CONCERN FOR THE DEPRIVED

WELFARE ASSOCIATION
(CoDWelA)

BASIC SAFEGUARDING TRAINING FOR

VOCATIONAL TEACHERS

PARTICIPANT HAND BOOK

 PURPOSE OF THE TRAINING
This training introduces the principles of child safeguarding and the ways in which vocational
teachers, street workers, street work volunteers & safe adult network members can keep
children/youths safe when they interact in CoDWelA programmes, and operations.

TRAINING CONTENT
Introduction
SESSION 1: What is child safeguarding?
SESSION 2: Principles of safeguarding
SESSION 3: Who is responsible for keeping children/youths safe?
SESSION 4: Safeguarding risks children are exposed to?
SESSION 5: What do I do if I suspect or know of a child safeguarding concern?
SESSION 6: Safeguarding risks vulnerable children/youths are exposed to

MODULE 1: WHAT IS SAFE GUARDING?

“Child safeguarding” is the action that is taken to minimize children’s exposure to harm and
abuse, meet basic needs and promote their welfare.
Safeguarding means:
 Protecting children/youths from abuse and maltreatment
 Preventing harm to children’s/youth’s health or development
 Ensuring children/youths grow up with the provision of safe and effective care
 Taking action to enable all children and young people has the best outcomes.
Child protection is part of the safeguarding process. It focuses on protecting individual children
identified as suffering or likely to suffer significant harm

Need for Safeguarding

Group Work

RISK NEEDS REMEDY/ACTION

1. Exposure to cold need for shelter & clothing provide cloth & group shelter
 2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
After group presentation, trainer should attempt to summarize the need for safeguarding practice
from their responses
Trainer should emphasize the point that children/youths need to be safe guarded in order to be
safe from harm and abuse and to meet their needs and grow up to realize their full potentials

MODULE 2: BASIS & PRINCIPLES OF SAFEGUARDING

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Need (as basis for safe guarding)
LEVEL 1 - Physiological Needs (Need for food, sleep, drink, sex, health)
LEVEL 2 - Safety Needs (Need to have a sense of security)
LEVEL 3 - Social Needs (Need for belonging, to be loved)
LEVEL 4 - Psychological Needs (Need for self-esteem)
LEVEL 5 - Self Actualization (realization of one’s full potentials)
Essentially, safeguarding supports the motivational theory of self-actualization as defined
by Maslow’s Hierarchy of Need.
Maslow recognized that achievement of one’s full potential (self-actualization) is possible only if
a person’s psychological and basic needs are first met. 
A person’s basic needs are physiological – the essentials required for the body to function: food,
water, warmth, and rest. 
Safety and security are also considered basic needs, without which a person’s psychological or
self-fulfillment needs can’t be met or realized. 
Psychological needs involve belonging and relationships, as well as the necessity for self-
esteem. 
Without meeting a person’s basic and psychological needs, full potential is impossible
(according to the hierarchy).
 The 6 Key Principles of Safeguarding
The following six safeguarding principles were originally created by the UK government for
safeguarding adults, but they can also be used when it comes to safeguarding children.
 Empowerment: Individuals need to have control and choice in any decisions they make.
 Protection: Support needs to be provided for those who require it and organizations
should be able to show that measures are in place to prevent abuse or neglect from
occurring and provide support and help for those who are at risk.
 Prevention: It is important to prevent neglect, abuse or harm from occurring. Training
staff, raising awareness and making information accessible are ways to enforce
prevention.
 Proportionality: This ensures that each individual is taken into account when dealing
with safeguarding issues. Every individual and any risks need to be respected.
 Partnerships: By forming partnerships within the local community, abuse can be
prevented and detected.
 Accountability: Everyone is accountable and has a part to play when it comes to
safeguarding and protecting those who are vulnerable.

SESSION 3: WHO IS RESPONSIBLE TO KEEP CHILDREN/YOUTHS

SAFE?
Those who come into contact/interact with children/youths have a lot more to do in keeping them
safe and protected from all forms of abuse.

HOW DO I IDENTIFY AND MITIGATE RISKS CHILDREN/YOUTHS

ENCOUNTER?
(Trainer should draw participant’s attention to the chart below. Take them through the chart. At
each stage of the chart discuss specific examples)

Identification of
Identification of
immediate child
gaps in the child
protection threats and
protection system
violations
CHILD
PROTECTION
ANALYSIS
Identification of duty
Analysis of immediate bearers and stake
roots and causes of child holders and their
protection threats commitment to
protect children
SESSION 4: THREATS TO CHILDREN’S/YOUTHS SAFETY AND
WELFARE THAT EXPOSES THEM TO RISK
Abuse (physical, sexual, emotional or psychological. illegal adoption, Poor access to basic social
services such as health and education, Child labor, Child marriage, Living outside of family-
based care (children In child-headed households, street children and children in institutional
care), Living with elderly (old and aged) caregivers, living with HIV, Being in conflict with the
law, Trafficking, Disability, Displacement, lack of access to education, lack of opportunities to
participate, female genital mutilation/cutting, neglect (physical, medical, emotional, and
educational), recruitment by armed forces or armed adults’ attitudes towards children, failure to
give children a voice in the family, social taboos, poverty, ignorance, low levels of education,

WHAT SHOULD YOU DO IF YOU THINK A CHILD/YOUTH IS BEING

ABUSED?
1. Listen to the child/youth. If he/she confides in you, make it clear you are taking him/her
seriously and you are going to help.
2. Listening to them to help relieve some of the stress.
3. Help them find other support and services in the community.
4. Trust your judgment. If you have serious concerns about the welfare of a child/youth,
contact the police, social services or Child Protection Helpline.

How to report your concerns?

Police
 If you think it is an emergency (the child/youth is at immediate risk of serious harm) then
refer the child/youth immediately to the police and social services for immediate action.
Don't put yourself in danger.
 Police may enter any premises and remove a child/youth to a place of safety for 72 hours.
 Police have family support units, which normally take responsibility for investigating
child/youth abuse cases.

Social Workers (local authority Social Services)

 All local authorities have a social services officer permanently on call (including out of
hours) with access to the child protection register. This officer can take referrals if there
are concerns about a child/youth.
 The local authority and safe adult network for the safety and welfare of children/youth.
SESSION 5: HOW CAN I BETTER FULFILL MY CHILD/YOUTH
SAFEGUARDING OBLIGATIONS?
Realize that as a teacher, social worker, etc. you have a duty of care to children/youths at risk on
the streets, schools, vocational training centers. Child safeguarding is rooted in understanding the
risks to children/youths from the organization, (its staff, programmes and operations) and
addressing those risks with measures that create child-safe organizations.
As an organization, CoDWelA staff, vocational teachers and volunteers need to consider the
following to fulfill our safeguarding obligation

1. We should know where, when and how our activities impact children/youths and what
risks our activities present
2. Develop policies and procedures needed to prevent harm and how to respond to concerns
appropriately?
3. Identify appropriate designated person/s to act as the focal point in an organization to
receive and manage any safeguarding concerns and subsequent inquiry/investigation?
4. Ensure good practice when using the media
5. Run safe activities for children/youths.
6. Reduce the risk of harm by staff, volunteers and associates
7. Schedule safeguarding induction and training is needed to ensure staff/teachers know
what the organization expects of them and what to do if they have a concern?
8. Put in place a clear code of conduct so that all staff/teachers understand their professional
boundaries when working with children/youths and what is and is not acceptable
behavior.
9. Conduct safe staff/teacher recruitment process.
10. Put in place a robust response mechanism that is crucial for the child/youth and for the
organization.

SESSION 6: SAFEGUARDING RISKS VULNERABLE CHILDREN/

YOUTHS ARE EXPOSED TO.
 Stigmatization.
 Isolation by peers and neighbors and other relatives.
 Provocation from peers and school mates
 Risk of dropping out of school.
 Negative self-image and inferiority complex
 Trauma and mental disorder