HİSAR SCHOOL CHILD PROTECTION POLICY

Hisar School Child Protection Policy aims to determine the path and principles to be followed in order to prevent risk and protect the child at risk. The purposes of establishing the Hisar School Child Protection Policy are:

• To provide learning environments that support children’s physical, emotional and social well-being by making them feel safe and protected,
• To ensure that our children have equal opportunities without discrimination within the framework of the principle of equality by respecting their fundamental rights,
• Ensuring that school stakeholders are knowledgeable about all rules, expectations and planning regarding child protection issues and supporting the achievement of child protection objectives,
• To make it possible to continuously and regularly improve applications that may be risky in terms of child safety,
• To create an evaluation system so that discourses and actions regarding children’s rights, child safety and well-being can progress in line with common goals.

The Hisar School Child Protection Principles encompass the fundamental principles adopted by the school to ensure the well-being, safety, and protection of its students. These principles are core elements that reflect Hisar School’s commitment to the health, safety, and education of children, aiming to enable students to realize their potential and become global citizens:

Best Interest of the Child: Hisar School prioritizes the best interests of the child by providing the necessary conditions for their well-being and safety.

Prevention of Violence Against Children: Hisar School aims to prevent all forms of abuse and neglect, promoting collaboration among adults for the protection of children.

Non-Discrimination: Hisar School does not allow discrimination against any child for any reason, values the differences among children, and promotes equality.

Right to Life Survival and Development: Hisar School safeguard the physical and emotional integrity of all children, considers each child’s developmental level, and provides support accordingly.

Confidentiality: Hisar School ensures the security of children’s information and takes measures to limit access to information to relevant individuals.

Child Participation: Hisar School allows children to freely express their opinions, respect their views, and encourage equal participation of all children. Processes are accountable, transparent, and responsive to children’s feedback.

All stakeholders of Hisar School are responsible for the protection of children in accordance with Hisar School Child Protection Policy. There are designated roles and responsibilities related to the policy.

1. School administrations are responsible for preventing situations that may lead to child abuse or neglect by ensuring the presence of procedures, monitoring the activities of the Child Protection Team, providing support, and ensuring the proper and timely implementation of all procedures within the school to guarantee the reporting of potential child abuse cases.
2. Each school has a leader and a member for each level in the Child Protection Teams. These teams collaborate with school administration, Counseling specialists, and school discipline committees regarding the Hisar School Child Protection Policy. They advocate for the child protection policy, organize training, record cases, and collaborate with legal authorities when necessary.
3. The Child Protection Team leader prepares a plan, gathers information, and reports to the Hisar School Child Protection Committee in cases of suspected neglect or abuse. They also follow the policy steps in abuse cases and provide leadership in fulfilling legal obligations. In the absence of the child protection leader, another member of the Child Protection Team takes on the role.
4. The Child Protection Committee consists of a vice principal from each school, a school doctor, and a HSE (Occupational Health and Safety) Technical Manager, and is accountable to the Executive Committee. The Child Protection committee monitors developments in child protection, plans training, reviews policies, guides the child protection team, and meets twice a year.
5. All stakeholders of Hisar School participate in training on Hisar School Child Protection Policy and practices, report suspicions of child abuse or neglect in line with principles of confidentiality, and carry out activities in accordance with the policy.

• • Teachers are responsible for promptly and accurately reporting to the child protection team leader when they have reasonable suspicions of child abuse or neglect. Additionally, they foster positive relationships, encourage respectful behavior, and collaborate to ensure the child’s safety by taking preventive measures.
  • Psychological counselors collaborate with the child protection team to report suspicions of abuse or neglect. They support students’ emotional and mental well-being, design educational programs, work with teachers and other staff, identify problems, maintain confidentiality, keep records, and provide emotional support.
  • School doctors/nurses monitor the physical and emotional health of the child, provide necessary medical and emotional support in cases of suspected abuse, record observations, and oversee the proper administration of medications.
  • Parents/legal guardians collaborate with school management and staff, respond to inquiries about the student, attend information meetings on child protection policies, and are responsible for conveying concerns about the child’s behavior.

Steps to Follow When Faced with Suspected Child Abuse/Neglect

1. Step: Anyone who witnesses or has information about a suspicious situation should report it to the School’s Child Protection Team (CPT) within 24 hours. The CPT Leader fills out the Child Abuse/Neglect Suspected Situation Report Form and submits it to the school principal.
2. Step: The school’s Child Protection Team and a psychological counselor take the opinion of the principal on the issue and make decisions together with the team.
3. Step: In specified cases, an action plan is created by CPT and documented. According to the Penal Code of Turkey, a crime report is filed because behaviors of abuse are also considered crimes. Therefore, these behaviors must be reported to the police, gendarme, or the Public Prosecutor’s Office. The notification of the child’s protection needs is made to the Ministry of Family, Labor, and Social Services, taking relevant laws into account. The steps followed during this process are as follows:

• • The family is informed through a face-to-face meeting.
  • The school’s psychological counselor provides support to the student and the family.
  • When necessary, medical intervention is carried out by the school doctor/nurse or transfer to a healthcare facility with the relevant expertise is arranged.
  • Legal and/or judicial counseling is sought regarding the matter.
  • Based on the decision of the Child Protection Board, reports regarding the suspicious situation, crime, or protection needs are made to the relevant authorities. 
  • If the suspected individual is a school employee, a decision is made to suspend the employee’s work for a specified or unspecified period, and this decision is implemented.

4. Step: All written reports and documents are kept in the Child Protection confidential file. They are shared with relevant authorities as needed within the legal framework.
5. Step: Decisions made during the meeting are communicated to the child and relevant parties to ensure support and follow-up.
6. Step: The case is regularly monitored at intervals.