Child Protectoin Policy

We believe that child abuse and neglect are contraventions of a child’s human rights and are impediments to the child’s education as well as to their personal, physical, emotional and social development.

What is Child Protection Policy?

Child Protection Policy is a statement of intent that demonstrates a commitment to protecting students from harm (to self and from others) and makes clear to all what is required in relation to the protection of students. It serves to create a safe and positive environment for children and to demonstrate that the school is taking its duty and responsibility seriously.

What is child abuse?

Child abuse means any form of maltreatment inflicted on a child including physical abuse, sexual abuse and emotional abuse.

INDICATORS OF ABUSE

Physical Abuse

♦ Hitting, punching, shaking, throwing, poisoning, biting, burning or scalding, drowning, suffocating or otherwise causing intentional harm to a child.
♦ Physical harm may also be caused when a parent or career (care giver) fabricates the symptoms of, or deliberately induces, illness in a child.
♦ Anti-social, violent and/or abrasive behaviour
♦ Problems in school
♦ Fear of adults

Emotional Abuse

Emotional abuse is the persistent emotional ill treatment of a child so as to cause severe and adverse effects on a child’s emotional development
It may involve:
♦ Conveying to children that they are worthless or unloved; that they are inadequate or valued only insofar as they meet the needs of another person
♦ Age or developmentally inappropriate expectations being imposed on children. These may include interactions that are beyond a child’s developmental capability, as well as overprotection and limitation of exploration and learning, or preventing the child participating in normal social interaction.
♦ Causing children frequently to feel frightened; or the exploitation or corruption of children.
♦ Serious bullying (including cyber bullying)
♦ Not giving the child opportunities to express their views, deliberately silencing them or ‘making fun’ of what they say or how they communicate
♦ Seeing or hearing the ill-treatment of another
♦ Fear of a particular person

Sexual Abuse

Sexual abuse involves:
Forcing or enticing a child to take part in sexual activities, whether or not the child is aware of what is happening. The activities may involve:
♦ Physical contact, including penetrative (i.e. rape) or non-penetrative acts such as masturbation, kissing, rubbing and touching outside of clothing.
♦ Non-contact activities, such as involving children in the production or viewing of pornographic material or encouraging children to behave in sexually inappropriate ways.

APPROPRIATE STANDARDS OF BEHAVIOR FOR STAFF TOWARDS STUDENTS:

i. Provide an enabling environment for children's personal, physical, social, emotional, moral and intellectual development.
ii. Treat every child with empathy and respect, regardless of his/her race, colour, gender, sexuality, language, religion, religious belief, heritage, political/other opinion, national/ethnic/social origin or property/disability/birth/other status.
iii. Encourage and respect other employee’s and children's voices and views.
iv. Listen to children and respect their views.
v. Ensure that physical contact with a child is respectful, culturally appropriate and essential to the purpose of your interaction with the child.
vi. Establish an atmosphere that fosters the development of children through your actions and words.
vii. Be aware of high risk peer situations (eg: unsupervised mixing of older and younger children and possibility of discrimination against minors).
viii. Meet with a child in a public, central location whenever possible.
ix. Immediately report the circumstances of any situation which occurs or which may be subject to misinterpretation
x. Always take permission from children before taking their photos or videos.
xi. Keep all personal information about children or their parents/guardians confidential and secure and ensure that such information is dispensed to only those individuals who are legitimately entitled to it.
xii. Make one self-aware and educated on the laws, rules and guidelines related to child protection as amended from time to time.

PROHIBITED BEHAVIOUR AND ACTIONS FOR STAFF AND EMPLOYEES TOWARDS STUDENTS:

i. Do not hit or otherwise physically assault a child.
ii. Do not punish a child by mocking, teasing, or laughing at them or trying to embarrass them in front of others.
iii. Do not use language or behaviour towards children that is inappropriate, harassing, abusive, sexually provocative, demeaning, intimidating, offensive, discriminatory or culturally insensitive.
iv. Do not use any form of corporal punishment on children.
v. Do not place a child at risk of harm or abuse and do not harm or abuse any child physically, emotionally or sexually.
vi. Do not show discrimination of race, culture, age, gender, disability, religion, sexuality, political persuasion or any other status.
vii. Do not develop a sexual relation with a child or behave sexually towards a child or touch them in a sexual way.
viii. Do not kiss, hug, fondle, rub or touch a child in an inappropriate or culturally insensitive way.
ix. Do not do things of a personal nature that a child could do for him/herself, including dressing, bathing and grooming.
x. Do not initiate physical contact unless initiated by the child (eg: holding hands).
xi. Do not suggest inappropriate behaviour or relations of any kind.
xii. Do not stand aside when they see inappropriate actions inflicted by children on other children because it is frequent and commonplace.
xiii. Should not ask personal details of the child without a certain reason and if known, then not to divulge it to others.
xiv. Should not ask any child to meet alone outside campus.
xv. Should not collect photos, videos, or stories of children and/or upload the same on blogs or any social networking sites without prior permission from the authority.
xvi. Do not use or encourage the use of alcohol, drugs, cigarettes or other intoxicating substances while interacting with children and from providing such intoxicating substances to children.
xvii. Do not develop any form of relationship or arrangement (financial or otherwise) with children which could in any way be deemed to be exploitative or abusive. Do not use child labour in any form.

DISCIPLINARY ACTION

Disciplinary action will be commensurate with the nature of the violation
(Students) ♦ Warning
♦ Written apology
♦ Bond of good behaviour
♦ Suspension for specific period of time
♦ Debarring from exams
♦ Withholding results
♦ Debarring from contesting Student Council elections
♦ Debarring from holding leadership posts or membership of Committees
♦ Expulsion
♦ Denial of admission

Disciplinary action will be commensurate with the nature of the violation
(Employees) ♦ Warning
♦ Written apology
♦ Bond of good behaviour
♦ Adverse remark in the Confidential Report
♦ Debarring from supervisory duties
♦ Denial of membership of statutory bodies
♦ Denial of re –employment
♦ Stopping of increments /promotions
♦ Reverting/demotion
♦ Suspension
♦ Dismissal