Why Have Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy?

Due to their vulnerability, children are at the most risk of exploitation, abuse and harm by people who come into contact with them.

These risks greatly multiply when children travel locally or internationally or are separated from their families.

Therefore,  it is paramount for organizations that come into contact with children to set up and follow good child protection and safeguarding policies and procedures  to keep  children safe from adults and other children who might pose a risk,

In simple terms, safeguarding involves taking actions to ensure the well-being of children and shield them from harm. This includes protecting them from abuse and harm, preventing any threats to their health or development, ensuring they receive safe and effective care, and actively working to secure positive outcomes for all children and young people.

The goal of child safeguarding is to create and maintain a safe culture that is child-focused and community-driven through sustained and meaningful engagement with children, their families, communities, and all representatives.

Child safeguarding policies capacity build children and parents with useful information about how an organization will handle these issues whilst guiding all its employees on how to deal with children and ensuring the organization is accountable.

Further, it protects the staff, including volunteers and trainees.

For transparency, It must be publicly available (on the organization’s website), clearly written and accessible, and endorsed by all employees and management.

For the organizations in contact with children, a well-designed policy shows that the organization is serious about working with children, knows how to protect and support them, and is aware of potentially risky situations.

Additionally, it shows it has appropriate structures and reporting mechanisms in place and knows how to react and support children and families if something bad happens.

Have a look at our child protection and safeguarding policy https://www.mtotonews.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Mtoto-News-Child-Protection-and-Safeguarding-Policy.pdf