Child Safeguarding Statement

September 2021

Child Protection & Garda Vetted Trained Therapists:

Keira Keogh (Behaviour Support Specialist)

Emma Cunningham (Behaviour Support Intern)

Name of service being provided:

Keira Keogh Behaviour Consultant

Fairgreen, Westport, Co Mayo. F28 H971

Nature of service and principles to safeguard children from harm

At Keira Keogh Behaviour Consultant (KKBC); we work with children and adolescents  providing behaviour tuition and behaviour support to help them achieve their potential and thrive. Our approach is child centred and evidence based.

We also work with parents, teachers, schools and colleges providing training, workshops and consults that enable them to support the children they are working with.

KKBC is a sole trader organisation with two staff members.

We engage with children and adolescents through a range of activities including:

In office:

Once off consultations with parents and child, with only parents, 1:1 support, floortime, tabletop, toilet training, life skills, dressing, feeding.

Home consults

Parent training, personal hygiene, chores, other daily living skills

School Consults

Consultational role at meetings

Modelling work from 1:1 sessions

Behaviour support directly to child, indirectly to teachers/SNAs

Staff Training (in absence of children)

Seminars

Workshops

Online

Behaviour support, Behaviour tuition

Interview panels

Involvement at launches and events;

Communications via the internet and social media such as Facebook and Twitter.

Keira Keogh Behaviour Consultant (KKBC) is committed to the protection of children and young people with whom we work and to promoting good practice within our organisation.

KKBC is committed to promoting the rights of the child including the participation of children and young people in matters that affect them.

KKBC is committed to adherence to Children First National Guidance 2017 and the Children First Act 2015.

Risk assessment

KKBC has carried out an assessment of any potential of risk of harm to a child while availing of our services.

The areas of risk and the procedures identified to address these areas have been identified –

Risk identified Procedure in place to manage risk identified

1 Engagement with young people

2 Reporting procedures

3 Recruitment and Selection

4 Information, Communication and Training

5 Allegations in relation to harm

Procedures

See Keira Keogh Behaviour Consultant’s Child Protection policy for details on the following procedures.

KKBC’s Child Safeguarding Statement has been developed in line with requirements under the Children First Act 2015, 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 service:

• 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
• Procedure for maintaining a list of the persons in KKBC who are mandated persons

Implementation

We recognise 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 Child Safeguarding Statement will be reviewed yearly or as soon as practicable after there has been a material change in any matter to which the statement refers.