Child Protection

• You can expect your child’s safety and welfare to be the top priority.
• You will be informed of the service of Rainbows and asked to consider your consent for your child’s participation in the Rainbows Programme.
• You will be asked for some personal information, such as contact details and any information which is relevant for your child.
• You can expect that staff or volunteers are carefully selected and suitable to work with children and young people.

•  Confidentiality means that information in relation to you or your children will only be shared with people who ‘need to know’ if a Child Protection issue arises.

• Personal information about your child given on the Application Form will be treated with respect and records will be securely stored.

• If we have a child protection concern about a child we are obliged to report it to a Duty Social Worker in the Health Service Executive (HSE), or in an emergency, to An Garda Síochána.

• Reckless endangerment of children is a criminal offence under Irish law which could result in criminal prosecution and imprisonment for failure to comply with the relevant provisions of the appropriate legislation.

• We will pass on the child’s name, address and age, your name and address and will say what the reason for concern is.

• We will also include the name of the person making the report.

• Anyone making a report of suspected child abuse, provided they act ‘reasonably and in good faith’ will have immunity from civil liability (Protection for Persons Reporting Child Abuse Act, 1998).

• A parent will be informed if a report is made to the Duty Care Social Worker only if that information does not put the child at further risk.

• Rainbows has a Duty of Care to your child. If the programme is not meeting the needs of your child at the present moment, the Rainbows Coordinator at your child’s programme will inform you.

•  Yes. A code of behaviour for staff, including volunteers, is part of our child protection policy.

• We have a code of behaviour for children and young people.

• We have an anti-bullying policy.

• We also ask parents/guardians to comply with certain measures to ensure their children’s safety (see below).

If you have a concern about a child or young person, you can talk to –

• Rainbows CEO, the Designated Person under Child Protection for the Rainbows Programmes. She will listen to your concern and explain our Child Protection Policy to you.

• The Rainbows Designated Liaison Person at the Rainbows Programme Centre, usually the school principal/centre manager.

• Alternatively, you can contact a Duty Social worker in the HSE directly

• Yes. Procedures for dealing with allegations against staff or volunteers are part of the Child Protection Policy.

• No. It is the policy of Rainbows that no person can observe a group. The group is a place of trust to share feelings and emotions. Only the Facilitators of that group and the group Participants may attend.

• No substitute Facilitators are permitted to take the group.

• If the Facilitators are not available due to unforeseen circumstances, the group session is cancelled for that day.

• No. It is the policy of Rainbows that Facilitators are trained listeners. They do not give feedback /comment /advice.

• We ask you not to engage a Rainbows Facilitator in specific discussion on their child’s attendance at the programme. They will have to tell you that they are not at liberty to have any discussions.

You can talk to the Rainbows Programme Coordinator (the person that manages the start and ongoing delivery of the programme or the manager /principal at the place where Rainbows is being delivered and/or the Rainbows CEO who can be contacted in the National Office on 01 4734175 or ask@rainbowsireland.ie