Standards for the protection of minors at VITA Augustów

1. Rules for a safe relationship between staff and children

Every member of staff treats children respectfully, calmly and with due regard for their privacy. Contact with a child should be appropriate to the situation, safe and understandable to the child.

• You must not embarrass, humiliate, disrespect or insult a child.
• A child must not be shouted at unless this is necessary to protect the immediate safety of the child or others.
• Physical or psychological violence and violations of a child's personal boundaries are prohibited.
• Private contact with the child is not allowed except for matters related to the stay at VITA.
• If we need to speak with a child, we do so calmly and, where possible, in the presence of a guardian or in a place visible to others.

2. Confirmation of the child's identity and relationship with the adult

One element of child protection is ensuring that a child is staying at the property with a parent, legal guardian, or someone who has the consent of the parent or guardian.

• At check-in or during the stay, staff may ask the adult about the relationship with the child.
• Staff may ask to see a child's or adult's ID for inspection if this is needed to confirm identity or relationship.
• If a child arrives with someone who is not their parent or legal guardian, staff may ask for the consent of a parent or guardian, or for the parent's or guardian's telephone contact details.
• We do not copy identity documents. We limit data to what is necessary to ensure the child's safety.
• If the situation is not clarified, we may suspend check-in until it is confirmed that the child is receiving proper care.

3. Response when a child's well-being may be at risk

Staff respond when a child says they are being harmed, when we observe concerning behaviour by an adult or child, or when the circumstances of the stay raise a justified concern.

• In the event of an immediate threat to life or health, staff call 112.
• If the threat is not immediate, staff inform the standards coordinator or the person managing the facility.
• Where possible, the child remains in a safe, visible place and is not left alone with the person whose conduct has raised concerns.
• The coordinator decides on further steps, including contacting the Police, prosecutor's office, guardianship court or parent or legal guardian.
• After an incident, we prepare a brief official note and secure any available information that may be relevant to the competent authorities.

4. Reporting and documenting incidents

Reports regarding child safety are received by the standards coordinator and reception staff. We take every report seriously and only record facts needed for further action.

• The note includes the date, location, people involved, a description of the situation and the actions taken.
• Only people who need to know the case for the child's safety or legal obligations have access to the notes.
• We secure materials, such as surveillance recordings, only when necessary and in accordance with the law.
• We store data from reports in a restricted and secure manner.

5. Preparation of staff

VITA staff read the standards and know to whom they should report concerning situations. We exercise additional caution, in accordance with applicable law, in relation to people who are to provide activities or services directly to children.

• The coordinator is responsible for communicating the standards to staff.
• We keep an internal record confirming that staff have read the standards.
• If an external collaborator works directly with children, we require safety practices consistent with this document.

6. Children with disabilities and special needs

When assessing the situation, we take into account the child's age, health, disability, communication style and special needs. The staff's reaction should be calm, understandable and adapted to the child's abilities.

7. Personal data

We process data related to standards for the protection of minors only when it is necessary for the child's safety, clarification of the situation or compliance with legal obligations. We limit the scope of data to a minimum.

Details are provided in the VITA Augustów privacy policy.

8. Standards review

We review the standards at least every two years. We do this earlier if regulations change, new guidelines appear, or experience from a specific situation shows that the procedure needs to be improved.