Safety Protocol

Creating a Child Protection Team (CPT)

The following are issues to consider when forming a team:

How many members will be on the team?
Who will the members be? Who decides?
Will the team include a representative from DCF?
When, where, and how often will the team meet?
Will the team be responsible only for reviewing allegations of suspected child maltreatment, or will the team also be responsible for making the initial report and filing the 51A?
Since reporting suspected abuse and neglect is an immediate requirement, what happens if team members are unavailable?
If the team will be responsible for filing the 51A report, which team member will do this?
What type of feedback will be provided to the educator who referred the case to the team, and what mechanism will be used to communicate this information?
What role will the team take after the report has been filed?
Who determines if, at what intervals, and how the composition of the team will change?
What type of training will be needed for all school personnel and for team members specifically to effectively implement the protocol?

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Determine how your Code of Conduct is being adhered to and where additional policy or training may be needed.
Include language indicating all staff have the responsibility to observe and report inappropriate or concerning behaviors displayed by staff or by youth.
Consult your child safety team to identify areas of strength and higher risk activities where monitoring would be especially important.
Define the people who must be informed when staff, volunteers, or children observe inappropriate or harmful behavior.
Outline the steps all staff and volunteers must follow when reporting suspected abuse.

Encourage staff to view safety as a priority and mutual responsibility, encourage questions, establish ongoing communication, and provide support to build trust.
Provide positive feedback when observing expected and appropriate behaviors.
Ensure leadership is present, models appropriate behavior, supports positive interactions, and intervenes when needed.
Conduct annual surveys and audits to gather information from staff, youth, and parents including questions about boundaries and appropriate behaviors.
Equip parents with information about your child sexual abuse prevention plans.

Use individual supervision, performance reviews, and staff meetings to talk about the Code of Conduct and provide staff feedback on observed behaviors.
Provide ongoing trainings that reinforce your Code of Conduct and Code of Ethics.
Ensure all concerns are addressed and any harmful behaviors are reported to the Department of Children and Families and law enforcement.
Review the results of the staff surveys and internal audits to identify areas for improvement, staff accountability, and transparency.
Assess your protocol and implement changes based on findings.