Child protection policy of the Copernicus Science Centre

Preamble

The well-being and best interests of children are the main priority in all activities undertaken by the team of the Copernicus Science Centre (CSC). Each member of our team treats children with respect and takes their needs into account. It is unacceptable for anyone to use any form of violence against a child. When pursuing these objectives, we act within the framework of applicable law, the internal regulations of the Copernicus Science Centre and our competences.

Chapter I 
Glossary of terms 

Article 1 

  • CSC – Copernicus Science Centre, a cultural institution entered in the register of cultural institutions kept by the President of the Capital City of Warsaw under no. 02/06. 
  • Child’s personal data – any information that enables the child to be identified. 
  • Child – any person under the age of 18. 
  • Director – General Director of the CSC. 
  • Coordinator – the coordinator for child protection at the CSC, i.e. a person who: 
    • is appointed by the director, 
    • is responsible for monitoring the implementation of child protection standards at the CSC, and 
    • supervises the implementation of the Child protection policy at the Copernicus Science Centre. 
  • Child abuse – any action causing a child to suffer neglect or physical, emotional or sexual harm. Abuse also includes failure to act by an individual, institution or society as a whole and any result of such failure to act that limits the equal rights and freedoms of children or interferes with their optimal development. 
  • Child’s guardian – a person authorised to represent the child, in particular the child’s parent, legal guardian or teacher. 
  • Internet manager – a team member appointed by the director who, on the premises of the CSC, 
    • supervises how children use the Internet, and 
    • ensures the children’s safety online. 
  • Policy – this document, i.e. the Child protection policy of the Copernicus Science Centre. 
  • Team or team member – any employee of the CSC, regardless of the form of employment (including a co-worker, intern, volunteer or other person) who, due to their function or tasks, has (even potential) contact with children. 
  • Consent of the child’s parent – means the consent of at least one of the child’s parents/legal guardians. 

Chapter II  
Principles of creating a safe environment for children 

Article 2 

  1. Our goal is to create and maintain an organisational culture that fosters a safe environment for children and prevents them from being harmed in any form. 
  2. In order to create and maintain a safe environment for children: 
    1. we raise our awareness of the principles of creating such an environment, 
    2. we apply good practices, 
    3. we organise training and safe recruitment, and 
    4. we promote awareness of child protection responsibilities within our team. 
  3. The team knows and applies our principles of safe relationships between adults and children, and among children. The principles are described in Appendix 1 to this document. 
  4. The team is recruited in accordance with the principles of safe recruitment. The principles are described in Appendix 2 to this document. 
  5. We undertake to consider all reports concerning child safety issues at the CSC and within the framework of our activities, taking into account the best interests of the child. 
  6. Each institution that collaborates with us and whose target audience is children is required to sign the Child Protection Policy of the Copernicus Science Centre as an appendix to the cooperation agreement. 

Exception: 

If the institution has its own internal child protection policy and our coordinator accepts it, we do not require the Child Protection Policy of the Copernicus Science Centre to be attached to the agreement. 

  1. Each team member is obliged to read and comply with the Policy. If a team member is not our employee, they make a statement in the agreement with the Copernicus Science Centre that they have read our Policy and undertake to comply with its provisions. 

Chapter III 
Intervention procedures in case of child safety risk 

Article 3 

  1. A risk to a child’s safety can take many forms. We have categorised risks to children’s safety as follows: 

    1. a crime has been committed against a child (e.g. sexual abuse, child abuse), 
    2. there has been another form of harm that is not a crime (e.g. shouting, humiliation, pulling), 
    3. the child’s basic needs (e.g. related to nutrition, hygiene or health) have been neglected. 
  2. We intervene when we suspect that a child is being harmed by: 
    1. adults (including a team member, other third parties, child carers), 
    2. another child. 

Article 4  
Abuse of a child by an adult 

  1. If a team member suspects that a child is being abused, or such a circumstance is reported by a child or a child’s carer, they are obliged to take appropriate intervention. After the intervention, they will prepare a note and forward it to the coordinator. Based on the information obtained, the coordinator keeps a record of the CSC interventions. 
  2. If the coordinator is reported to have committed an offence, the person who witnessed the offence or to whom the offence was reported shall take the measures described in this chapter and report it to the director. 
  3. If a team member suspects that a crime against a child has been committed, they are obliged to inform the coordinator immediately (or their superior in the absence of the coordinator), who will inform the director. The director will then decide whether to: 
    1. report the suspected crime to the public prosecutor’s office/police, or 
    2. apply for an inspection of the child’s family situation to the local court, family and juvenile department and social services. 
  4. The further course of action is the responsibility of the institutions that have received the report or application. 
  5. If a suspicion of child abuse by a member of our team has been reported, this person will immediately be excluded from all forms of contact with children (not only with the abused child) until the matter has been clarified. 
  6. All persons who, in the course of their professional duties, become aware of child abuse or have information in this regard, are obliged to keep this knowledge confidential. Exceptions are information provided to authorised institutions during the intervention. 

Article 5 

  1. If a team member suspects that a child’s life is in danger or that they are at risk of serious harm, they must immediately inform the appropriate services (police, ambulance) by calling 112 or 998 (emergency services). 
  2. The appropriate services will be informed by the team member who first became aware of the danger. They then inform the coordinator of the situation and follow their instructions. 

Article 6 
Peer abuse 

  1. If a team member suspects that a child is being abused by another child, they are obliged to intervene appropriately. They then prepare a report and submit it to the coordinator (or, in their absence, to their supervisor). The coordinator keeps a record of the CSC’s interventions based on the information obtained. 
  2. If the person suspected of abuse is a child between the ages of 13 and 17 and their behaviour constitutes a criminal offence, the local family court or the police must be notified in writing. In this case, the team member immediately informs the coordinator (or their supervisor in the event of the coordinator’s absence). The director then decides whether to file a report. 
  3. If the person suspected of abuse is a child over the age of 17 and their behaviour may constitute a criminal offence, the local police or public prosecutor’s office must be notified in writing. In this case, the team member immediately informs the coordinator (or their supervisor in the event of the coordinator’s absence). The director then decides whether to file a report. 

Chapter IV 
Principles of protecting the image of a child 

Article 7 

  1. We recognise the child’s right to privacy and protection of personal interests, we ensure the protection of their image and the highest standards of protection of their personal data, in accordance with applicable law. 
  2. The principles of protecting the image and personal data of a child are described in Appendix 3 to this document. 

Chapter V 
Principles of children’s access to the Internet 

Article 8 

  1. By providing children with access to the Internet, we undertake to take measures to protect them from accessing content that may pose a threat to their proper development. 
  2. Children can use the Internet at the CSC: 
    1. under the supervision of a member of our team – on CSC devices, 
    2. using our Wi-Fi network – on their own devices. 
  3. The member of our team under whose supervision the child uses the Internet is obliged to inform the child about the rules to be followed in order to do so safely. In addition, the team member ensures that the children also use the Internet safely during workshops. 

Article 9 

  1. The person responsible for the Internet ensures that our Internet network is protected against dangerous content. 
  2. Children are not allowed to access harmful, unwanted or illegal content (pornography, violence, content promoting activities that are harmful to health and life, promoting fascism, breaking the law, suicide, self-harm, drugs, recruitment for illegal organisations and terrorist organisations). Anyone who notices such access should report it to: 
    1. the IT department, which secures the harmful content in the form of electronic evidence, and 
    2. the coordinator, sending them a note with the observed event. 
  3. In the event of violations of the law, e.g. the distribution of pornographic material involving minors or the attempted seduction of minors under the age of 15 by adults, the police must be informed immediately (in consultation with the parents/legal guardians of the children). Any person who has noticed a violation is obliged to notify the coordinator. The director then decides whether to notify the relevant services. 

Chapter VI 
Monitoring the application of the provisions of this document 

Article 10 

  1. The director appoints a coordinator. The coordinator’s data (first name, last name, email, telephone number) are made public. 
  2. The coordinator: 
    1. monitors the implementation of the Policy, 
    2. responds to signs of violations of its provisions, 
    3. keeps a register of reports, and 
    4. proposes changes to the content of the Policy. 
  3. The coordinator conducts a survey among the CSC team every 12 months to monitor the level of the compliance with the Policy. 
  4. In the survey, the team can propose changes to the Policy and indicate violations of the Policy at CSC. 
  5. The coordinator processes the surveys completed by the team members. On this basis, he/she prepares a monitoring report, which is then forwarded to the director. 
  6. The director makes the necessary changes to the Policy and announces the new wording of the document to the team, children and child caregivers – in accordance with point 2 of the next chapter. 

Chapter VII 
Final provisions 

Article 11 

  1. The Policy comes into force on the day of its announcement. 
  2. We announce the Policy in a way that is accessible to our team, children and child caregivers: 
    1. we send it by e-mail, 
    2. we post it on our website, 
    3. we display it in a visible place in the CSC – also in a shortened version intended for children. 

Child Protection Coordinator at the Copernicus Science Centre 

Konrad Łuczyński 
konrad.luczynski@kopernik.org.pl 
+48 502 256 355