CHILD PROTECTION POLICY

 

Rationale

 

               Scholarships in Teacher Education Programs to Upgrade Teacher Quality in the Philippines (STEP UP) is a scholarship program funded by Australian Aid and implemented by Philippine Business for Education (PBEd). As a donor-funded program for education reform, STEP UP recognizes the importance of ensuring staff adherence throughout the course of its operations to DFAT’s Child Protection Policy Standards in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC).

 

Employees, partners and subcontractors are required to comply with the Child Protection Policy when interacting directly with scholars and/or children.

 

 

Policy Statement

 

STEP UP commits to uphold the rights of scholars and/or children and strongly condemns any disclosed or undisclosed cases of staff-initiated child and/or scholar abuse and exploitation of all kinds in the course of program implementation. It intends to be in harmony with the universal policy of child protection.

 

 

Guiding Principles

 

STEP UP, through PBEd, will, in no way, tolerate any violation to this universal policy. Any proven cases of child/scholar abuse will be an immediate ground for termination.

 

STEP UP encourages its stakeholders to promote equality amid diversity, as well as the empowerment of its program recipients to develop capacities both for their personal and professional growth and to be advocates on their own behalf for issues concerning them.

 

STEP UP commits to uphold the rights of the minors whom its staff have direct interaction with and prohibits its representatives from acts of discrimination, harassment (inappropriate comments, demeaning, intimidating and physically harmful behaviors), sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse.

 

 

 

Stakeholder Duties and Responsibilities

 

PBEd shall (1) refrain from working with partners and suppliers who have known history of child abuse, (2) abide by its Child Protection Code of Conduct, and (3) assign a Child Protection Officer who will handle reported cases of scholar/child abuse.

 

TEIs shall (1) enjoin all personnel who have direct interaction with scholars/children to abide by the PBEd Child Protection Code of Conduct at all times, (2) perform its part in the promotion of their existing child protection policy mechanisms, (3) comply with CHED-mandated memoranda on student/scholar/children safety, (4) extend assistance to PBEd should a fact-finding investigation involving staff, mentor and scholar is needed, and (5) agree to sever the STEP UP partnership if found to be in gross violation of relevant child protection policy standards.

Other Stakeholders including Scholarship Coordinators, liaisons, mentors and other ground staff hired by PBEd shall (1) adhere to PBEd’s Child Protection Policy (2) report child scholar abuse cases promptly (3) carry out responsibilities as stipulated in their Terms of Reference, and (4) represent scholars in all matters affecting their interest.

 

 

Code of Conduct

 

To ensure compliance to organizational Child Protection Policy standards, employees are enjoined to adhere to the following;

 

• Treat children with respect regardless of race, color, gender, language, religion, political or other opinion, national, ethnic or social origin, property, disability, birth or other status;

• Not use language or behavior towards children that is inappropriate, harassing, abusive, sexually provocative, demeaning or culturally inappropriate;

• Not engage children under the age of 18 in any form of sexual intercourse or sexual activity, including paying for sexual services or acts;

• Wherever possible, ensure that another adult is present when working in the proximity of children;

• Not invite unaccompanied children into my home, unless they are at immediate risk of injury or in physical danger;

• Not sleep close to unsupervised children unless absolutely necessary, in which case I must obtain my supervisor’s permission, and ensure that another adult is present, if possible;

• Use any computers, mobile phones, video cameras, cameras or social media appropriately, and never to exploit or harass children or access child exploitation material through any medium;

• Not use physical punishment on children;

• Not hire children for domestic or other labor which is inappropriate given their age or developmental stage, which interferes with their time available for education and recreational activities, or which places them at significant risk of injury;

• Comply with all relevant legislation, including laws in relation to child labor;

• Immediately report concerns or allegations of child exploitation and abuse and policy non-compliance in accordance with appropriate procedures; and

• Immediately disclose all charges, convictions and other outcomes of an offence, which occurred before or occurs during my association with PBEd that relate to child exploitation and abuse.

• When photographing or filming a child or using children’s images for work-related purposes:

  • assess and endeavor to comply with local traditions or restrictions for reproducing personal images before photographing or filming a child;

  • obtain informed consent from the child and parent or guardian of the child before photographing or filming a child;

  • ensure photographs, films, videos and DVDs present children in a dignified and respectful manner and not in a vulnerable or submissive manner. Children should be adequately clothed and not in poses that could be seen as sexually suggestive;

  • ensure images are honest representations of the context and the facts; and

  • ensure file labels, meta data, or text descriptions do not reveal identifying information about a child when sending images electronically or publishing images in any form.

 

Reporting Procedures

 

 

Reporting may be done online, through phone, or via written correspondence addressed to PBEd Operations, with the option of maintaining anonymity. PBEd, in compliance with this policy shall determine the appropriate plan of action in response to the reported incident within legal parameters and existing organizational rules and regulations.

 

Any parties with cause for concern regarding scholar safety may correspond directly to PBEd, who shall coordinate with the involved TEI and launch a fact finding investigation as warranted. Appropriate legal measures shall be taken to protect the affected scholar.

 

 

Further Information

 

Philippine Business for Education

 

E-mail:             info@pbed.ph

Telephone:      (02) 801-8446

Mail:                Philippine Business for Education

                        6F, Glass Tower Bldg., C.Palanca St.

                        Legaspi Village, Makati

 

Website:          www.stepupph.org