CPS Preventing Harm to Children

Introduction to CPS

Preventing harm to children

CPS is a national charitable trust dedicated to the protection of children and young people. CPS are the only organisation in New Zealand that offers qualifications in Child Protection. They run programmes annually in Taranaki. In 2010 they will be running a 5-day programme in Inglewood. To find out more, please email janinee@cps.org.nz

Children depend on adults for their care and safety. Our role is to increase public awareness, to inspire all adults to take action when they believe a child is in danger, and to provide them with the confidence to act.

Children are only harmed or neglected when adults who are in a position to help, lack the knowledge and confidence to keep them safe.

CPS provides skills for key people to recognise and respond to children at risk, and take the steps needed to protect them.

CPS supports everyone who has a part to play in keeping children safe. We provide services that benefit parents, grandparents, family, community and social workers, sports and cultural clubs, NGOs and government departments – in fact all who have contact with children and their families. Those in health and education roles are especially significant. They are in key positions to detect and respond to children in danger, and CPS Training strongly encourages greater up-skilling by these sectors.

Protecting children begins with confident parenting within supportive families and communities. This concept of our whole community being responsible for the safety of children is inherent in the messages and content of the work of CPS Training.

Our services are available nationally, and include:

Professional education in abuse recognition and response

We have delivered NZQA accredited programmes nationally to close to 20,000 people.
Research has shown that the model has been effective in changing beliefs, attitudes and behaviour over a sustained period.
Diploma in Child Protection Studies is the only undergraduate child advocacy programme in the country.

Seminars and workshops

We deliver over 40 workshop packages and topics that have been professionally designed and upgraded as a result of the feedback and requests from past attendees.
We take a comprehensive approach to workshop development in order to gain maximum benefit to attendees. We will develop workshops in-house by external experts, through purchase, by contract, or by a combination of these approaches.

Training needs assessments

Professional staff work with organisations to help assess the training needs for individuals at all levels of the organisation.
We undertake focus group and consultation in the community to ensure that identified needs are being addressed.

Train the Trainer

CPS will prepare packages to be taught, and provide a training programme to those who will be required to teach those packages.
We undertake tutor review and up-skilling.

Tailor-made training packages for specific groups and organisations

Following a needs assessment, we work with the organisation to construct an individual programme to fit its requirements.
Solutions may be multi-layered and on-going, or one-off.

Advice on all aspects of prevention of child abuse and family violence

CPS provides a free advisory service to those who have a concern about a child or a situation. This service is accessed by professionals and the general public alike, and has included parents, grandparents, teachers, family support workers, past course attendees, nurses and health professionals, social workers, MPs and others.
The service is available nationally by telephone, with follow-up information sent as required.

Child Protection Policy advice and development

CPS provides advice in the development and review of organisations’ policies on dealing with abuse and violence. We may assist an organisation develop a policy from scratch, and we also critique and review current policies or those under development.
We facilitate a workshop and Unit Standard module on preparing a comprehensive child protection policy.

Review of organisational practices and procedures

CPS can be contracted to undertake a comprehensive review of practices and procedures for responding to abuse and violence.
We can also be contracted to undertake a critical incident investigation and review, providing recommendations and advice on future actions.

Collaboration and networking

CPS’ services are based on the philosophy that abuse is perpetuated when people do not work together and trust one another. We endorse systems that encourage people to share both information about children they are concerned about, and ideas that might help families and organisations protect them.
We have a database of thousands of people throughout New Zealand, and actively promote collaboration between sectors and organisations.

Publications

CPS publications include:

'Safe not Sorry’ is a handbook for selecting safe staff to work with children and vulnerable adults, and provides guidance advice and templates to use when employing staff.
‘How Can I Tell?’ is a reference booklet that provides accessible information about what to be checking for when abuse is suspected. This is available nationally free of charge.
‘Well Prepared!’: is guide to child developing a comprehensive policy that helps to ensure that children and are protected and organisations are safe places for both children and adults.

CPS has the dream that New Zealand can be the safest place in the world for children, and is interested in working any appropriate capacity with those who share a desire to make this a reality.

Our Dream

New Zealand is the safest place in the world for children

Our focus

Preventing harm to children through education and awareness
Community training and professional development
Specialist support and guidance
Monitoring and setting standards
Leadership and child advocacy
Publication of resource
Hotline advice

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