Globusz^® Publishing 

27. General principle

27.1 Staff are expected to always behave in ways that promote the safety, welfare and well-being of all service users.

27.2 Staff need to be aware of and comply with relevant child protection legislation and related Globusz policies.

27.3 Globusz staff must not have sexual relationships with any service users. It is irrelevant whether the relationship is homosexual or heterosexual, consensual or non consensual or condoned by parents or caregivers. The age of the service user or staff member involved is also irrelevant.

27.4 Globusz staff are reminded of:

• the law prohibiting sexual relations with a person under the age of consent (16 years)

• the law prohibiting sexual relations between a mentor/advisor and their student under the age of 18 years

• the law prohibiting child pornography.

27.5 Globusz staff members must not engage in sexual misconduct in relation to any service user. Sexual misconduct describes a range of behaviours or a pattern of behaviour aimed at the involvement of children in sexual acts. Some of these behaviours may include:

• Inappropriate conversations of a sexual nature,

• Comments that express a desire to act in a sexual manner,

• Unwarranted and inappropriate touching,

• Sexual exhibitionism,

• Personal correspondence (including electronic communication) with a child or young person in respect of the adult’s sexual feelings for a child or young person,

• Deliberate exposure of children and young people to sexual behaviour of others including display of pornography,

• Possession of child pornography in the workplace. Sexual misconduct can include ‘grooming behaviour’.

Grooming behaviour is a process whereby sexual offenders ‘condition’ and build rapport with children or young persons in order to reduce their resistance to, and increase compliance with, sexual abuse.

The grooming process can include such aspects as:

• Misleading children or young persons by pretending to them they are trustworthy

• spending inappropriate special time with the child, inappropriately giving gifts, showing special favours to them but not with other children or young people, allowing the children or young persons to overstep the rules etc

• Testing of boundaries – undressing in front of children or young persons, allowing the children or young persons to sit on the lap, talking about sex, ‘accidental’ touching of genitals etc.

Such behaviours may not be indicative of grooming if occurring in isolation.

27.6 Where a personal relationship (such as family relationship or close friendship) exists between a staff member and a service user attending the staff member’s place of work, the staff member must report the potential conflict of interest to their supervisor and it must be fully managed.

27.7 Staff should develop professional relationships with service users students that cannot be misinterpreted as a personal, as opposed to a professional, interest in a service user.

27.8 Staff are required to conduct any already established personal relationships with service users in a manner that does not compromise the service user, themselves or Globusz.