Safeguarding

Child Protection & Safeguarding

OUR FIRST PRIORITY IS TO PROVIDE A SAFE AND HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT
FOR STUDENTS AND THE ENTIRE UISG COMMUNITY.

Prioritizing Your Child’s Safety

UISG is committed to the prevention of child abuse and to the protection of children in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, of which the People’s Republic of China is a signatory.

This commitment means that the interests and welfare of children are the school’s primary consideration when any decision is made about suspected cases of abuse or neglect. At UISG, we ensure that all children are afforded a safe and secure environment to learn, grow, and develop. Educators, having the opportunity to observe and interact with children over time, are uniquely positioned to identify children who need help and protection. As such, we have a professional and ethical obligation to identify cases of neglect or abuse and to take steps to ensure that the child and family avail themselves of the services needed to remedy any situation that constitutes abuse or neglect.

Child abuse and neglect are violations of a child’s human rights and are obstacles to the child’s education as well as their physical and emotional development.

UISG’s Child Protection policy is aligned with the stated Laws of the People’s Republic of China on the Protection of Minors. This law was first approved by the National People’s Congress (NPC) Standing Committee in 1991, with a further amendment in 2016 to protect children’s and minors’ physical and mental health. It is based on current legislation, and UISG has a professional responsibility to comply with it.

Definition of Child Abuse

UISG is a diverse community with many cultural beliefs, values, and practices. To respect the global nature of the community, for our child protection policy, the school has chosen to follow the World Health Organization’s (WHO’s) definitions of abuse and neglect.

The WHO declares that:
“Child abuse or maltreatment constitutes all forms of physical and/or emotional ill-treatment, sexual abuse, neglect, or negligent treatment, resulting in actual or potential harm to the child’s health, survival, development, or dignity in the context of a relationship of responsibility, trust, or power.”

Child Abuse – Child abuse is a serious and complex problem that may occur in the lives of children and young people. It often occurs in environments that are isolated and stressful and affects those who are most vulnerable.

UISG Safeguarding Measures

UISG has put measures in place to help protect students, families and staff, including:

- A clear Child Protection policy.
- Child protection training and certification workshops for all teaching and administrative staff.
- Designated trained Child Protection Officers.
- A comprehensive Staff Code of Conduct.
- A designated teacher response team specific to student protection support.
- Criminal background checks of all staff, including regular volunteers and others with regular student contact, such as for individual music lessons, school camps and extra-curricular activities.
- PSPE lessons in primary and life skills in secondary to ensure students understand safeguarding issues and school procedures.
- Clear procedures for handling disclosure and following up on any suspected child abuse case.
- Parental involvement to ensure the well-being of students.
- Cooperation with relevant authorities concerning student protection and welfare.

Employee Responsibility

School employees are particularly well-placed to observe the outward signs of abuse and the unexplained changes in behaviour or performance that may indicate abuse or neglect. Protecting the welfare of children is the role of every professional who comes into contact with children at Utahloy International School in Guangzhou.

Employee responsibility is in knowing how to respond to suspected cases of child abuse and neglect and understanding the process for reporting a suspected issue to the relevant persons.

All employees of the UISG must report suspected incidences of child abuse or neglect whenever the employee has reasonable cause to believe that a child has suffered or is at risk of suffering abuse or negligence. Reporting and follow-up of all suspected incidents of child abuse or neglect will proceed following procedures connected to this policy. Failure to report any incidences will result in disciplinary action up to and including termination.

School Responsibility

Utahloy International School Guangzhou is responsible for regularly organizing background checks on all personnel on the School’s campuses. It is responsible for organizing training for all employees to support their understanding of child protection and recognizing abuse or neglect cases. UISG is accountable for the structure in which employees report suspected cases of child abuse and how the School formally addresses these reported cases. The School is also responsible for communicating any confirmed child protection incidents to a receiving school should a UISG student transition to another school.

Employee Training

UISG facilitates a training cycle to ensure that all employees, outside vendors, and adults having direct connections to students are trained in child protection. Each year, employees will be trained on the school’s child protection policies and procedures by members of the Child Protection Team.

Child Protection Committee

Committed to prompt and effective action in addressing any concerns related to child abuse or neglect, the School has formed a dedicated Child Safeguarding Team. This team comprises Lars Jirmann and Katiuska Santibanez, serving as Child Protection Officers (CPOs), along with Sharon Lun, the Primary School Counselor, and Remy Wu, the Secondary School Counselor.

Regularly convening, the Child Safeguarding Team proactively assesses and enhances safeguarding measures across the UISG campus. Their primary focus lies in continuous improvement and ensuring a safe environment. They actively train teachers, parents, and students, imparting crucial knowledge and skills pertaining to child safeguarding practices.

Furthermore, the team diligently manages confidential child protection documentation related to investigated incidents and their outcomes. Their expertise and efforts are pivotal in maintaining a secure and nurturing atmosphere for the school community.