Physical Abuse: involves single or repeated instances of deliberately using force against a child in such a way that the child is either injured or is at risk of being injured.

Protect Yourself: No staff or volunteers may ever physical abuse a child. Physical abuse inludes actions like beating, hitting, shaking, pushing, choking, biting, burning, kicking or assaulting a child with a weapon as well as any other dangerous or harmful use of force or restraint.

Emotional Abuse: which includes, but is not limited to, the mistreatment of another person’s feelings or emotional needs.

Protect Yourself: No staff or volunteers may ever yell at or verbally degrade a child for any reason. Staff and volunteers must never take out personal frustration on a child. Staff and volunteers must remove themselves from situations that may cause them to become angry, resulting in a loss of control of their emotions.

Sexual Abuse: which includes, but is not limited to, physical or psychological abuse or harm that involves sexual behaviour and/or language.

Protect Yourself: No staff or volunteer should ever touch or speak to a child in a sexual manner. Staff and volunteers must change their clothes out of the line of sight of children and must also use extreme discretion when children are changing and should be in the presence of at least one other counsellor. Touching or moving a child while they are sleeping is not allowed for any reason. If you must wake a child, you must use verbal methods.

Neglect: which includes, but is not limited to, the deprivation of adequate food, clothing, shelter, medical care, or supervision.

Protect Yourself: As a staff member or volunteer, it is your responsibility to ensure that each child receives the level of care normally provided by a parent or guardian. Staff and volunteers must never withhold food as a form of punishment. Adequate clothing must be made available to children at all times. If a child requires medical attention, speak to your Site Director and they will make further arrangements for the child’s care. We have a low staff to camper ratio to ensure that children receive adequate supervision at all times. Always be conscious of these ratios to ensure adequate supervision.

Cyber Abuse or Bullying: which includes, but is not limited to, the use of information and communication technologies (i.e. cell phones, e-mail, msn messenger, facebook, myspace, twitter, blogs and other web sites, etc.) to carry out psychological, emotional or sexual abuse or bullying.

Protect Yourself: As a staff member or volunteer, you must not engage in any correspondence with children via information and communication technologies. For example, staff and volunteers must not send text messages or emails to children, and must not add children to websites such as myspace, facebook or twitter. Staff and volunteers should never “chat” online with children. If you become aware of any form of cyber abuse or bullying between children, you must immediately notify your Site Director so that they may address and put an end to the cyber abuse or bullying.

Duty to Report: which includes, but is not limited to, contacting and/or filing a report to your local Children’s Aid Society if you suspect a child is at risk of abuse or neglect as a result of living under any of the following conditions: domestic violence, substance abuse by a caregiver, mental health problems of a caregiver, abandonment of a child.

It is the responsibility of all staff and volunteers to report any abuse they may observe or become aware of. Please only inform the appropriate staff to respect the student's privacy. If it comes to the attention of management that a staff person or volunteer has failed to report abuse, serious consequences will result.

Protect Yourself: Children’s Aid can be contacted anonymously even if you are merely seeking advice. Filing a report to Children’s Aid does not prove abuse or neglect, but allow authorities to take the appropriate actions to determine the risk of each situation. Each report will be evaluated to ensure the child and family receives the support necessary to keep the child safe. If you choose to provide a name with your report, your identity will be protected and your name will not be released to the family involved. Children’s Aid is available by phone 24 hours a day.

Should a child disclose to you that they are being abused or indicate neglect it is your duty to report to your local Children’s Aid. If you are a volunteer with LiftED and find yourself in this situation please ensure you report it to the Site Director immediately. Please inform the LiftED Program Director.

I have read and will comply with the terms of this Abuse Policy. Please enter your full name, today's date, and your signature below.

Media Release

I give consent to my child/children being filmed, audiotaped, interviewed, videotaped, photographed by the media (print and broadcast), and employees, agents or servants of LiftED at the program site for use by the host school or LiftED.

Reference Check:

Please list two professional references that we may contact to verify your application. (A professional reference may be a teacher, Guidance Counselor, Adult who is not a family member, etc.)