Name of service: Grasshoppers International Early Years Festival 2021
Nature of service provided
Grasshoppers International Early Years Festival creates opportunities for children aged 0-6, along with their families and friends or with their school or preschool, to engage with and explore art. We produce and present work for and about very young children, from the ages of zero to six years old. Through our work with leading Irish and international early years artists children can enjoy performances in any local space, view engaging exhibitions or participate in creative workshops with their carers and educators. Grasshoppers International Early Years Festival also curates specific professional development opportunities for teachers and artists.
Grasshoppers International Early Years Festival is committed to a child-centered approach. Grasshoppers International Early Years Festival provides its services to and for young children. It is central to the philosophy of Grasshoppers International Early Years Festival that children are unconditionally respected and kept safe from harm while availing of our services.
Principles to safeguard children from harm
Below are Grasshoppers International Early Years Festival’s principles and procedures which should be observed to ensure, as far as possible, that a child is safe from harm while availing of our services.
- All Grasshoppers International Early Years Festival team members are Garda vetted.
- All Grasshoppers International Early Years Festival team members have undertaken Tusla online Child Protection Training – Children First E-Learning.
- All child protection or welfare concerns will be reported to Tusla/Gardaí in a timely manner.
- Children are always accompanied by a parent/guardian/educator, while engaging with the Grasshoppers International Early Years Festival team.
- A child in need of personal support because of illness, physical needs or any form of distress, shall be referred in the first place to his/her parent/guardian or teacher. In the absence of a guardian, the team member who is working with or supervising that activity will provide such support. A parent/guardian or teacher should inform a team member if there are any specific needs required during a child’s participation at a Grasshoppers International Early Years Festival event.
Risk Assessment
We have carried out an assessment of any potential for harm to a child while availing of our services. Below is a list of the areas of risk identified and the list of procedures for managing these risks.
Risk identified and Procedure in place to manage risk identified
1 Non-compliance with Grasshoppers International Early Years Festival Child Protection Policy
All team members are provided with the Child Protection Policy. Any breach of the Child Protection Policy will be reported to the designated liaison person, Cliodhna Noonan. The Child Protection Policy is reviewed every 2 years.
2 Delay in making referrals to Tusla
All team members are trained and supported to ensure they can act promptly and not delay in contacting Tusla when they deem a referral may be required.
3. Receipt of complaint of alleged child abuse where a parent, guardian or teacher is the alleged perpetrator.
All team members know the procedures to make a referral to the Designated Liaison Person or directly to Tusla
4. Child makes a disclosure to a member of Grasshoppers International Early Years Festival team.
All team members know the procedures to make a referral to the Designated Liaison Person or directly to Tusla.
5 A suspicion of child abuse is determined by a team member.
All team members know the procedures to make a referral to the Designated Liaison Person or directly to Tusla.
Procedures
Grasshoppers International Early Years Festival’s Child Safeguarding Statement has been developed in line with requirements under the Children First Act 2015, and the Children First: National Guidance, and Tusla’s Child Safeguarding: A Guide for Policy, Procedure and Practice. In addition to the procedures listed in our risk assessment, the following procedures support our intention to safeguard children while they are availing of our services:
- Procedure for the management of allegations of abuse or misconduct against workers/volunteers of a child availing of our services
- Procedure for the safe recruitment and selection of workers and volunteers to work with children
- Procedure for provision of, and access to, child safeguarding training and information, including the identification of the occurrence of harm
- Procedure for the reporting of child protection or welfare concerns to Tusla or the Gardaí as appropriate
- All procedures listed are available upon request.
Implementation
Grasshoppers International Early Years Festival recognises that implementation is an ongoing process. Our service is committed to the implementation of this Child Safeguarding Statement and the procedures that support our intention to keep children safe from harm while availing of our service. This Statement will be reviewed on 28 November 2022 or as soon as practicable after there has been a material change in any matter to which the statement refers.
Name and contact details: Grasshoppers International Early Years Festival, 5 Kellys Bay Drive, Skerries, Co. Dublin
Designated liaison person – Cliodhna Noonan : 0830425126
