This protocol provides a framework to guide school leaders and strengthen decision-making as they manage allegations of child abuse by educators and other adults currently or previously working in international school settings. Building on the work of the International Task Force on Child Protection (ITFCP) and the Safeguarding Unit at Farrer & Co, we continue our work across professions to develop child protection resources for the international school community. We intend to enable schools to achieve the highest possible standards in child protection and safeguarding, which may exceed those set by local law.Read More

(ICMEC) Your Role as a Mandatory Reporter - published by ICMEC to support youth serving professionals in identification of signs and indicators, grooming behavior and trauma informed response to child disclosure.  Additional support for training on identifying grooming is available in these additional resources.Read More

All ICMEC resources are applicable to children with different abilities and needs.  Some resources are written to address specific vulnerabilities of children with commuication or psychosocial disabilities, in particular Austistic Spectrum Condition (ASC).  These research-informed resources were compiled by trusted child protection partners such as NCMEC (US), NAS (US), NSPCC (UK), SWGfL (UK), and INEQE (UK).Read More

WHO - This handbook addresses the key elements of violence or abuse prevention in schools. It provides guidance for school officials and education authorities on how schools can embed violence prevention within their routine activities and across the points of interaction schools provide with children, parents and other community members. If implemented, the handbook will contribute much to helping achieve the SDGs and other global health and development goals. Produced by the World Health Organization in collaboration with UNESCO and UNICEF.  Available in English, Spanish and French.Read More

Student safety surveys are used to identify child protection risks to be mitigated.  They should not be used if staff are not trained to respond to student disclosre, there is no child protection policy, or clear reporting pathway for students to disclose abuse.  A lack of action following a safety survey could exacerbate existing instances of abuse.Read More

(ICMEC) Safeguarding challenges of online school can be overcome with risk mitigating codes of conduct and child protection policies and procedures.  Ensure staff are aware of their professional responsibilities to maintain appropriate boundaries with students.  Usual school principles of avoiding 1-on-1 contact with students and supervised, observable and interruptable contact with vulnerable students should be in place in online learning environments.Read More

(Redwoods Group) Infographic on features of grooming process in institutional sexual abuse and employee sexual misconduct as seen in Sandusky case.  Available in Spanish and Chinese.Read More

(ICMEC) Infographic outlines phases of comprehensive child protection planning for schools including abuse prevention education and the professional development needed by staff. Through ICMEC's Education Portal and Global Training Academy, educators are equipped to help prevent, identify and intervene in cases of child abuse, neglect and exploitation.Read More

(ICMEC Summary from LSCB Serious Case Review) Review of policies and actions that foster abuse resistant environments in international schools. Summary of lessons learned from serious case review commissioned on behalf of Hammersmith and Fulham, Kensington and Chelsea and Westminster LSCB, following the reported sexual abuse of at least 54 pupils at an independent international day school in London. The source report was prepared by two lead reviewers, both experienced in writing serious case review reports. The abuse, which occurred over a period of four years was perpetrated by a teacher known to have been a prolific sex offender in multiple international schools. Link to full report included in summary.Read More

(UKCCIS) Produced by the UK Counsel for Child Internet Safety, this cornerstone advice is for school heads and child protection designates or designated safeguarding leads on youth produced sexual imagery. Research found that 61% of secondary school head teachers reported this as a greater concern than smoking, drugs, obesity or offline bullying. This advice covers responding to disclosures, handling devices and imagery, assessing risk, reporting protocols, recording incidents, involving parents, supporting victims and victimizers, and preventative safeguarding and IT education. Resource lists, reporting forms, incident flow charts and staff training materials are included.Read More

(Lanning and Dietz, 2014) Article dispels myths and addresses misconceptions about acquaintance molesters and enables youth-serving organizations to recognize barriers to identification and adoption of best practice in order to do the most the law allows rather than the least the law requires. Published online 23 May 2014 "Journal of Interpersonal Violence," 29, 2815-2838Read More

(Association of International Schools in Africa, AISA) Foundation resource for international schools developed with content experts. Contains modules on recruitment, policies and procedures, multi-disciplinary teams, abuse prevention curriculum, and self-audit tools. Guidance is applicable to all child-serving organizations, but also includes regional resources.Read More

(NCMEC & OJJDP) This publication hopes to address and improve this situation for the benefit of the victims, investigators, and prosecutors. While society has become increasingly more aware of the problem of the acquaintance molester and related problems such as child pornography, the voice calling the public to focus only on “stranger danger” and many child-abuse professionals to focus only on intrafamilial sexual abuse still persists. Sexual-exploitation cases involving acquaintance molesters present many investigative challenges, but they also present the opportunity to obtain a great deal of corroborative evidence, get solid convictions, and prevent continued victimization.Read More

(ISPCAN) Lois J. Engelbrecht with MSW Center for the Prevention & Treatment of Child Sexual Abuse, Philippines Protect & Save the Children, Malaysia Prevent Child Sexual Abuse Project, Hanoi - Report explores victimization experiences of expatriate students in international schools using the juvenile victimization questionnaire with American international school students and explores features of the expat student population that increases their vulnerability to abuse and exploitation.Read More

(APSAC) The sexual victimization of children is a highly emotional issue. Publicity and controversy over complex topics such as repressed memory, satanic ritual abuse, and suggestibility of children have divided and polarized many child advocates, the media, and the American public. In addition to explaining the characteristics of 'backlash' and 'witch hunt' phenomenons, the author describes the key professional qualities needed when running an internal investigation into abuse allegations.Read More