policy is in place

• All staff have completed the Tusla eLearning module – Introduction to Children First

• Staff and Board have attended child protection training

• Code of behaviour for staff and volunteers is in place

• Induction process is in place (which includes procedures to inform new staff and volunteers about the CSS and accompanying child protection policies and procedures

• Incidents Procedure is in place

• Complaints Policy is in place

• Social Media Guidelines are in place

B. All procedures listed are available upon request.

5. Numbers of Staff, Volunteers and Young Service Users

A. Text About It maintains a list of mandated persons within the organisation, which is updated to be consistently accurate within two weeks of any changes of personnel. The CEO has overall responsibility for this list, but may delegate responsibility to an appropriate member of staff. 

B. The following figures are accurate as of November 2022 and are reviewed on an annual basis, or as necessary following a significant change in numbers.

C. Text About It Staff

6. Implementation  

A. We recognise that implementation is an ongoing process. Our service is committed to the implementation of this CSS and the procedures that support our intention to keep children safe from harm while availing of our service.

B. The Text About It CSS will be reviewed every two years, or sooner if there has been a material change in any of the issues to which it refers. The next date for substantive review of this Statement is no later than September 30th, 2023.

Signed:

For further information on this Statement, contact our Relevant Person:  

Eibhlin McNamara

0861287179

eibhlin@spunout.ie

For a copy of our Child Safeguarding Policy please click here.