Child Protection Policy
Primary Interlocutors: Legal Working Group and Well-Being Working Group
In September 2019, the APEEE formally requested at the school Administrative Board that the school to develop a Child Protection Policy in accordance with European School requirements. The document on Child Protection (ref. 2007-D-441-en-5) approved by the Board of Governors in May 2008 requires that:
- [Policy] “...each school has to develop its child protection policy and put procedures in place (taking account of local legislation as well) and this policy is to be communicated to parents whose representatives should be involved in creating the document. Publication and dissemination of the policy on child protection would be vital to ensure ownership of the policy and compliance of all members of the school community.”
- [Liaison] “...the school is required to designate a senior member of staff as the Designated Liaison Person for Child Protection – the head teacher or someone nominated by the head teacher – to liaise with the authorised National Agencies on specific child protection measures, and to be a resource person to any staff member or volunteer who has child protection concerns.”
- [Education/Curriculum] “Schools should educate children through the curriculum programmes in the fields of the danger of emotional, physical and sexual abuse as part of Relationships and Sex Education as well as the negative effects of smoking, alcohol consumption and drug abuse as part of the Personal and Health Education programme. Schools also should educate pupils on good behaviour on the internet and safe internet use in order to avoid cases of web-bullying or false accusations, etc.”
EEBI parents believe that an overarching Child Protection Policy is essential to ensuring a safe, secure and protected environment in which our children can grow and learn. So we eagerly await the development of an EEBI Child Protection Policy and the appointment of a liaison. A working group was promised by the EEBI school management in February 2020, and parents again requested this at the September 2020 EEBI Administrative Board. The group, including representatives from different stakeholders, was finally launched in December 2020 with plans to put something in place by February 2021, now foreseen for next year. We strongly believe that this work should be prioritised.
The policy will serve as a gateway to a set of procedures, support structures and interventions around a range of issues of high concern to parents: use of mobile phones/screen time, cyber bullying, drug use, mental health, and relationships/sexual education; it will also help guide the work of our Well-Being and Legal Working Groups and allow us to more closely align our programmes with those of the school. As part of this work, the APEEE has particularly requested that clear reporting and complaints procedures be developed, implemented and published on the website. Finally, the APEEE urges the Office of the Secretary General to guide and harmonise the work undertaken in the Brussels Schools related to Child Protection.
Supporting Documents
OSGES: Child Protection (2007-D-441-en-5; May 2008)
INTERPARENTS JTC Proposal: Creation of a Working Group on inclusivity and tolerance at school (2019-09-D-45-en-1; October 2019)
INTERPARENTS JTC Proposal: Creation of a Working Group on mediation at the European Schools (2019-09-D-46-en-1; October 2019)
NewEurope: A mental health crisis in the European Schools community (Martina Lalova and Laszlo Molnarfi; 25 September 2020)
INTERPARENTS JTC Proposal: Proposal to extend the definition of vulnerable pupils (2020-09-D-65-en-1; October 2020)
See also: Legal Working Group and Well-Being Working Group
Last update: 11/07/2021