CHILD PROTECTION POLICY

Child Protection Policy and Procedures 2024-2025

AIS promotes and protects the safety and wellbeing of all students while enrolled in the school to ensure positive learning. Academic achievement is accomplished through promoting positive development of the whole child. AIS does not tolerate any form of child abuse or neglect perpetrated by parents, guardians, caregivers, or AIS employees. 

AIS seeks to protect ALL students regardless of race, color, national origin, religion or gender.

We agree with the UNICEF declaration that, “No matter their story or circumstance, all children have the right to be protected from violence, exploitation and abuse.”

Stakeholders: 

• Students

• Parents

• Teachers & Support Staff

• School Doctors/Clinic

• Administrators

• School Director

• Esol Board

Definition of Child Protection

AIS aligns with UNICEF's definition of Child Protection, the “prevention and response to violence, exploitation and abuse of children”. We seek to apply this definition in AIS’ policies and protocols in all areas.

Definitions of Abuse and Neglect 

(Definitions adapted from Association of International Schools in Africa (AISA) handbook):

• Physical Abuse: All forms of physical and/or emotional ill-treatment, sexual abuse, neglect or negligent treatment or commercial or other exploitation, 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.  The indications include but are not limited to the following behaviors:

• Neglect: The persistent failure to meet a child’s basic physical or physiological needs, likely to result in serious impairment of the child’s health or development.

Including, but not limited to: deprivation of food, deprivation of sleep, poor hygiene, leaving child unattended, or unkempt clothing.

• Emotional Abuse: The persistent emotional ill treatment of a child so as to cause severe and adverse effects on a child’s emotional development. 

Including, but not limited to: conveying to children that they are worthless or unloved; that they are inadequate; age or developmentally inappropriate expectations being imposed on children; causing children frequently to feel frightened; the exploitation or corruption of children; or refusal to speak to children by adults and others in the student’s environment.

• Sexual abuse: Witness or exposure to age-inappropriate material, direct sexual contact or inappropriate physical contact of a sexual nature. Sexual abuse involves forcing or enticing a child to take part in sexual activities, whether or not the child is aware of what is happening. 

• Including, but not limited to: physical contact, including penetrative (i.e. rape) or non-penetrative acts; non-contact activities, such as involving children in the production, viewing, or distribution of pornographic material;  or encouraging children to behave in sexually inappropriate ways.

• Children involved in commercial sex work are victims of sexual abuse, whether they perceive themselves as victims or not.

Proactive Protocols:

All community members are expected to report on any suspicion of abuse to the division counselors and principals.

Responsive Protocols:

All staff, faculty, and administrators are mandated to report incidents, suspected or proven, of abuse and neglect immediately. The in-person or verbal report is made to the school counselor or, in the case that the school counselor is not available, an administrator.  

The Child Response Team comes together when there is reasonable cause to follow up on a disclosure. This team is made up of a combination of relevant persons which may include: the School Counselors, the Assistant Principals/ Principals, the Director. Homeroom or Advisory teacher, the Nurse, the IT Director, and/or any other teachers deemed essential to support the response to the situation. 

Reporting Suspicions of Abuse:

• All reports of abuse and neglect must be made in person to the school counselor and  administrator within 24 hours for immediate response. 

• The counselor shall gather information and provide written documentation including the date, person or persons involved, and any additional relevant information. The counselor will consult with the Child Protection Team immediately. (The Child Protection Team minimally consists of grade level school counselors, the clinic, and one grade level administrator) 

• If an allegation is made against a member of staff, the Principal and Director will be informed immediately. There will be an urgent initial assessment, to check the practical details of the allegation and to establish the facts. Full consideration will be given to all the options, subject to the need to ensure: 

• the safety and welfare of the student or students concerned;  

• the need for a full and fair investigation.

If reasonable cause is determined:

• In all cases with verifiable evidence, the principal and director will be notified immediately. 

• The school should be guided by local law, international law, and the advice of the school legal team and local community child protection resources/personnel. 

• Egypt’s Child Law amended in 2008 is shared below:

http://www.nccm-egypt.org/e7/e2498/e2691/infoboxContent2692/ChildLawno126english_eng.pdf

Personal and identifying information will be kept private and will not be shared outside of the reporting protocols.