Policies

WORK PLACE POLICIES OF TALLUR FAMILY TRUST

  1. CHILD PROTECTION POLICY  

VISION & MISSION STATEMENT:

Tallur Family Trust believes in the overall development of the disabled and considers them inseparable from the overall development of the community as a whole. Anchored in this belief, the Trust invests itself in building solidarity and fraternity through which the rights of the disabled are upheld. The works of the Trust are geared towards creating inclusive and equitable platforms, based on humanitarian values and also towards enriching the social, cultural, education and health sectors in the community. It is a firm belief of the Trust that healthy lives of individual, especially those who are marginalized and disabled, cannot be ensured without a healthy society being created at large.

The Tallur Family Trust believes that each child is born with inherent dignity and right to respect. Safeguarding every young person entrusted to our care, directly or indirectly, is not only our duty and responsibility but also our priority. This Child Protection Policy is our commitment to respect the rights of every child and to contribute to the welfare, protection and empowerment of each child. By spelling out these policy matters, we know we are applying, interpreting and implementing in our interventions and activities, the laws enacted in our country for ensuring protection and promotion of children.

Tallur Family Trust responds to child abuse concerns keeping the following principles in mind:

  1. Safety and security of the child is paramount. Hence, all steps necessary for the same would be ensured by Tallur Family Trust.
  2.  All further steps to address the child abuse concerns would be in the best interest of the child.
  3. All investigation into suspected or actual child abuse cases would be strictly confidential and on a need to know basis.
  4.  A person thought, but not yet proven to be responsible for the actions that are the subject of the concern, incident or complaint that is being reported will be referred to as the Alleged Perpetrator.
  5.  All Associates have a fundamental and inalienable Duty of Care towards all children.

1 STATEMENT OF COMMITMENT:

Definition of Child according to Convention of Rights of the Child:

A child means every human being below the age of 18 years unless, under the law applicable to the child, majority is attained earlier

1.1Tallur Family Trust is committed to the rights and welfare of children in India and opposes all forms of child abuse, especially child sexual abuse and exploitation

1.2 Tallur Family Trust to upholding the law on child rights and welfare, as outlined by the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and various legal statutes of   the prevailing law in India

1.3 Tallur Family Trust believes that all children have a right to protection from abuse irrespective of race, social background, age, gender, skin color, disability, religion, caste or beliefs.

1.4 Tallur Family Trust believes that child abuse and exploitation is not acceptable in any form. Keeping silent and inaction is also wrong, if it is known that a child is being abused or exploited.

1.5  All committee (or board of directors) members, staff, and volunteers agree to this policy. It will be evaluated and reviewed every year by Tallur Family Trust and the Managing Committee based on experience and evolving circumstances and law.

BEHAVIOURAL PROTOCOLS:

3.1  Tallur Family Trust expects patrons, and visitors) to give respect and dignity to all children associated with the work of Tallur Family Trust, as well as children within the personal lives of those individuals connected to Tallur Family Trust.

3.2 Tallur Family Trust committee members, staff, volunteers and visitors with direct contact with projects and children must sign a statement to say that they have read the policy, will respect and abide by it and understand that action will be taken in cases where behaviour is not in accordance to the policy.  This will lead to disciplinary action and possible job loss for staff or dismissal of committee members or volunteers who break these protocols.

3.3 Permission will be required from authorized persons Tallur Family Trust, for volunteers and external visitors to take photographs or video footage of children. Authorization should be sought from the Managing Committee and strict regulations will be implemented on the nature of how photographs are taken. These photographs and/or video will not be used for any other purpose outside Tallur Family Trust without prior permission. It is advisable to take the consent of the children and share the pictures with them to the extent possible.

3.3 management trustee members, staff, volunteers and visitors must never be alone with children who are not their own offspring in a private place that cannot be readily seen by other responsible adults.

3.4 Tallur Family Trust Trustees, staff, volunteers and visitors will not discipline a child in a way that is against the Convention on the Rights of the Child. This effectively means no tolerance to any form of violence against the child.

3.5 Inappropriate behaviour toward children, including failure to follow Tallur Family Trust Behaviour Protocols or sexual abuse of a child is grounds for disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal from employment, volunteer/internship or board /advisory council membership.

3.6 Tallur Family Trust Trustees, staff and volunteers should seek to live up to the Tallur Family Trust Mission Statement and Core Values in all relationship with others in any circumstances.

RECRUITMENT AND SCREENING:

  • Tallur Family Trust Trustees, staff, volunteers and visitors will be carefully and properly screened during their recruitment period, including obtaining a police check where possible or necessary.
  • Tallur Family Trust Trustees, staff and volunteers will be carefully and properly screened during their recruitment period which includes signing to agree to the Child Protection Policy and stating that there have been no previous convictions for abuse against children, violent behaviour or improper and unlawful conduct.
  • Tallur Family Trust Trustees will ensure that all the references of approved local candidates for work are checked, preferably by telephone, and recorded in the staff files before the new staff member is invited to take the position. This will include a verbal and written request to the referee of whether they have any concerns as to why the candidate should be employed to work with children.
  • Tallur Family Trust Trustees, staff, volunteers and visitors agree to inform the Director/Committee Member immediately if new information arises that casts doubt on the team member’s trustworthiness with children. Such information would be treated as confidential and disclosed to the individual team member for appropriate action.
  •  During recruitment and induction that the candidate should be clearly told that a child protection policy exists and he/she shall be required to be abiding by it. Along with the appointment letter a copy of the child protection policy shall be given to the new employee to read and go through it. While signing and executing the. Employment Contract the Employee declares and agrees that he/she has read the Child protection policy
  • TALLUR FAMILY TRUST WORKPLACE POLICY ON HIV/AIDS AND GENDER
  • Providing an enabling and friendly work environment where both men and women enjoy and actively participate in work. This includes providing flexible working hours and allowing working from home, wherever possible
  • Extending work related concessions and relaxations for women staff depending upon the situations and requirements
  • Reviewing the organizational structure, functioning, problems in relation to gender imbalances among staff and the work environment time to time and taking definite steps to address the same
  • Strategic orientation to staff in the field based programs and advocacy initiatives towards increasing women’s access, control and ownership over the natural resources.

HIV/AIDS Workplace Policy

Confidentiality:

Persons with HIV or AIDS have the legal right to confidentiality and privacy concerning their health and HIV status. Under no circumstances will employees be obliged to disclose their HIV status. Where an employee chooses to voluntarily disclose his/her HIV status to the employer, this information may not be disclosed to any other party without the employees expressed consent. All medical information regarding employees with HIV/AIDS will be kept strictly confidential, expect where required by law to be disclosed to specified people or / with the consent of the employee.

Non- discrimination

HIV/ AIDS is a disease that shows no racial, gender, or classes boundaries, TALLUR FAMILY TRUST believes that person with the HIV or AIDS must be treated on a similar basis to any other employee suffering from a life threatening disease. As such, employees who are HIV positive or those with AIDS will not be subjected to any form of victimisation or discrimination.

  • . Guidelines on Corporal Punishment
  1. Children are not to be subjected to corporal punishment and steps to be ensured that they receive education in an environment of freedom and dignity, free from fear.
  • Corporal punishment involves, rapping on the knuckles, running on the school ground, kneeling down for hours, standing up for long hours, sitting like a chair, and beaten with a scale, pinched and slapped, child sexual abuse, torture, locking up children alone in classrooms, ‘electric shock’ and all other acts leading to insult, humiliation, physical and mental injury, and even death.
  • All children are to be informed through campaigns and publicity drives that they have a right to speak against corporal punishment and bring it to the notice of the authorities.
  •  Every school must have a forum where children can express their views.
  • A box where children can drop their complaints, even if anonymous has to be provided for in each school.
  • There has to be a monthly meeting of the Parent Teacher Associations (PTAs) or any other body to review the complaints and take action.
  • The PTAs are to be encouraged to act immediately on any complaints made by children without postponement of the issue and wait for a more grave injury to be caused. In other words, the PTAs need not use their discretion to decide on the grievousness of the complaint.
  •  Parents as well as children are to be empowered to speak out against corporal punishment without any fear that it would have adverse effect on children’s participation in schools.
  • Communication about Children
  1. In its communication and fundraising strategy, Tallur Family Trust may use images and recordings of children and field texts. Tallur Family Trust has a responsibility towards the children that are portrayed and should ensure that children are treated with dignity as human beings with rights, by avoiding the following:
  2. Inaccurate representation of children through words and images
  3. Communication that shames, degrades or victimizes children
  4. Taking pictures or statements from children without informed consent
  5.  Depicting children in sexually provocative poses
  • Policy on Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace

To create a work environment where safety and dignity of women Employees is ensured and they are protected from Sexual Harassment as envisaged by Supreme Court of India Guidelines on Sexual Harassment, August 1997, “The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013” and “The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Rules, 2013”

The Policy intends to ensure that no woman Employee is subjected to sexual harassment and it is applicable to all Employees of TALLUR FAMILY TRUST.

Where Sexual Harassment occurs against any female Employee as a result of an act by a within the office, third party or outsider while on official duty, Tallur Family Trust will take all necessary and reasonable steps as per the applicable rules and regulations.  All the employees should have the personal responsibility to ensure that their behaviour is not in contravention with the policy.