All organisations falling within the scope of
the blue card system are required to develop and implement
child and youth risk management strategies which address
eight minimum requirements.
This video will guide you through the first of
the minimum requirements
which is the requirement to have a statement of commitment to the safety
and wellbeing of children
and the protection of children from harm.
The purpose of your statement of commitment
is to provide an overarching statement which will influence your organisation's culture.
So, why do you need to have a statement of commitment?
The culture of your organisation
is a critical factor in successfully mitigating the risks of harm to children
in your service environment.
An organisation which has a strong, child-safe culture
is more likely to attract people who are suitable to work with children.
So, how should you go about drafting your statement of commitment?
When drafting a statement of commitment
you should consider your organisation's aims and values.
You may already have something similar
that is used by your organisation such as
a mission statement.
If so, you can build on that.
You must ensure, however,
that your statement of commitment for your child and youth risk management
strategy is child-focussed.
It is recommended that your organisation use
strong, clear and direct language when drafting your statement.
You may wish to start your statement with phrases such as:
"Our organisation is committed to","Our organisation supports",
"Our organisation is dedicated to",
"Our organisation ensures".
A strong statement of commitment will first
communicate exactly what your organisation is committed to.
An example if this might be something like:
"Our organisation supports the rights of children and young people
and is committed to providing a safe and supportive service environment
directed at ensuring their safety and wellbeing."
Optimally, your initial statement will then be
followed up with a brief outline
of how your organisation intends to ensure the commitment is effectively implemented.
For example, "In order to support this commitment,
we had dedicated to our child and youth risk management strategy
which has policies and procedures in place to effectively address the safety
and wellbeing of children in our care".
It is also a good idea to display your statement of commitment
in a prominent place where staff, parents,
children and visitors can be reminded of your organisation's specific commitment.
Careful and thoughtful construction
of your statement of commitment will ensure that an appropriate tone
is set for your entire child and youth risk management strategy.
To further assist you in developing and implementing
effective child and youth risk management strategies,
a toolkit, which is available on the "Risk Management" page
of the Blue Card Services website has been developed to provide
information and guidance on the eight minimum requirements.
Remember, safe service environments don't just
happen.
They require ongoing planning, commitment and maintenance.
Thank you for taking the time to learn about this requirement of child
and youth risk management strategies.
We hope you found this video useful
and we encourage you to watch the remaining videos on offer
from the Blue Card Services Learning Portal.