Charter - Part of the Child Safeguarding Movement in Hong Kong
Children have the right to be protected from abuse, neglect, exploitation and violence under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). These acts are devastating to children. Sadly, many of these acts are carried out by people they know and should be able to trust; or by people in places that they should feel safe. For this reason, it has been a global trend for child-focused organizations, institutions, schools and companies to actively engage in advocating for an in-house Child Safeguarding Policy with clear standards to keep stakeholders around children accountable and uphold their responsibility to protect children.
On 20 November (Universal Children’s Day) in 2018, Hong Kong Committee on Children’s Rights organized a Child Safeguarding Forum with the participation of over 120 child-related professionals at Hong Kong Scout Centre; and we launched the Child Safeguarding Charter to help organizations formulate the code of conduct for its child related workers as an initial step to develop a Child Safeguarding Policy. We hope to draw the community’s awareness, gather support and join hands to protect children.
Why is Child Safeguarding Policy Important in my Organization/Company?
Setting up a Child Safeguarding Policy in your organization/ company is important because it can...
- Protect Children: Establish rules and raise awareness to keep children safe by creating a child safe organisation.
- Protect Staff and Associates: Staff and associates have better awareness and are clear on expectations on their behavior with children, and what to do when there are concerns related to the safety of children.
- Protect organizations, companies, schools, or institutions: Reputation, integrity and credibility is protected and enhanced.
What is Child Safeguarding Policy?
It is the Standards and Guidelines that set forth the responsibility that organizations / companies / schools / institutions have to make sure that their staff, associates, operations and programmes do no harm to children. The Policy also ensures that children are not exposed to harm and abuse as a result of their contact with the organization / company / school / institution.
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Standards
Policy
Make clear to everyone of the policy goals and that the policy applies to all of the organization’s staff and associates. It also outlines what measures are in place to respond when safeguarding concerns arise.
People
Clear responsibilities and expectations for staff and associates and support for them to understand and act accordingly. Key staff are designated at different levels as ‘focal points’ with clearly defined roles and responsibilities.
Procedures
Detail the steps to be carried out when there are concerns related to the safety of children so as to fulfil the policy. Policy commitments are integrated into existing organizational processes and systems and where necessary, new procedures should be introduced.
Accountability
Measures and mechanisms in place for monitoring and regular review to ensure both upward and downward accountability in relation to child safeguarding. Progress, performance and lessons learnt are reported to key stakeholders.
Support Now!
A Child Safeguarding Charter serves as the first step to increase awareness, build community support and consensus on the necessary code of conduct to keep children safe. Together, the community join hands to create a violence-free and child friendly environment for children.
We hope to have your support in this Charter so as to protect our over 1.1 million children population in Hong Kong.
Click to support nowMany organizations in HK have already developed their own Child Safeguarding Policy
