CHILD ABUSE LEADER PROTECTION Awareness in the community of child abuse is increasing. The focus is mainly on teaching children protective behaviours and encouraging the reporting of suspected abusers. Despite or because of this increased awareness there is a growing number of child victims who suffer from one or more forms of abuse. All too often from adults close to, or known by them. Whilst there are treatment programs for offenders, unfortunately there is little advice or information available for adults who are not deliberate abusers and who are in vulnerable positions like teachers and youth workers. Adult Leaders in Scouting need some advise on how to protect themselves. Scout leaders are in a very privileged and powerful position in their relationship with young people. They need to ensure that they respect this position and that all times their behaviour and attitude can never be accidentally construed as abusive. Leaders who are deliberately abusive to children will not be protected by the Association. Leaders who are abusive through ignorance or accident not only harm the young person, sometimes as much as the deliberate abuser, but also run the risk of facing legal action or Association sanction. The Scout Association has a responsibility to protect its members, youth and adult. Guidelines for leaders and Branch Policies and practices are needed. Currently our policy generally comes down to statements like "Never be alone with a child"; "Respect their privacy". Whilst this is good advice it generally only refers to one form of child abuse, sexual. Emotional and physical abuse are sometimes more insidious. It is often taken as 'OK behaviour and rarely confronted due to uncertainty or ignorance of the effects of this type of attitude and behaviour. Whilst some of the behaviours to be mentioned may not be severe or frequent enough to warrant legal action, they are all inappropriate to the aims of Scouting. They do not foster high self esteem or confidence in the child nor a positive attitude to others. In some cases they perpetuate the trauma of earlier abuse. 20 WAYS TO ESTABLISH PERSONAL PROTECTION FOR A SCOUT LEADER. 1. Help to establish safe open communication in each section of the Group. 2. Find out what constitutes abusive behaviour and don't do it. (see 20 below) 3. Have an "OPEN DOOR" policy. Declare all meetings open to parents, other leaders, and District Team. Have other children, parents, friends, or leaders with you with you when in any situation that could be construed as compromising or questionable. eg. camping, outings, private interviews 4. Do unto others as you would have them do to you. Treat all children (and others) with respect and dignity befitting their age. Watch your language, tone of voice, and where you put your body. 5. Confront others. Develop a Group etiquette that allows for leaders to feel comfortable and caring enough to point out to each other any inappropriate attitudes or behaviours. 6. Encourage don't pressure. Be sensitive to each child's individual capacity for physical activities and protect them from any unwarranted pressure to participate. 7. Encourage children to trust their own feelings about a leader's behaviour and to assert their right to determine what behaviour they are comfortable with. 8. Respect a child's privacy. Expect them to respect yours. 9. Develop a healthy lifestyle outside of Scouting with adults your own age. Encourage the lonely and isolated leader to do the same. 10. Do not let children involve you in excessive attention seeking behaviour that is overtly sexual or physical in nature. Be particularly careful with the very needy child. Redirect the behaviour into 'healthy ' activities and provide caring attention before it is asked for. 11. Don't be involved with a child outside of scouting. Keep your private life private. Don't bring individual scouts to your home, flat or elsewhere eg., to watch videos, play cards take photos. 12. Act your age. Maintain an adult role model with young children. Be friendly, courteous and kind. Don't exaggerate or trivialise these child abuse issues. 13. Mixed teams of men and women in either mixed or single sex mobs, packs, troops or units may provide for a safer healthier climate for the leader and the child. 14. When in doubt - ask. One leader's poor behaviour reflects on all leaders in the Movement. Denial of one's uncomfortable feelings is the single most common behaviour that leaders, friends parents and children report on after an abuser is finally apprehended. "We thought something funny was going on but didn't feel right about saying anything". "Oh he's a really good leader with the kids, he couldn't do anything like that. He's so dedicated". "I didn't want to get the Association (or me) into trouble". 15. Discipline and control 'behaviour'. Don't abuse. Be clear that when a child is acting out that it is the behaviour that is 'Not OK' and that the child is OK. Attack the problem not the person. Our task is to build self esteem not to shatter it. 16. Be Firm and fair. Avoid favourites or a least giving them lots more attention. Likewise avoid concentrating on the "trouble maker". Learn disciplining and appropriate 'Parenting' skills. 17. Encourage open discussion, particularly with older age groups, about what young people like and dislike about your behaviour. Just as you give children 'feedback' about how they behave - invite and reward feedback about how they see you behaving. 18. Find out what children are taught in school about 'Protective Behaviours' and respect this. It is different to when most of us were kids. eg. Kids have a right to feel safe - There is nothing so awful that you can't tell someone - Select 4 people you can trust to approach with any problem - Complain about abuse until you are heard. Don't expect a Cub Scout to obey the first law when they are being abused. 19. Read your Branch 'Scout Code of Conduct' and stick by it. Refresh your memory about your Scout Promise and Laws you agreed to abide by. 20. Do not engage or let others engage in any of the following:- Abusive initiation ceremonies;- Forcing children into macho type activities;- getting undressed in front of children;- invading the privacy of children whilst they are showering, toiletting;- photographing undressed children;-sleeping in a tent with one child;- rough physically hurtful or sexually provocative games;- making sexually suggestive comments about or to a young person ;- inappropriate & intrusive touching, hugging, cuddling & kissing;- regularly scapegoating, ridiculing, rejecting, isolating or taking the 'mickey' out of a child. Whilst many might not be legally abusive, they don't belong in Scouting. They are hurtful, intrusive, set a bad example and don't promote safety. SUGGESTED ACTION AT THE BRANCH LEVEL 1. PROTECTION implies - Prevention before a warrant is issued - Education during leadership position - Action when an abuse is suspected. Each Branch needs to have clear policy statements on each of these areas and these policies communicated regularly to all leaders. 2. WHAT IS CHILD ABUSE? Each State may have different laws and legal definitions. Leaders should be made aware of what child abuse is. Leave no chance of denial through ignorance. Prevent fear of doing the wrong thing. South Australian definitions:- Physical abuse; Any non accidental physical injury inflicted on a child. Emotional abuse: A chronic attitude or behaviour towards a child which is detrimental to or impairs the child's emotional and/or physical development. Sexual abuse: Any sexual behaviour imposed on a child under the age of 18. 3. CHILD ABUSE IS NOT A MEDIA INVENTION. Each Branch should publish from time to time annual child abuse figures to make leaders aware of the extent of the problem in the community. There are still ill informed adults who think the problem is a media hype. 4. EDUCATION PROGRAMS. Child Protection awareness programs should be part of the ongoing leader development program at district level as well as mandatory participation in the Gilwell training scheme. 5. BRANCH PROCEDURES. Promulgate simple, clear procedures to provide information on how leaders can get;- advice and support when in doubt;- make reports or complaints without the need to feel guilty; - referral advice to professional welfare or police agencies. 6. CODE OF CONDUCT. Branches to ensure that up to date ethical statements in the form of a Code of Conduct is understood and agreed to by all leaders during their induction into Scouting. 7. PREVENTION. Branches ensure that the best possible vetting processes for all applications are available and applied. That adequate records of known abusers are maintained and networked with other Branches. Records of information concerning other suspected abusive adult's behaviour and the action taken be maintained. All records to conform with the freedom of information legislation. Article for Australian Scout magazine September 1993 Robin Maslen (Social Worker) Chief Commissioner S.A. Branch