Family Events Child Protection Policy Statement
From Family Camp Members

We agree that this policy is in line with statutory obligations, and commend it for its thoroughness and attention to detail. We are happy that all adults working with our children, whether they are part of the monastic community or have been commissioned to fulfil a particular role, will be fully aware of the policy, of the basic requirements of child protection, and the normal protocols re. the taking of images of children etc, and will have been given Criminal Record Bureau (CRB) clearance.

The position of members of the camp community is crucially different, as we are in a position of parental responsibility and are not relating to our young people as workers or volunteers. We recognise, however, that we need to articulate our position and practice to complement the general child protection policy.

We therefore agree that we should indemnify the Trust/monastery against actions arising from our preferred arrangements (see appendix). We further agree that each camp will have a designated child protection officer to liaise with the monastery’s child protection officer.

We uphold the view that as a camp of families coming together to live by the five precepts that we must be arduous in our practice, in order to prevent the possibility of the various forms of abuse. All campers will agree to abide by the precepts, and take especial care to be aware of the implications of so doing in achieving ( though of course not absolutely guaranteeing) a safe space for our children.

Particularly we must be mindful of the power of the precepts to guard against the various recognised forms of child abuse, viz

The first precept guards against all forms of harm, as well as , most obviously, physical abuse.
The second guards against neglect and some forms of emotional abuse.
The third guards against sexual abuse.
The fourth against emotional and psychological abuse.
The fifth helps us to be steadfast in practising the others.

We therefore resolve to highlight, at all our camps, the role of the precepts in living harmoniously together. We accept fully that we have parental responsibility for the well being of our children, and expect all members of the family camp community to extend that responsibility and duty of care to all the young people in the community, as a form of co-parenting.

We will ensure that our arrangements for living together reflect the need for a safe environment, but in the context of an extended family, where there are no sharp distinctions between those over and under eighteen.

We all agree to apprise ourselves of the Amaravati child protection policy, and support its implementation in our dealings with the monastic community.

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