Ensuring that children and young people feel secure and are protected is central to all we do.
We are committed to making sure children are kept safe from both deliberate and accidental harm and abuse, and that our staff and other representatives never exploit their position of trust.
SOS Children’s Villages does not tolerate any form of child abuse, exploitation, neglect or violation of a child’s privacy and rights. We are eager to create and maintain a caring and protective environment for all children, young people, and staff.
We work in accordance with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Guidelines for the Alternative Care of Children, which outline the fundamental rights of children, including the right to be protected. We strongly require our staff to always act in the best interest of children.
OUR CHILD SAFEGUARDING POLICY
Creating a safe environment for children, young people and families – within our programmes and in the wider community and society – is an integral part of everything we do.
The SOS Children’s Villages Child Protection Policy defines the different kinds of child abuse that exist and how to safely report concerns. The policy also spells out the obligation of every SOS Children’s Villages employee and associate to report any concern, suspicion or allegation of any child abuse.
Our Child Protection Policy focuses on four key action areas: awareness, prevention, reporting and responding. We place special emphasis on awareness and prevention to safeguard children and improve the quality of the care they receive. In case of a reported child safeguarding concern, it is taken seriously and addressed without delay. We also have a strong Code of Conduct for all our staff and volunteers as well as clear reporting and responding procedures. We take swift and determined action if staff members fail to adhere to our policies and expectations for child safeguarding.
HOW TO REPORT MISCONDUCT
If you have a safeguarding concern related to SOS Children’s Villages, our staff or representatives, or are concerned about a child’s safety, please click here to report it.
If you are employed by SOS Children’s Villages, we encourage you to consider alternative reporting options as outlined in our Child Protection Policy and related policy support documents.
All complaints of child abuse, exploitation, neglect or violation will be taken seriously and treated with respect. The guiding principle when dealing with any reported concern is that the safety and welfare of the child always comes first. We strive to create an environment in which victims feel free to come forward to raise concerns and allegations. We follow up on concerns and allegations and ensure that the rights of victims, as well as those accused, shall be respected.