Safeguarding & Child Protection
Do you have a safeguarding & child protection concern?
If you would like to raise a safeguarding & child protection concern we welcome you to contact our safeguarding team. We will listen carefully and take every concern seriously.
Our commitment is to respond with compassion, confidentiality, and professionalism guided by trauma-informed principles to ensure that you are heard and supported.
Safeguarding & child protection concerns could include:
- Concerns for the safety and well-being of a child. For example:
- Disclosures of harm from a child.
- A child displaying concerning behavior(s) or other possible indicators of harm.
- Concerns that a child has been harmed, whether by an adult or another child.
- Inappropriate relationships developing between an adult and a child.
- Concerns that Open Schools Worldwide Safeguarding Policy or Code of Conduct has been breached.
- Concerns regarding unsafe protocols or practices at Open Schools Worldwide.
- Historical reports of past harm.
Confidentiality
All safeguarding concerns will be handled with care and respect for confidentiality. Information will only be shared with the appropriate safeguarding personnel who need to know in order to respond and ensure safety. While we aim to protect your privacy, there may be times when information must be shared to protect a child or vulnerable adult, or when required by law.
Anonymous Reporting
If you feel uncomfortable sharing your name, you may report a safeguarding concern anonymously. Anonymous reports will still be taken seriously and reviewed carefully. However, providing contact details can sometimes help our safeguarding team follow up and respond more effectively.
* Open Schools Worldwide also recognizes the importance of safeguarding vulnerable adults, not just children. To uphold this commitment, Open Schools Worldwide applies the same safeguarding principles and processes to respond to harm to vulnerable adults. A vulnerable adult is a person who is 18 years of age or over, who has the functional, mental, or physical inability to care for themselves. It can also refer to someone who is unable to protect themselves against harm or exploitation.
