Child Protection Module For School Proprietors

1. Child Protection Module For School Proprietors

2. Aims of the module This child protection training module aims to provide school staff with: • Technical knowledge to be able describe what child protection is and why a child has a fundamental right to protection. • Technical knowledge and skills to prevent and recognise basic child protection concerns • Technical guidance to be able to develop a simple school child protection policy which includes a reporting mechanism • Inspiration to ensure a non-violent, protective school environment for students and teachers

3. Expected outcomes of the module • School staff are able to explain clearly what child protection is and articulate the different types of child abuse, exploitation and neglect within their own communities. • School staff are able to identify ‘risky’ situations that make children vulnerable and understand the principles of creating a protective environment within the school. • School staff are able to and tell the difference between a child protection case which can be dealt with at the school level and a more serious case which needs to be referred to local authorities/agencies. • School staff have developed a simple child protection policy for their own school which includes a Code of Conduct and a local reporting mechanism.

4. Session 1: What is Child Protection and why do children have a right to be protected?

5. What is Child Protection? Child Protection is the term used to describe the responsibilities and activities undertaken to prevent, stop or respond to children being abused, exploited or neglected. Child Protection should not be confused with the protection of children’s rights – that is the responsibility of everyone working with children* and not just those working in child protection.

6. What is Child Protection? • Child protection is a new challenge in many countries but it is a necessary challenge to keep children safe and from harm • Child protection is a specialist sector dealing with issues that are sensitive, & sometimes hidden (such as domestic violence and sexual abuse), and with violations that are often socially accepted (such as corporal punishment).

7. Global trends for addressing Child Protection • 2006 UN Study on Violence against Children – to get a global view of what was happening to children in all countries – the evidence collected was alarming • After the UN Study, global understanding improved about the need to take action and protect children from violence and abuse • The UN urged all countries to find comprehensive solutions for ending violence against children and strengthening child protection systems

8. Child Protection challenges at a glance... • Every 5 minutes a child dies as a result of violence around the world • 85 million boys and 30 million girls are involved in dangerous work throughout the world • Globally, up to 1.5 billion children experience violence every year • Globally, 20% of women and 5-10% of men suffered sexual abuse as a child • Between 30-40% of girls under 18 living in East and Southern Africa region have suffered sexual abuse at some point in their lives • About one third of the women aged 20 - 24 in the East and Southern Africa region were married before their 18th birthday

9. Children’s rights and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) • The UNCRC is the international foundation for children’s rights and child protection (signed by almost every state in the world) • The UNCRC recognises children’s rights as human rights • The UNCRC regards a child to be any person under the age of 18 years, unless a nation’s laws recognise adulthood earlier • A right to be protected is included as a fundamental human right for a child in the UNCRC, and explains all the things children should be protected from For more information, please watch the following short film (9 mins) on the UNCRC made by the School of Social Sciences, Education and Social Work at Queen’s University of Belfast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFMqTDIYI2U This is a child-friendly film on the UNCRC, produced by UNICEF Australia: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1BFLitBkco

10. What the UNCRC says about Child Protection (takenfrom UN Child Friendly Version of the UNCRC) • Article 19 - You have the right to be protected from being hurt and mistreated, in body or mind. • Article 32 - You have the right to protection from work that harms you, and is bad for your health and education. If you work, you have the right to be safe and paid fairly. • Article 34 - You have the right to be free from sexual abuse. • Article 35 - Children have the right not to be kidnapped or sold • Article 36 - You have the right to protection from any kind of exploitation (being taken advantage of). • Article 39 - You have the right to help if you’ve been hurt, neglected, or badly treated.

11. Group Questions – types of child abuse • In groups, write down all the types of child abuse that you know of. • Stick your examples under the 5 headings posted around the room – Physical Abuse, Sexual Abuse, Emotional Abuse, Neglect and Commercial Sexual Exploitation. (20 mins group work)

13. Group Questions • In x 3 groups list all the types of child abuse that you know of • Which types of abuse and neglect do you think could happen in your organisation, school and/or community? (15 mins group work, 15 mins group feedback)

14. Common beliefs surrounding child abuse: True Or False?

15. Strangers are the biggest threat to children… False

16. Perpetrators of sexual abuse Of 501 cases, 13 children were abused by multiple people and 18.5% of abusers were under 18 - Child Protection Unit, Philippines, 2000 (in Engelbrecht et al, 2003)

17. You can always tell who is safe with children… False

18. Which of these people is an abuser?

19. Women never sexually abuse children Child abusers are ‘dirty old men’ False

20. Myra Hindley • Britain’s most notorious female murderer • Active participant in the Moors Murders • Abducted, tortured and murdered four child in 1963 and 1964. Buried their bodies at Saddleworth Moor, northern England • Found guilty and served more than 30 years in prison

21. Mary Kay Letourneau • Most publicised case of a woman raping a child in the US • Schoolteacher was charged with rape for initiating a sexual relationship with a 13-year-old student • Resumed the relationship with the boy while on parole • Re-sentenced to serve seven and a half years in prison

22. Most abuses are unintentional and happen on the spur of the moment Boys are not really at risk of being abused False

23. Michael Lewis Clark • In 2003, Clark was arrested in Cambodia accused of sexual activity with two boys, 10 and 13 • Confessed to having sex with up to 50 boys aged 10 to 18 while in Cambodia since 1998 • Paid less than US$2 for each sexual encounter • Sentenced to just over 8 years in prison

24. Staff employed to work with children are unlikely to abuse them Not always true

25. WaralongkornJanehat‘KruNong’ • Former secretary of Baan Saeng Tawan Foundation • Sexually abused at least 8 children under his care, aged 14-17 • Guilty of sexually abusing children under 15 and use of physical force • Sentenced to 48 years in prison

26. Exploitation by professionals • 121 Allegations of Sexual Abuse by Humanitarian and Peacekeeping Personnel (Abuse by Aid Workers UN General Assembly Report, 2005) • William Brown ex Diplomat (AusAid) & employee sentenced in Bali in for sexually abusing 2 boys (Media Reports 2005) • Frequent cases of teachers abusing children (physically and sexually)

27. June 2016 - Briton, Richard Huckle, aged 30, English teacher and Christian, given 22 life sentences for the abuse of up to 200 Malaysian children, aged between six months and 12 years. The UK’s ‘worst child abuser’ to date.

28. Disabled children are asexual and so they are less likely to be sexually abused False

29. Disabled children are almost four times more likely to be abused and neglected than non-disabled children • They often lack communication skills to report abuse • They are not consulted about their feelings - UK National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC), 2003

30. Session 2: Developing a duty of care within the school to protect children

31. How do we ensure an school implements a Duty of Care? • Before we discuss, look at this example from the British Council and their Zero Tolerance policy towards child abuse: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0SP0gIixBM

32. Group Question: what can our school staff do to ensure we protect children from abuse?(15 mins for group work, 30 mins to feedback and discuss in plenary)

33. Schools are morally and, potentially, legally responsible, for the well-being of children and are obliged to abide by local education laws • Schools may be held liable for the failure to take “reasonable and appropriate steps” to prevent abuse • A school may be held liable if it selects or retains unfit staff, consultants or volunteers

34. Ensuring children are protected in our workStaff and partners should be trained in child protection and know what child abuse is An organisation should develop a Child Protection Policy with a clear Code of Conduct so that know staff know what is acceptable and unacceptable behavior with childrenStaff should know their responsibilities and be supported in how to report and respond to cases of abuseA Child Protection Focal Point could be appointed to ensure staff understand and follow the policy

35. Ensuring staff are on boardStaff need to know why they are being trained in child protection before they are expected to adhere to a Child Protection PolicyStaff need to feel that management will follow-up on a complaint or incident and take it seriouslyStaff should know what information is to be treated confidentially and what information is to be sharedReporting procedures should be developed based on local laws, local capacities and referral systems (formal and informal)