🛡️ Child Protection & Safeguarding Policy

Last Updated: 26 January 2026 | Review Date: January 2027

1. Policy Statement

This policy applies to all:

• BlastBeat staff (full-time, part-time, contract)
• Teachers and facilitators delivering programmes
• Volunteers and mentors
• Partner organisations and sponsors
• Anyone acting on behalf of BlastBeat

Definition of a Child: Anyone under 18 years of age, in accordance with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and South African Children's Act 38 of 2005.

2. Our Safeguarding Principles

Based on Ubuntu Philosophy

"I am because we are" – the safety of every child is the responsibility of the entire community.

Core Principles

• Welfare Paramount: The child's welfare always comes first
• Equal Protection: All children deserve protection regardless of background
• Child Voice: Children have the right to be heard and believed
• Prevention First: We prevent harm through robust vetting and training
• Partnership: We work with families, schools, and authorities
• Accountability: We act on concerns and are transparent in our processes

3. Recognising Abuse

All adults in our organisation must recognise the signs of abuse:

Type	What It Includes	Warning Signs
Physical	Hitting, burning, shaking, poisoning	Unexplained injuries, fear of going home, flinching
Emotional	Constant criticism, rejection, humiliation, isolation	Low self-esteem, self-harm, withdrawal, excessive fear
Sexual	Any sexual activity involving a child, including online	Sexualized behaviour, knowledge inappropriate for age, fear of specific people
Neglect	Failure to provide basic needs (food, shelter, supervision)	Poor hygiene, hunger, untreated medical conditions, often unsupervised
Bullying	Persistent hostile behaviour (physical, verbal, cyber)	Withdrawal, anxiety, reluctance to attend, unexplained belongings damage
Exploitation	Criminal exploitation, trafficking, forced labour	Money/items with no explanation, absence, changes in behaviour

4. Prevention Measures

4.1 Safer Recruitment

All adults working directly with children must:

• Undergo enhanced police/criminal record checks (SA Police Clearance, Garda Vetting)
• Provide references from previous roles with children
• Complete safeguarding training before commencing work
• Sign the BlastBeat Code of Conduct
• Undergo regular refresher training (annual minimum)

4.2 Code of Conduct for Adults

Adults working with BlastBeat must:

• Treat all children with dignity and respect
• Maintain appropriate professional boundaries
• Avoid being alone with individual children where possible
• Never engage in physical punishment
• Never use abusive, degrading, or discriminatory language
• Never develop inappropriate relationships (romantic, sexual)
• Never share inappropriate content with children
• Report all concerns immediately

4.3 Supervision Ratios

Activity Type	Minimum Ratio (Adult:Children)
Classroom/Workshop sessions	1:25 (with teacher present)
Events (indoor)	1:15
Events (outdoor/offsite)	1:10
High-risk activities	Risk assessment required

5. Online Safety

Platform Protections

• All communications are logged and monitored
• Private messaging between students and adults is restricted
• AI-powered content moderation for harmful content
• Emoji and symbol pattern detection for coded language
• Photo/video uploads reviewed before publication
• Location data is never publicly shared

Digital Safeguarding Rules

• Adults must not connect with students on personal social media
• All communication must be on official BlastBeat channels
• Parents can access their child's platform activity
• Inappropriate content triggers immediate alerts
• Accounts can be suspended for policy violations

Teaching Online Safety

Our curriculum includes digital citizenship education on:

• Privacy and personal information protection
• Recognising and reporting cyberbullying
• Identifying online grooming behaviour
• Safe social media practices
• Critical evaluation of online content

6. Reporting Procedures

Who To Report To

Concern Level	Who to Contact	Timeline
Immediate danger	Emergency services (SA: 10111 / Ireland: 999)	IMMEDIATELY
Disclosure of abuse	Safeguarding Lead + School Principal	Within 1 hour
Suspected abuse	Safeguarding Lead	Same day
Behavioural concerns	School teacher/facilitator first, then Safeguarding Lead	Within 24 hours

7. Responding to Allegations

Allegations Against Staff/Adults

If an allegation is made against any adult in a BlastBeat role:

1. The person will be immediately suspended (without prejudice) pending investigation
2. The allegation will be reported to relevant authorities (Social Services, Police)
3. The school will be notified
4. An internal investigation will be conducted
5. The person will only return to duties if cleared

Allegations Against Other Children

When a child harms another child:

• Both children are treated as children in need of support
• Separation and safety measures are implemented immediately
• Parents/guardians of both children are notified
• School involvement and support is coordinated
• Appropriate restorative or disciplinary measures are taken

8. Record Keeping

• All safeguarding concerns are documented in a secure incident log
• Records include: date, time, individuals involved, nature of concern, actions taken
• Access is restricted to Safeguarding Lead and designated personnel
• Records are retained for 25 years after the child turns 18
• Information is shared with authorities as legally required

9. Training Requirements

Role	Required Training	Frequency
All staff	Basic Safeguarding Awareness	Before starting + annual refresh
Teachers/Facilitators	Enhanced Safeguarding + Online Safety	Before working with children + annual
Safeguarding Lead	Designated Safeguarding Lead certification	Upon appointment + biennial
Management	Safeguarding for Leaders	Annual

10. Legal Framework

This policy aligns with:

South Africa

• Children's Act 38 of 2005
• Sexual Offences and Related Matters Amendment Act 32 of 2007
• Protection from Harassment Act 17 of 2011
• Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment Act
• National Child Protection Register requirements

Ireland

• Children First Act 2015
• Child Care Act 1991
• National Vetting Bureau Acts 2012-2016

International Standards

• UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989)
• African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child
• Keeping Children Safe standards

11. Policy Review

• This policy is reviewed annually or after any significant incident
• Reviews involve consultation with staff, schools, and safeguarding experts
• Updates are communicated to all relevant parties
• Version history is maintained