Child Protection Standards

at the Augustów Health Resort Sanatorium

CHILD PROTECTION STANDARDS AT THE AUGUSTÓW HEALTH RESORT SANATORIUM

Parent's Statements for Entrusting Care of a Minor

In connection with having Child Protection Procedures, it is required that a person staying at the facility with a child possesses a document proving that they are an adult authorized to care for the child

(e.g., child's identity document indicating kinship, birth certificate, court ruling, notarized parental consent for a given person to travel with the child, or parental consent signed by the child's parent, including the child's details, residential address, parent's phone contact, and identity document number/PESEL number of the person to whom the parent entrusted care of the child).

CHILD PROTECTION STANDARDS AT THE AUGUSTÓW HEALTH RESORT SANATORIUM

Preamble

Taking into account the guidelines of the United Nations on business and human rights, recognizing the essential role of business in respecting children's rights, especially their right to dignity and freedom from all forms of harm, Augustów Health Resort Sanatorium adopts this document as a model of principles and procedures in case of suspicion that a child staying at Augustów Health Resort Sanatorium is being harmed and to prevent such threats.

Child protection standards at Augustów Health Resort Sanatorium will be implemented through these principles.

1. Augustów Health Resort Sanatorium conducts its operations with the highest respect for human rights, especially children's rights as individuals particularly vulnerable to harm.
2. Augustów Health Resort Sanatorium acknowledges its role in conducting socially responsible business and promoting desirable social attitudes.
3. Augustów Health Resort Sanatorium particularly emphasizes the importance of the legal and social obligation to notify law enforcement authorities of any suspected crime against children and commits to training its staff in this regard.
4. Augustów Health Resort Sanatorium commits to educating its staff about circumstances indicating that a child staying at the facility may be harmed and on rapid and appropriate ways to respond to such situations.
5. One form of effective prevention of child abuse is identification of the child staying at the facility and his/her relationship with the adult accompanying them at the facility. Staff takes all possible steps to identify the child and their relationship with the adult present at the facility.

Definitions

Child - any person under 18 years of age;

Register - Register of Sexual Offenders;

KRK - National Criminal Register;

Employee - a person employed at Augustów Health Resort Sanatorium, regardless of the form of employment or cooperation;

Child's Guardian - a person authorized to represent the child, especially parent or legal guardian. According to this document, a foster parent is also considered a guardian;

Parent's Consent means consent of at least one parent/legal guardian of the child. However, in case of disagreement between the child's parents, they should be informed about the necessity of resolving the matter through the family court;

Threat to child's safety or child abuse means commission of an offence or punishable act to the detriment of the child by any person, including an employee or collaborator of the organization, the child's parent/legal guardian, or another child, use of violence against a child in any form, or threat to child's welfare, including neglect;

Offence is human behavior considered socially harmful and therefore prohibited by law (mainly the penal code, but also other laws, e.g. the Act on Counteracting Drug Addiction);

Punishable Act is human behavior considered socially harmful which would be an offence if committed by a person over 17 years of age. Persons under 17 years (minors) are not criminally liable but are accountable for their behavior before the family court in juvenile proceedings, which aim at educating rather than punishing the offender;

Person responsible for child protection at Augustów Health Resort Sanatorium, also called the Coordinator for Minor Protection Standards (SOM Coordinator) is a specifically appointed employee or associate who, based on their role, appointment or permanent contract, supervises the implementation of the Policy on child protection from harm at the facilities;

Facility - Augustów Health Resort Sanatorium.

Child abuse – actions classified as:

• crime against a child (e.g., sexual abuse, child cruelty)
• other forms of abuse not constituting a crime, such as shouting, physical punishment, humiliation;
• neglect of child's basic needs (e.g., nutrition, hygiene, health);

§ 1. Procedure to prevent child abuse

1. Whenever possible, identify the child and their relationship with the adult accompanying them at the facility.
2. In unusual and/or suspicious situations indicating potential risk of child abuse, identification must be performed by the reception staff.
3. To identify the child and his/her relationship to the accompanying adult, one must:
   1. Ask for the child's identity and their relationship to the accompanying adult. You may request the child's identity document or another document confirming the adult's right to care for the child at the facility[1]. If no document is available, ask for the child's details (name, surname, address, PESEL number).
   2. If no documents proving kinship are available, ask both the adult and the child about this relationship.
   3. If the adult is not the child's parent or legal guardian, ask whether they have a document proving parental consent for the adult's joint travel with the child (e.g. written statement).
   4. If the adult has no parental consent document, request the phone number of the parents to call and confirm that the child is staying at the facility with a third party adult known and approved by the parents/legal guardians.
4. If the adult resists showing the child’s document and/or disclosing the relationship, explain that the procedure ensures safety for children using Augustów Health Resort Sanatorium and was developed in cooperation with NGOs active in this matter.
5. Once the matter is positively clarified, thank the person for their time to ensure the child's safety and emphasize that the procedure aims to protect the children.
6. If doubts remain after the conversation regarding the adult’s intentions to harm the child, discreetly notify the supervisor and security staff (if present). To avoid suspicion, you might, e.g., refer to the need to use equipment behind the reception, asking the adult to wait with the child in the lobby, restaurant, or other place.
7. From the moment doubts arise, both the child and the adult should be under constant staff observation and not left alone.
8. The informed supervisor decides whether to notify the police or, if in doubt, takes over the conversation with the suspect adult to obtain further clarifications.
9. If the conversation confirms a suspicion of an attempt or commission of a crime against a child, the supervisor notifies the police. The procedure for circumstances indicating child abuse is then applied.
10. If employees from other facility departments (e.g., cleaning service, room service, bar and restaurant staff, relaxation area, security) witness unusual and/or suspicious situations, they should immediately inform the supervisor, who will decide on appropriate actions.
11. Depending on the situation and location, the supervisor assesses the validity of the suspicion of child abuse. Appropriate measures to clarify the situation are taken or an intervention is conducted and the police are notified.

§ 2 Procedure in case of circumstances indicating child abuse

1. If there is reasonable suspicion that a child at the facility is being abused, immediately notify the police by calling 112 and describe the circumstances. Depending on the situation’s dynamics and particulars, the direct witness (employee/supervisor) makes the call. If the notifier is an employee, they must simultaneously inform their supervisor.
2. Reasonable suspicion exists if:
   1. the child disclosed abuse to the employee,
   2. the employee observed abuse,
   3. the child shows signs of abuse (e.g., scratches, bruises), and when asked responds inconsistently and/or chaotically or appears embarrassed or other circumstances suggest abuse, e.g., finding pornographic material involving children in the adult’s room.
3. In this situation, prevent the child and suspected abuser from leaving the facility.
4. In justified cases, a citizen’s arrest of the suspected person may be made. Until police arrival, the person should be supervised by two employees in a separate room away from guests’ view.
5. Ensure the child's safety at all times. The child should stay under staff care until police arrive.
6. If there is justified suspicion that the crime involves the child’s contact with perpetrator’s biological material (semen, saliva, skin cells), prevent the child from washing or eating/drinking until police arrive.
7. After the child is taken by police, secure surveillance materials and other important evidence (e.g., documents) related to the incident, and provide their copies to the prosecutor or police upon official request by registered mail or in person.
8. Describe the actions taken in an intervention report (attachment 1).

§ 3 Coordinator for Minor Protection Standards

1. Augustów Health Resort Sanatorium appoints the SOM Coordinator.
2. The SOM Coordinator's duties include in particular:
   1. proper supervision of existing standards,
   2. evaluation of child protection standards every two years and proposing updates,
   3. training employees on Child Protection Standards and keeping related documentation,
   4. documenting all interventions and reported incidents (attachment 1),
   5. securing evidence in the event of a crime,
   6. responsibility for proper procedure implementation,
   7. cooperation with HR in vetting employees who must be checked against KRK and the Register,
   8. notifying the family court, police, or reporting person authorized to file such notification to the court/police.
3. The SOM Coordinator is appointed by the Company's Management Board by ordinance.
4. Training on Child Protection Standards is documented in the training register (attachment 2).

§ 4 Employment of persons to work with children who are guests of the facility

1. All persons working directly with children must be safe for them, meaning, among other things, that their history must confirm they have not harmed any child in the past.
2. All employees employed to work with children, including those who may have potential direct contact with children, must submit a statement of no criminal record and no ongoing proceedings for offenses against children – Attachment no. 3

3. Every person already employed by Augustów Health Resort Sanatorium in a position involving direct contact with children must be obligatorily checked against the KRK and the Register. Checking the person in the Register is done by printing the search results with restricted access, which is then placed into the employee’s personnel file.
4. The check referred to in § 4 point 4 must be repeated annually. The scope of necessary data is included in attachment no. 4.
5. Persons newly hired for the positions referred to in § 4 point 2 must present, before starting, an extract from KRK confirming no criminal record. Checking the person against the Register is conducted according to § 4 points 4.
6. The Director of Augustów Health Resort Sanatorium or the Coordinators for Minor Protection Standards notify the HR department by email: kadry@biavita.pl about which persons mentioned in § 4 points 2 and 4 are to be checked against the Registers referred to in § 4 points 3 and 5.
7. The HR department is responsible for checking these persons against KRK and the Register, and includes the confirmation in the employee’s personnel file.

§ 5 Procedure regarding underage trainees

1. For underage persons undergoing vocational training at Augustów Health Resort Sanatorium, all persons having direct and indirect contact with the trainee are subject to checks in KRK and the Register.
2. The list of positions and employed persons who have indirect contact with underage trainees is defined by the Director of Augustów Health Resort Sanatorium or the Coordinator for Minor Protection Standards.
3. All employees working with minors who have direct or indirect contact must submit a statement of no criminal record and no ongoing proceedings for offenses against children – Attachment no. 3.
4. Every person already employed at Augustów Health Resort Sanatorium with direct or indirect contact with an underage trainee must be checked in the KRK and the Register. The Register check is performed by printing search results with restricted access, placed in the personnel file.
5. Newly hired persons for the positions defined in § 5 point 2 must provide before employment an extract from KRK confirming no criminal record. Checking against the Register is performed according to § 5 point 4.
6. The Director of Augustów Health Resort Sanatorium or the Coordinators for Minor Protection Standards notify the HR department by email: kadry@biavita.pl about which persons mentioned in § 5 points 2 and 3 require checks in the Registers referred to in § 5 point 1.
7. The HR department is responsible for checking these persons in KRK and the Register, with confirmations included in the personnel files.

§ 6 Communication rules with children guests or underage trainees

1. Employees do not communicate privately (phone, email, SMS) with children without the knowledge and consent of their legal guardians.
2. In cases related to vocational training at Augustów Health Resort Sanatorium, employees first contact the child's legal guardians and only then, with their consent, the child. It is recommended that such contact be documented (SMS, email).
3. Employees do not conduct private conversations with children via social media.
4. If a child initiates a private conversation via social media, the employee does not continue and instructs the child to contact them at their workplace or provide contact for their legal guardian. This rule does not apply in cases of (even potential) threats to child's life or health. In such cases, the employee may continue the conversation but must simultaneously notify their supervisor or organization management about the contact and reasons. The notification should preferably be made in writing or by email.

§ 7 Peer Abuse

1. If abuse of a child by another child staying at the facility as a guest or trainee is suspected, conduct interviews with the child suspected of abusing and their guardians, as well as separately with the child being abused and their guardians. Also interview other persons aware of the incident. These conversations aim to establish the event’s course and its impact on the abused child’s mental and physical health. Findings are recorded in the intervention report (attachment 1). Separate reports are prepared for the abusing and abused children.
2. Together with the parents/guardians of the abusing child, develop a corrective plan to change undesirable behavior.
3. With the parents/guardians of the abused child, develop a safety plan including ways to isolate them from sources of harm.
4. During conversations, ensure the child suspected of abusing others is not themselves being abused by parents/guardians, other adults or children. If confirmed, apply procedures described in § 2.
5. If the suspected abusing child is aged 13-17 and their behavior constitutes a punishable act, notify the appropriate family court or police by written report.
6. If the suspected abusing child is over 17 and their behavior constitutes a crime, notify the appropriate local police or prosecutor’s office by written report.

[1] Such a document may be: child's identity document indicating kinship, birth certificate, court ruling, notarized parental consent for a given person to travel with the child, or parental consent signed by the child's parent, including the child's details, residential address, parent's phone contact, and identity document number/PESEL number of the person to whom the parent entrusted care of the child.

CHILD PROTECTION STANDARDS AT THE AUGUSTÓW HEALTH RESORT SANATORIUM

FILE FOR DOWNLOAD ---> Parent's Statements for Entrusting Care of a Minor