INTRODUCTION

The rationale behind formation of this organization is a presence of a huge number of children with disabilities who belonged in extreme poor families, hereinafter referred as families with low level of income hence their parents are unable to afford charges for treatment, hence this organization  will paves the way towards elimination of this challenge in our community as most of children with disabilities will undergo treatment as well as intensive care under the umbrella of this organization for the sake  of restoring the lost smile, dreams, targets or hopes of children with disabilities in our esteemed community by virtue of providing cognitive surgery through different hospitals with specialist doctors and pediatrics surgeon.

VISION: No child lives with curable disabilities.

MISSION: To facilitate or paves the way for surgery in order to reduce a massive number of children with disabilities in our society.

DEFINITION

The World Health Organisation definition of abuse is:

Child abuse or maltreatment includes all forms of physical and emotional ill-treatment, sexual abuse, neglect, and exploitation that results in actual harm to the child’s health, development or dignity.

Source: http://www.who.int/topics/child_abuse/en/

CODE OF CONDUCT

All members of staff and volunteers who are serving at The Zilper Foundation programme will be introduced to and sign a code of conduct before they have access to the children in the care of The Zilper Foundation programme.

RECRUITMENT

Zilper Foundation is committed to the following recruitment practices that aim to mitigate unacceptable risk to children engaged in our programmes. For all staff who are employed in the Zilper Foundation their application and recruitment process will include:

  1. At least two referees who can attest to their behavior and past interactions with children, that will be checked by the interviewer.
  2. Tanzanian applicants for positions will present a signed letter from their Village Executive Officer (VEO) will be provided attesting to their history that there is no history of crimes involving children. Foreign staff or volunteers serving over a seven (7) day period will provide a current police check and sexual offenders check as part of an application process.
  3. All Applicants who progress to interview stage of recruitment will be asked at least one question relating to child protection.
  4. All staff and volunteers at The Zilper Foundation will sign an acknowledgment that they will follow the child protection policy.

Visitors to The Zilper Foundation

All visitors to The Zilper Foundation will be supervised during the visit by a staff member.

TRAINING

All new staff and volunteers at The Zilper Foundation will have an induction session about the Child Protection Policy, to ensure awareness of their responsibilities in adhering to the code of conduct and the impact on the children in our care. They will be oriented to the file containing materials pertaining to the child protection policy, and informed on reporting procedures.

In addition to this the staff and volunteers at The Zilper Foundation will attend a training session each year to ensure adherence and further develop understanding of the Child Protection Policy.

REPORTING AND RESPONDING

  1. Child Allegation of Abuse

In the event that a child reports abuse, The Zilper Foundation personnel must do the following:

  1. Remain calm and in control of feelings;
  2. Tell them that you believe them;
  3. Listen carefully to what they are saying;
  4. Don’t ask lots of questions – listen to what they want to tell you;
  5. Tell them it is not their fault and you are pleased that they told you as you can now do something about it;
  6. Take steps to distance the alleged perpetrator from the child.
  7. Write down everything the child said, bearing in mind that the matter is confidential. Use the Incident Reporting Sheet. The staff member/volunteer should further discuss the matter only with the Director of The Zilper Foundation or her appointed alternative.
  8. Handling Information

All information regarding individual cases and reports of a child protection matter will be kept in a confidential file. Only authorised staff members of The Zilper Foundation will be allowed to access this information.

  1. Allegations of Abuse within The Zilper Foundation Programme

The Senior Management Team of The Zilper Foundation carries the responsibility for handling information about allegations of abuse by staff or volunteers of The Zilper Foundation, with the support of the Advisory Board of The Zilper Foundation.

If the allegation of abuse is leveled against a member of the Senior Management Team, then the Director of The Zilper Foundation will handle the allegations.

The Zilper Foundation is committed to its workers as well as to the children, therefore only the personnel dealing with the allegation will have access to information about allegations, and will continue to treat the person under investigation with dignity throughout.

The person handling the allegations will agree on an appropriate course of action with whoever is helping them to handle the case. This may mean seeking further guidance from alternate childcare programmes.

For serious cases, referring the case to the police or Social Services, if this has not already been done.

The person handling the allegations will document the allegations and date and sign them as soon as possible after hearing about them, and will also document the consequent action that they have taken. This documentation is to be kept safely on file indefinitely.

Advice will be sought from advisory board members and alternate childcare programmes in the area before speaking to the person alleged to have committed an offence. All conversations with the alleged offender will be carried out in the presence of two people, namely the Director of The Zilper Foundation and an alternate member of the Senior Management Team or the advisory board. All conversations will be documented and the documentation kept confidentially on file indefinitely.

The member of staff, whether volunteer or not, alleged to have committed an offence will be automatically suspended from his/her duties on full pay, whilst the case is being investigated, and until it has been resolved.

  1. Discipline/Dismissal

Proven guilt of any form of child abuse as described in this policy will result in instant dismissal from the paid or volunteer employment at The Zilper Foundation.

CHILD PROTECTION RISK ASSESSMENTS

The Zilper Foundation will undertake risk assessments for all activities involving children in their care. These will be kept in a Risk Log.

Definitions of Child Abuse

Physical Abuse: the intentional causing of physical harm to a child. This may take the form of slapping, punching, shaking, kicking, burning, shoving, biting, strangling, poisoning or otherwise physical hurting of a child

Emotional Abuse: involves continuing behavior by adults towards children, which includes threats, rejection, isolation, belittling, name calling or other non-physical forms of hostile or rejecting treatment which erodes social competence or self-esteem over time.

Neglect or negligent treatment: is the failure to provide a child – within the context of resources reasonably available to the family or caregivers – with the conditions essential for their physical and emotional development and well-being.

Sexual Abuse: occurs when someone uses their power or authority to involve a child in sexual activity. Sexually abusive behaviors can involve fondling genitals, masturbation, oral sex, vaginal or anal penetration by a penis, finger or any other object, fondling breasts, voyeurism, exhibition or exposing a child to, or involving a child in, pornography. Both boys and girls can be victims of child sexual abuse.

Exploitation: Commercial or other exploitation of a child refers to the use of the child in work or other activities for the benefit of others that are unacceptable because it deprives them of their childhood, development or dignity.

This includes, but is not limited to, child labour and child prostitution.

  • A child of any age, sex, race, religion, and socioeconomic background can suffer child abuse and neglect.
  • A child who is being abused may experience more than one type of abuse. For example, physical and sexual abuse almost always involves emotional abuse as well.
  • Abused children can be helped to lead fulfilling lives, but we must never expect them just to forget about it and ‘get over it’. The impact of child abuse lasts a lifetime.

Code of Conduct

The Zilper Foundation Personnel will:

  • Model appropriate behaviour.
  • Treat children with respect regardless of race, colour, gender, language, national/tribal/socioeconomic background, disability, religious or other belief.
  • Challenge and report behaviour that you think might be abusive.
  • Ensure children are not left unsupervised. Where this is observed it must be addressed with the Management Team.
  • Immediately disclose all charges and convictions and other outcomes of offence either before being employed or during employment that relate to child exploitation or abuse.
  • Not use language or behaviour towards children that is inappropriate, harassing, abusive, sexually provocative, demeaning, or culturally inappropriate.
  • Not engage with patients at The Zilper Foundation in any form of sexual activity.
  • Ensure written consent has been given by a child’s parents or guardians before using their image on social media, newsletters or in promotional materials for The Zilper Foundation.
  • Do not use corporal punishment in any form.
  • Comply with all relevant local and national legislation including child labour laws.
  • Act with common sense and avoid actions/behaviours that could be construed as child exploitation or abuse.
  • Advocate for the rights and wellbeing of all children at The Zilper Foundation and the wider Tanzanian community.