Alabel National High School

Department of Education Regional Office XII Division of Sarangani Alabel National High School Alabel, Sarangani Province Telephone Nos.: 083-508-2070to71

Child Protection Policy

1. Core beliefs and principles on child protection States Parties shall protect the child from all forms of physical or mental violence, injury or abuse, neglect, maltreatment or exploitation, including sexual abuse. (UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989), Article 19) Pursuant to the 1987 Constitution, the State shall defend the right of children to assistance, including proper care and nutrition, and special protection from all forms of neglect, abuse, cruelty, exploitation and other conditions prejudicial to their development (Art. XV, Sec. 3 [b]). The ALABEL NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL is a child safe school. All teachers school officials (PTA and SGC), all school personnel, the teaching and non-teaching. And students ’organizations (SSG and clubs) have a common commitment to the prevention of abuse, exploitation and violence; and the protection of children. Abuse, exploitation and violence against children happen to all children and the (name of school) have a zero tolerance policy for any act of child abuse, exploitation, violence, discrimination, bullying and other forms of abuse. Our principal, teachers and all other school personnel will at all times demonstrate the highest standards of behavior towards children and the standards of behavior outlined in this policy apply to both the private and professional lives of all school teachers and personnel. This policy sets out common values, principles, and beliefs and describes the steps that will be taken in meeting our commitment to protect children. II. Policy pronouncement of the organization/school on child protection Our values, principles and beliefs

1. All children have equal rights to protection from BC DAVE.

2. The situation of all children must be improved through the promotion of their rights as set out in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. This includes the right to freedom from BC DAVE

3. We have a commitment to protecting children with/for whom we work.

1. Definition of key terms: child protection concerns covered by the policy (Note: refer to existing DepEd Child Protection Policy Definitions) Child – refers to any person below eighteen (18) years of age or those over but are unable to fully take care of themselves or protect themselves from abuse, neglect, cruelty, exploitation or discrimination because of a physical or mental disability or condition; (RA 7610). For purposes of this Department Order, the term also includes pupils or students who may be eighteen (18) years of age or older but are in school.

Bullying- is the use of force, threat, or coercion to abuse, intimidate, or aggressively dominate others. The behavior is often repeated and habitual. One essential prerequisite is the perception, by the bully or by others, of an imbalance of social or physical power. Behaviors used to assert such domination can include verbal harassment or threat, physical assault or coercion, and such acts may be directed repeatedly towards particular targets. Justifications and rationalizations for such behavior sometimes include differences of social class,race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, appearance, behavior, body language, personality, reputation, lineage, strength, size orability. If bullying is done by a group, it is called mobbing. "Targets" of bullying are also sometimes referred to as "victims" of bullying. Bullying ranges from simple one-on-one bullying to more complex bullying in which the bully may have one or more "lieutenants" who may seem to be willing to assist the primary bully in his or her bullying activities. Bullying in school and the workplace is also referred to as peer abuse. Robert W. Fuller has analyzed bullying in the context of rankism. A bullying culture can develop in any context in which human beings interact with each other. This includes school, family, the workplace, home, and neighborhoods. In a 2012 study of male adolescent football players, "the strongest predictor was the perception of whether the most influential male in a player's life would approve of the bullying behavior". Child Abuse – refers to the maltreatment of a child, whether habitual or not, which includes any of the following: (1) Psychological or physical abuse, neglect, cruelty, sexual abuse and emotional maltreatment; (2) Any act by deeds or words which debases, degrades or demeans the intrinsic worth and dignity of a child as a human being; (3) Unreasonable deprivation of the child’s basic needs for survival, such as food and shelter; or (4) Failure to immediately give medical treatment to an injured child resulting in serious impairment of his growth and development or in the child’s permanent incapacity or death (Sec. 3 [b], RA 7610).

Child exploitation - refers to the use of children for someone else’s advantage, gratification or profit often resulting in unjust, cruel and harmful treatment of the child. These activities disrupt the child’s normal physical or mental health, education, moral or social emotional development. It covers situations of manipulation, misuse, abuse, victimization, oppression or ill-treatment.

There are two main forms of child exploitation that are recognized: (1) Sexual exploitation – refers to the abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes. It includes, but it is not limited to forcing a child to participate in prostitution or the production of pornographic materials as a result of being subjected to a threat, deception, coercion, abduction, force, abuse of authority, debt bondage, fraud or through abuse of a victim's vulnerability; (2) Economic exploitation – refers to the use of the child in work or other activities for the benefit of others. Economic exploitation involves a certain gain or profit through the production, distribution and consumption of goods and services. This includes, but is not limited to, illegal child labor, as defined in RA 9231. Violence against children committed in schools - refers to a single act or a series of acts committed by school administrators, academic and non-academic personnel against a child, which result in or is likely to result in physical, sexual, psychological harm or suffering, or other abuses including threats of such acts, battery, assault, coercion, harassment or arbitrary deprivation of liberty. It includes, but is not limited to, the following acts:

1. Physical violence refers to acts that inflict bodily or physical harm.

2. Sexual violence refers to acts that are sexual in nature. It includes, but is not limited to:

a. rape, sexual harassment, acts of lasciviousness, making demeaning and sexually suggestive remarks, physically attacking the sexual parts of the victim's body; b. forcing the child to watch obscene publications and indecent shows or forcing the child to do indecent sexual acts and/or to engage or be involved in the creation or distribution of such films, indecent publication or material; and

c. acts causing or attempting to cause the child to engage in any sexual activity by force, threat of force, physical or other harm or threat of physical or other harm or coercion.

3. Psychological violence refers to acts or omissions causing or likely to cause mental or emotional suffering of the child, such as but not limited to intimidation, harassment, stalking, damage to property, public ridicule or humiliation, deduction or threat of deduction from grade or merit as a form of punishment, and repeated verbal abuse.

Corporal Punishment - refers to a kind of punishment or penalty imposed for an alleged or actual offense, which is carried out or inflicted, for the purpose of discipline, training or control, by a teacher, school administrator, an adult, or any other child, who has been given or has assumed authority or responsibility for punishment or discipline. It includes physical, humiliating or degrading punishment, including but not limited to the following:

1. Blows such as, but not limited to, beating, kicking, hitting, slapping, or lashing, of any part of a child’s body, with or without the use of an instrument such as, but not limited to a cane, broom, stick, whip or belt; 2. Striking any part of the child’s body; 3. Pulling hair, shaking, twisting joints, cutting or piercing skin, dragging, pushing or throwing of a child; 4. Forcing a child to perform physically painful or damaging acts such as, but not limited to, holding a weight or weights for an extended period and kneeling on stones, salt, pebbles or other objects; 5. Deprivation of a child’s physical needs as a form of punishment; 6. Deliberate exposure to fire, ice, water, smoke, sunlight, rain, pepper, alcohol, or forcing the child to swallow substances, dangerous chemicals, and other materials that can cause discomfort or threaten the child’s health, safety and sense of security such as, but not limited to bleach or insecticides, excrement or urine; 7. Tying up a child; 8. Confinement, imprisonment or depriving the liberty of a child; 9. Verbal abuse or assaults, including intimidation or threat of bodily harm, swearing or cursing, ridiculing or denigrating the child; 10. Forcing a child to wear a sign or to put on anything that will make a child look or feel foolish, which belittles or humiliates the child in front of others; and 11. Permanent confiscation of personal property of pupils/students, except when such pieces of property pose a danger to the child or to others. 12. Other analogous acts.

Positive and non-violent discipline of children –refers to a way of thinking and a holistic, constructive and pro-active approach to teaching that helps children develop appropriate thinking and behavior in the short and long-term; and fosters self-discipline. It is based on the fundamental principle that children are full human beings with basic human rights. Positive discipline begins with setting the long-term goals or impacts that teachers want to have on their students’ adult lives, and using everyday situations and challenges as opportunities to teach life-long skills and values to students.

2. General statements on how you will:

1. Raise awareness about child protection issues within the organization

2. Prevent child abuse from happening

3. Ensure the reporting of concerns

4. Ensure appropriate response to reported concerns We will meet our commitment to protect children from abuse through the following means: Awareness: we will ensure that all staff, partners and other representatives are aware of the problem of child abuse and sexual exploitation and the risks to children. Children and their families will be made aware of the standards of behaviour they can expect from our representatives and of how they can raise a concern. Prevention: we will ensure, through awareness raising and good practice, that staff and others minimise the risks to children. Staff and managers will create an environment where children’s rights are respected and child abuse and sexual exploitation of children is prevented. Reporting: we will ensure that staff and others are clear as to what steps to take where concerns arise regarding the abuse or exploitation of children. Responding: we will ensure that action is taken to support, safeguard and protect children where concerns arise regarding their possible abuse and exploitation. In order that the above standards of reporting and responding are met, teachers, school staff and parents will also ensure that they:

1. Take seriously any concerns raised 2. Take positive steps to ensure the protection of children who are the subject of any concerns 3. Support children, staff or other adults who raise concerns or who are the subject of concerns 4. Act appropriately and effectively in instigating or co-operating with any subsequent process of investigation 5. Are guided through the child protection process by the principle of 'best interests of the child' 6. Listen to and take seriously the views and wishes of children 7. Work in partnership with parents and/or other professionals to ensure the protection of children. Code of Conduct All teachers, school officials and personnel of ALABEL NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL must sign up to and abide by this Code of Conduct.

Teachers, school personnel and others must never: 1. Hit or otherwise physically assault or physically abuse children 2. Develop physical/sexual relationships with children 3. Develop relationships with children which could in any way be deemed exploitative or abusive 4. Act in ways that may be abusive or may place a child at risk of abuse. 5. Use language, make suggestions or offer advice which is inappropriate, offensive or abusive 6. Behave physically in a manner which is inappropriate or sexually provocative 7. Have a child/children with whom they are working to stay overnight at their home unsupervised 8. Sleep in the same room or bed as a child with whom they are working 9. Do things for children of a personal nature that they can do for themselves 10. Condone, or participate in, behaviour of children which is illegal, unsafe or abusive 11. Act in ways intended to shame, humiliate, belittle or degrade children, or otherwise perpetrate any form of emotional abuse 12. Discriminate against, show differential treatment, or favour particular children to the exclusion of others.

This is not an exhaustive or exclusive list. The principle is that staff should avoid actions or behaviour which may constitute poor practice or potentially abusive behaviour.

It is important for all staff and others in contact with children to:

13. Be aware of situations which may present risks and manage these 14. Plan and organise the work and the workplace so as to minimise risks 15. As far as possible, be visible in working with children 16. Ensure that a culture of openness exists to enable any issues or concerns to be raised and discussed 17. Ensure that a sense of accountability exists between staff so that poor practice or potentially abusive behaviour does not go unchallenged 18. Talk to children about their contact with staff or others and encourage them to raise any concerns 19. Empower children - discuss with them their rights, what is acceptable and unacceptable, and what they can do if there is a problem.

In general it is inappropriate to:

20. Spend excessive time alone with children away from others 21. Take children to your home, especially where they will be alone with you.

Specific Guidelines for activities (can include other specific guidelines as the school sees fit)

1. All school personnel (teaching and non-teaching) will sign up to and abide by the attached code of conduct 2. All personnel will have access to a copy of the child protection policy

3. Recruitment procedures will include checks on suitability for working with young people

4. Inductions will include a briefing on child protection issues

5. Every classroom will display contact details for reporting possible child abuse and every staff of the school will have contact details for reporting.

6. A systems will be established by the school to investigate possible abuse once reported and to deal with it

7. Training, learning opportunities and support will be provided by the heads of schools as appropriate to ensure commitments are met. Steps you will take to ensure implementation, monitoring and review of the policy

1. This Policy will be reviewed every 3 years. 2. Consultations with children and their carers will be conducted as part of the review process. 3. Local Reporting Procedures will set out procedures for concerns to be identified, reported and responded to. 4. The school must adopt and work progressively towards fully applying existing standards for Awareness and Prevention, and for Reporting and Responding. 5. The school must also develop a checklist to measure compliance and assist the movement towards full compliance against relevant standards.

Prepared by:

JOHNRELL M. REVILLA SGC/CPC Secretary

CHERRY Q. UCHI MERRY JOY C. BENIOLA EVARISTO MACASI ROSELYN S. DELANDAO CPC Vice Chairmen CPC Vice Chairmen CPC Member CPC Member

ARLENE P. ALOOT JE E. ELORDE DAVE M. PAG – ONG ALDRIN FLORES CPC Member CPC Member CPC Member CPC Member

Approved: DANILO S. SIBUGAN CPC Co - Chairman

NOTED: JORGE D. LIANSING, JR. CPC Chairman, Principal II