Child maltreatment prevention models: Case studies from RAPCAN CHILD SAFEGUARDING CONFERENCE — 5 SEPTEMBER CAPE TOWN SOUTH AFRICA

RAPCAN’s vision and mission Vision: – creating a safe society – children are acknowledged as rights-holders – adults take responsibility – children participate Mission: – protection (nurturance) and participation (autonomy) rights of children are realised – advocacy framework – prevention-oriented child protection system, gender equality and child participation – testing of professional, high quality, evidence-informed programmes

RAPCAN’s model programmes Healers package: – support workers facilitate healing process with child victim of sexual abuse Child Witness project (CWP): – support workers assist child victims in sexual offenses courts Children Are Precious (CAP): – community-based, ecological model to increase response to and prevention of child maltreatment Child Participation baseline: – support adults to promote children as active citizens

RAPCAN’s child protection policy Code of conduct: – Promote the rights and protection of children – Staff has aptitude, personality and skills for working with children – Promote patience, respect and promote self-esteem – Be vigilant and take appropriate actions to ensure child safety – Do no harm directly or indirectly – Promote participation that is appropriate to children’s capacities Child Protection Policy : – Awareness of the problem of child abuse and the risks to children – Prevent risks to children through good practice – Report concerns about safety of children, know steps to take – Respond by protecting children when possibility of abuse by taking action

RAPCAN’s research on safeguarding of child victims in the criminal justice system IMPLEMENTATION BRIEF MANAGEMENT OF CHILD SEXUAL OFFENCES IN COURTS: Failing systems, broken promises by Samantha Waterhouse; Blanche Rezant; Loraine Townsend and Christina Nomdo (2014) COURT WORKERS SPEAK OUT: Upholding children’s rights in the criminal justice system by Loraine Townsend; Samantha Waterhouse and Christina Nomdo Legal framework for safeguarding of child victims: – Children’s Act 38 of 2005 – the Criminal Law [Sexual Offences and Related Matters] Amendment Act 32 of 2007 (SOA) – Criminal Procedure Act 51 of 1977 Protective measures from psychological distress and harm as complainants: – children under18 testify with intermediary outside court – testify in separate room via closed-circuit television – court proceedings conducted in camera

RAPCAN’s findings on safeguarding measures in the criminal justice system Perspective of child: “I heard many bad stories about the court and it was my first experience there… It’s a neat place, but the gates … it sommer shows it’s for prisoners… it looks a bit scary inside… I don’t know there would be a camera room, because I didn’t want to see the man that did it… I actually felt safe (in the waiting room) … I was watching the TV and I was keeping myself busy” Perspective of caregiver: “They introduced themselves… and told her they are there to help her if she’s got questions… they made her feel comfortable… they were like real mothers… they didn’t keep themselves up there…they were always cheerful and [supportive]”

RAPCAN’s findings on safeguarding measures in the criminal justice system Lack of uniformity in protective measures: – Court support workers – Perpetrator contact – Intimidating court buildings – Delays and postponements of cases – Magistrates accommodating or inefficient – Prosecutors either sensitive or jaded Perspective of court support worker: “The court is a very cold place... it depends on the prosecutor, the one defending that child... That prosecutor will tell the child, okay, you don’t need to worry. Don’t worry; everything is going to be fine. You don’t have to fear. Don’t even look at the perpetrator... you look at me.”

RAPCAN child safeguarding conclusions from practice and research Adults are the duty bearers for promoting child safeguarding Organisations require specific policies to guide staff to protect children Staff should be supported to protect children by adequate training and supervision Practice models should be reflected on and evaluated against child safeguarding criteria Government systems and institutions need to be held to account for measures to protect children