Name of service being provided: Turn2Me

Nature of service and principles to safeguard children from harm 

Turn2Me provides professional mental health support online for both young people (12-18) and adults via our peer, group and counselling services. Turn2Me is committed to the safety and well-being of the children we work with. 

Risk Assessment

We have carried out an assessment of any potential for harm to a child while availing of our services. Below is a list of the areas of risk identified and the list of procedures for managing these risks.

 Risks identified and procedures in place to manage identified risk

1.  Risk of harm to a child by a staff member

• Procedure for the safe recruitment and selection of workers and volunteers to work with children
• Turn2Me staff and volunteer code of conduct
• Turn2Me procedure for provision of and access to child safeguarding training and information, including the identification of the occurrence of harm

2. Risk of harm to a child from a service user (adult or child), visitor, or member of the public (includes online risk)

• Procedure for the management of allegations of abuse or misconduct against workers/volunteers of a child availing of our service
• Turn2Me community guidelines and moderation policy

3. Risk of harm to a child due to a child protection or welfare concern not being recognised or reported by a staff member

• Procedure for provision of and access to child safeguarding training and information, including the identification of the occurrence of harm and 
• Procedure for the reporting of child protection or welfare concerns to Tusla

Turn2Me Procedures and Policies

Our Child Safeguarding Statement has been developed in line with requirements under the Children First Act 2015, Children First: National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children (2017), 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: 

• Turn2Me procedure for the management of allegations of abuse or misconduct against workers/volunteers of a child availing of our service
• Turn2Me community guidelines and moderation policy
• Turn2Me procedure for the safe recruitment and selection of workers and volunteers to work with children
• Turn2Me staff and volunteer code of conduct
• Turn2Me procedure for provision of and access to child safeguarding training and information, including the identification of the occurrence of harm
• Turn2Me procedure for the reporting of child protection or welfare concerns to Tusla
• Turn2Me procedure for maintaining a list of the persons in the relevant service who are mandated persons

All procedures listed are available upon request

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 in January 2022 or as soon as practicable after there has been a material change in any matter to which the statement refers.