The School acknowledges that it has a responsibility for the safety and welfare of all the children in its care.
From time to time there may be occasions that involve indications or allegations of child abuse. On such
occasions the School’s responsibilities can only be exercised through special procedures. The School’s Child
Protection Policy exists to provide a framework within which such procedures can be established and operated.
AIMS
 To ensure, as far as possible, that the School operates in a way that priorities care for the individual
child.
 To make sure that all staff of the School are aware of and implement the procedures that applies in cases
that involve Child Protection issues.
In order to do this the School will
 Ensure that each child is known and recognized as an individual by everyone.
 Ensure that all staff understands that it is their responsibility to refer suspicions or allegations of abuse
to the nearest person authorized to deal with issues of Child Protection.
 To provide clear direction to staff and others about expected codes of behavior in dealing with Child
Protection issues.
 To make explicit the school’s commitment to the development of good practice and sound procedures
so that child protection concerns and referrals are handled sensitively, professionally and in ways that
supports the needs of the child.
 To take account of policies in related areas such as behavior and anti – bullying.
 Make teachers, teaching assistants, and all other staff related to school be aware of their responsibilities
to detect signs of distress and respond appropriately.
 Establish and publish procedures to be followed by staff when issues of Child Protection arise.
 Organize periodic in-service training for all staff on Child Protection issues and procedures.
 Brief all staff on Child Protection issues and procedures.
 Provide a counseling service offering trained and dedicated support to all children.
SCOPE OF THE POLICY
This policy is applicable from KG to 10th Grade students of Wise Indian Private School UAE.
DEFINITIONS OF ABUSE
 Neglect – The persistent or severe neglect of a child which results in impairment of health or
development
 Physical abuse – Actual or likely physical injury to a child, or failure to prevent physical injury
or suffering
 Sexual abuse– Actual or likely exploitation of a child by involvement in sexual activities without
informed consent or understanding, or that violate social taboos or family roles
 Emotional abuse – actual or likely severe adverse effects on the emotional and behavioral development
of a child by persistent or severe emotional ill-treatment, inappropriacy, or rejection
 Potential abuse – situations where children may not have been abused but where social and medical
assessments indicate a high degree of risk that they might be abused in the future, including situations
where another child in the household has been abused, or where there is a known abuser

 Bullying – any persistent and uninvited behavior which insults, hurts or intimidates someone (includes
cyber bullying).
TYPES OF ABUSES
Physical: (Any action that causes bodily harm)
 Beating (with hands or objects).
 Pinching/ Pushing.
 Hurling objects at a person.
 Making a child kneel for an extended period of time.
 Being made to stand for hours on end inside the class/ outside the class /in the sun.
 Making a child run in the playground for a long period of time which proves injurious to
health.
 Bullying.
Emotional: (Any action that causes mental trauma for a child resulting in behavioral problems)
 Humiliating a child by calling him/her names (especially in front of his peers, teachers and parents).
 Hurling verbal abuses at a child.
 Starting a child by banging on the desk or striking the desk with an object.
 Misrepresenting a child’s learning disability as a discipline problem.
 Denying a student adequate time for Recess/ games.
 Abusing a child’s parents in class.
 Making negative comparisons to the other students/siblings.
 Turning blind eye to bullying.
Sexual abuse:
Sexual abuse is the physical exploitation of a child resulting in serious emotional damage.
PEOPLE WHO COULD BE INVOLVED IN CHILD ABUSE
 Students
 Parents.
 Staff Members (Teaching/ Non-teaching)
 Outsiders (Relatives, Friends, etc.)
Abuse by a student:
 Students report the case of abuse to the class teacher.
 Class teacher reports the case to the Counselor/Supervisors/Principal.
 Minor issues are settled by the Counselor speaking to the students involved in the case.
 In major issues, matter is taken up by the Principal.
 Students are sent for counseling and for medical checkup to the clinic, if required.
 Parents are informed by the concerned staff.
 The affected student is monitored by the Counselor/Supervisors/Principal for a period of time.
 The record is maintained for the same.

 The student who has been the victim can refer the case directly or by the help of a student, to the
Counselor.
Abuse by the parent:
 Student reports to the Class Teacher/Counselor/Supervisors
 The matter is brought to the notice of the Principal.
 The parent is called to the school and advised.
 The student is sent for Counseling to the school Counselor.
Abuse by the teacher:
 Student reports to the Parent/Counselor/Section supervisors
 Informs the Principal.
 The teacher concerned is called by the Principal and enquires his/her views on the
matter.
 A memo is issued to the concerned teacher by the Principal. Parents are informed by the Principal and
assured that action will be taken on the teacher and no such incident will occur hence forth.
 In the case of the teacher resorting to abuse/harassment in spite of the repeated
warnings, a strict action will be taken by the Principal/CEO.
 The student is counseled by the counselor.
Abuse by the support staff:
 Student report the case to the Parent/Class Teacher/Counselor/Supervisors
 The Class Teacher/Counselors/Supervisors/Principal/Parent informs the Principal. The issue is
taken up by the Principal and the concerned staff is warned.
 In extreme cases, the person may be terminated by the Principal/CEO.
Abuse by the Relative:
 Student report to the Class Teacher/Counselor/Supervisors
 The matter is brought to the notice of the Vice principal/Principal.
 The parent is called to the school and the matter is discussed for further actions.
 The student is sent to the School Counselor.
Abuse by Outsiders (During field trips, picnics etc.):
 The student reports to the Class Teacher/Counselor/Supervisors
 The matter is brought to the notice of the Principal.
The teacher in-charge also reports to the concerned authorities where the trip/picnic takes place.
 The parent is informed about the issue.
 The student is sent to the Counselor for counseling.
Abuse by Workers Other Than Staff (e.g. Contractors, etc.):
 The student reports to the Class teacher/Counselor.
 The matter is brought to the notice of the Principal.
 The Principal takes up the issue with the concerned head of the Staff.
 The staff is called and warned by the concerned head.
 If the issue continues and no action is taken by the concerned head, the Principal/C.E.O. can take
a strict action, which may lead to the cancellation of the School’s contract with them.

Cases directly referred by the student to the Counseling center will be taken up with the Principal
only with the permission of the student.
ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

1
Class
Teacher/Counselor

Class teachers or the Counselor will, in most cases, be the first
person that a concern is raised by.
They will collate detailed/accurate/secure
Written records of concerns and liaise with the designated child
protection staff.

2 School Nurse

Their role is to ensure that relevant information obtained in the
course of their duties is communicated to the Designated Teacher.
Types of injuries, attendance and frequency are recorded.

3 All School Staff

a. All school staff has a responsibility to identify and report
suspected abuse and to ensure the safety and wellbeing of
the students in their school. In doing so they should seek
advice and support as necessary from the
Principal/H.M./Counselor.
b. a) Are expected to provide a safe and caring environment
in which children can develop the confidence to voice
ideas, feelings and opinions.
b) Children should be treated with respect within a
framework of agreed and understood behavior.
c. All school staff are expected to:
 Be aware of signs and symptoms of abuse
 Report concerns to the Designated Teachers as
appropriate
 Keep clear, dated, factual and confidential records of child
protection concerns

STAFF SHOULD BE CONCERNED IF A STUDENT
 Has any injury which is not typical of the bump sand scrapes normally associated with children’s
activities?
 Regularly has unexplained injuries;
 Frequently have injuries, even when apparently reasonable explanations are given;
 Offers confused or conflicting explanations about on how injuries were sustained;
 Exhibits significant changes in behavior, performance or attitude;
 Indulges in sexual behavior which is unusually explicit and/or inappropriate to his or her age;
 Discloses an experience in which he or she may have been significantly harmed.

DEALING WITH A DISCLOSURE
If a student discloses that he or she has been abused in some way, the member of staff should:
 listen to what is being said without displaying shock or disbelief;
 Accept what is being said
 allow the child to talk freely; listen, rather than ask direct questions;
 reassure the child, but not make promises which it might not be possible to keep;
 Not promise confidentially, as it might be necessary to refer the case to the Principal/C.E.O.
 reassure the student that what has happened is not their fault;
 Stress that it was the right thing to tell;
 Ask open questions rather than leading questions;
 Not criticize the perpetrator;
 Explain what has to be done next and who has to be told.
READING DISCLOSURE
When a student has made a disclosure, the member of staff should:
 Make some brief notes as soon as possible after the conversation.
 Do not destroy the original notes in case they are needed by a court
 Record the date, time, place and any noticeable non-verbal behavior and the words used
by the child.
 Draw a diagram to indicate the position of any bruising or other injury.
 Record statements and observations, rather than interpretations or assumptions.
CONFIDENTIALITY
Members of staff have access to confidential information about students in order to undertake their
everyday responsibilities. Staff is expected:
 To treat information they receive about students in a discreet and confidential manner.
 To, if they are in any doubt about sharing information they hold or which has been requested
of them, seek advice from the Principal.
 To be cautious when passing information to others about a student.
RECORDS AND MONITORING
 Well-kept records are essential to good Child Protection practice. Concerns and disclosures should be
recorded in writing by the member of staff who receives them and passed to the designated staff
without delay.
 The designated staff in consultation with the Principal will then decide on further action and any
appropriate monitoring programme for the student.
 Records are stored in a dedicated filing system maintained in the school.
SYNOPSIS – CHILD PROTECTION POLICY
 Stop and listen.

 Take notes and keep (verbatim)
 Do not interpret
 Do not be judgmental
 Do not promise absolute confidentiality – staff must not work in isolation , but offer discretion
 Avoid leading questions / coaxing , pressurizing
 Note concerns about going home, now he/she has spoken up
 Inform the designated person promptly who will ask for a verbatim written
 Record with time and persons present
 Discretion should be maintained in the staff room.