CHILD PROTECTION AND SAFEGUARDING
POLICY
At the United School of Tokyo we believe that students are entitled to learn in a safe, caring, and supportive community. To this end, we undertake to create a school that models responsible personal and social behavior and keeps students free from the fear of any kind of abuse or neglect and enables them to experience the fulfillment that comes from actively participating in a learning community.
All UST employees are required, without exception, to report cases of suspected child abuse or neglect to one of the designated personnel within the School. The designated person will liaise with the school’s designated safeguarding lead and may consult directly with and make referrals to the appropriate child guidance center or police. All designated persons have additional information to assist in the assessment of suspected abuse.
WHAT IS SAFEGUARDING?
Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is defined as:
DEFINITIONS AND INDICATORS OF ABUSE AND NEGLECT
Abuse and neglect are forms of maltreatment of a child. A person may abuse or neglect a child by inflicting harm or by failing to act to prevent harm. Children may be abused in a familial, institutional or community setting, by those known to them or, more rarely, by a stranger, for example, via the internet. They may be abused by an adult or adults, or by another child or children.
At the United School of Tokyo we believe that students are entitled to learn in a safe, caring, and supportive community. To this end, we undertake to create a school that models responsible personal and social behavior and keeps students free from the fear of any kind of abuse or neglect and enables them to experience the fulfillment that comes from actively participating in a learning community.
All UST employees are required, without exception, to report cases of suspected child abuse or neglect to one of the designated personnel within the School. The designated person will liaise with the school’s designated safeguarding lead and may consult directly with and make referrals to the appropriate child guidance center or police. All designated persons have additional information to assist in the assessment of suspected abuse.
WHAT IS SAFEGUARDING?
Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is defined as:
- protecting children from maltreatment
- preventing impairment of children’s health or development
- ensuring that children grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care
- taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes
DEFINITIONS AND INDICATORS OF ABUSE AND NEGLECT
Abuse and neglect are forms of maltreatment of a child. A person may abuse or neglect a child by inflicting harm or by failing to act to prevent harm. Children may be abused in a familial, institutional or community setting, by those known to them or, more rarely, by a stranger, for example, via the internet. They may be abused by an adult or adults, or by another child or children.
PHYSICAl ABUSE
Physical abuse may involve hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning or scalding, drowning, suffocating or otherwise causing physical harm to a child. Physical harm may also be caused when a primary carer fabricates the symptoms of, or deliberately induces, illness in a child.
Signs of Physical Abuse
Signs of Physical Abuse
- Bruises, burns, sprains, dislocations, bites, cuts
- Defensive wounds commonly on the forearm, upper arm, back of the leg, hands, or feet
- Improbable excuses given to explain injuries, or refusal to discuss injuries
- Injuries to the body in places that aren’t normally exposed to falls, etc.
- Withdrawal from physical contact
- Fear of returning home or of parents being contacted
- Showing wariness or distrust of adults
- Self-destructive tendencies
- Being aggressive towards others
- Being very passive and compliant
- Chronic running away
EMOTIONAL ABUSE
Emotional abuse is the persistent emotional maltreatment of a child such as to cause severe and persistent adverse effects on the child’s emotional development. It may involve conveying to children that they are worthless or unloved, inadequate, or valued only insofar as they meet the needs of another person. It may include not giving the child opportunities to express his/her views, deliberately silencing the child or ridiculing what s/he says or how s/he communicates. It may feature age or developmentally inappropriate expectations being imposed on children. These may include interactions that are beyond the child’s developmental capability, as well as over-protection and limitation of exploration and learning, or preventing the child from participating in normal social interaction. It may involve seeing or hearing the ill treatment of another. It may involve serious bullying (including cyber bullying), causing children frequently to feel frightened or in danger, or the exploitation or corruption of children. Some level of emotional abuse is involved in all types of maltreatment of a child, though it may also occur on its own.
Signs of Emotional Abuse
There often aren’t any obvious physical symptoms of emotional abuse, but you may spot signs in a child's actions or emotions. Changes in emotions are a normal part of growing up, so it can be difficult to tell if a child is being emotionally abused.
Signs of Emotional Abuse
There often aren’t any obvious physical symptoms of emotional abuse, but you may spot signs in a child's actions or emotions. Changes in emotions are a normal part of growing up, so it can be difficult to tell if a child is being emotionally abused.
- Use language, act in a way, or know about things that you wouldn’t expect them to know for their age
- Struggle to control strong emotions or have extreme outbursts
- Seem isolated from their parents
- Lack social skills or have few, if any, friends.
- Physical, mental and emotional development delays
- Highly anxious
- Showing delayed speech or sudden speech disorder
- Fear of new situations
- Low self-esteem
- Inappropriate emotional responses to painful situations
- Extremes of passivity or aggression
SEXUAL ABUSE
Sexual abuse involves forcing or enticing a child to take part in sexual activities, not necessarily involving a high level of violence, whether or not the child is aware of what is happening. The activities may involve physical contact, including assault by penetration (for example, rape or oral sex) or non-penetrative acts such as masturbation, kissing, rubbing and touching outside of clothing. They may also include non-contact activities, such as involving children in looking at, or in the production of, sexual images, watching sexual activities, encouraging children to behave in sexually inappropriate ways, or grooming a child in preparation for abuse (including via the internet). Sexual abuse may be perpetrated by adult males or females or other children.
Signs of Sexual Abuse
Signs of Sexual Abuse
- Sexual behavior or knowledge that's inappropriate for the child's age
- Statements that he or she was sexually abused
- Inappropriate sexual contact with other children
- Blood in the child's underwear
- Pain or irritation to the genital area
- Difficulty with urination
- Regressive behaviors, bed wetting, or stranger anxiety
- Not wanting to be left alone with certain people or being afraid to be away from primary caregivers, especially if this is a new behavior
- Avoiding removing clothing to change or bathe
- Sexually provocative behaviour
- Showing fear or distrust of a particular adult
- Mentioning receiving special attention from an adult or a new “secret” friendship with an adult or older student
- Exhibiting fear of or rejection of any physical contact with another
NEGLECT
Neglect is the persistent failure to meet a child’s basic physical and/or psychological needs, likely to result in the serious impairment of the child’s health or development. Neglect is the most common form of child abuse. Neglect may occur during pregnancy as a result of maternal substance abuse. Once a child is born, neglect may take the form of:
Neglect can be very difficult to identify. Some signs of neglect include:
- Physical neglect - Failing to provide for a child’s basic needs such as food, clothing, or shelter. Failing to adequately supervise a child or provide for their safety.
- Educational neglect - Failing to ensure a child receives an education.
- Emotional neglect - Failing to meet a child’s needs for nurture and stimulation, perhaps by ignoring, humiliating, intimidating or isolating them.
- Medical neglect - Failing to provide appropriate health care and refusal of care or ignoring medical recommendations.
Neglect can be very difficult to identify. Some signs of neglect include:
- Poor appearance and hygiene; they may
- be smelly or dirty
- have unwashed clothes
- have inadequate clothing, e.g. not having a winter coat
- seem hungry or turn up to school without having breakfast or any lunch
- Health and developmental problems; they may have:
- untreated injuries, medical and dental issues
- repeated accidental injuries caused by lack of supervision
- recurring illnesses or infections
- not been given appropriate medicines
- tiredness
- faltering weight or growth and not reaching developmental milestones (known as failure to thrive)
- Housing and family issues; they may be:
- living in an unsuitable home environment, for example dog mess being left or not having any heating
- left alone for a long time or overnight
- left unsupervised or under supervision of underage siblings
- taking on the role of carer for other family members
JAPANESE STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS
The Act on the Prevention of Child Abuse of 2000 describes the appropriate legal considerations in Japan. This law relates to children under the age of 18 and relates to cases of abuse inflicted by parents or guardians only. Key aspects of the Japanese law include:
Article 5: Teachers, officials and other staff workers of schools … shall endeavor to detect child abuse at an early stage, acknowledging that they are in the positions to detect child abuse easily.
Article 6 (1): A person who has detected a child who appears to have suffered child abuse shall promptly give notification to the municipality or the welfare office or child guidance center established by the prefecture, or to the municipality or such welfare office or child guidance center through a commissioned child welfare volunteer.
Article 7: When a municipality or a welfare office or child guidance center established by a prefecture receives a notification pursuant to the provision of paragraph (1) of the preceding Article, the director, employees and other officials of the municipality or the welfare office or child guidance center established by a prefecture, and the commissioned child welfare volunteer who mediated said notification, shall not divulge any information that comes to their knowledge in the course of their duties and that may identify the person who made said notification.
Article 5: Teachers, officials and other staff workers of schools … shall endeavor to detect child abuse at an early stage, acknowledging that they are in the positions to detect child abuse easily.
Article 6 (1): A person who has detected a child who appears to have suffered child abuse shall promptly give notification to the municipality or the welfare office or child guidance center established by the prefecture, or to the municipality or such welfare office or child guidance center through a commissioned child welfare volunteer.
Article 7: When a municipality or a welfare office or child guidance center established by a prefecture receives a notification pursuant to the provision of paragraph (1) of the preceding Article, the director, employees and other officials of the municipality or the welfare office or child guidance center established by a prefecture, and the commissioned child welfare volunteer who mediated said notification, shall not divulge any information that comes to their knowledge in the course of their duties and that may identify the person who made said notification.
WHEN TO REPORT
CONCERNS ABOUT A CHILD AND WHEN TO REPORT
An indicator of suspected abuse or neglect is, for example, disclosure by the child to a friend, classmate, teacher, or other trusted adult. Other factors, such as unexplained injuries and implausible explanations or changes in behavior or emotional state, may be causes for concern. Additionally, employees do not need absolute proof to make a report to a designated person. If an employee has ‘reasonable cause’ or ‘reasonable suspicion’ based on his/her knowledge of the student or personal experience with children, the employee should act in good faith and speak to a designated person.
When abuse or maltreatment is suspected, it is important that employees listen carefully to students, giving them the time they need to talk about what happened to them and how they are feeling about it. Questions can include:
Employees should involve only those needing to be involved, such as the designated safeguarding lead. Employees should not promise a child that they will not tell anyone about a report of abuse, as this may ultimately not be in the best interests of the child.
An indicator of suspected abuse or neglect is, for example, disclosure by the child to a friend, classmate, teacher, or other trusted adult. Other factors, such as unexplained injuries and implausible explanations or changes in behavior or emotional state, may be causes for concern. Additionally, employees do not need absolute proof to make a report to a designated person. If an employee has ‘reasonable cause’ or ‘reasonable suspicion’ based on his/her knowledge of the student or personal experience with children, the employee should act in good faith and speak to a designated person.
When abuse or maltreatment is suspected, it is important that employees listen carefully to students, giving them the time they need to talk about what happened to them and how they are feeling about it. Questions can include:
- What, if anything, happened?
- Who was involved?
- When did it happen?
- Where did it happen?
Employees should involve only those needing to be involved, such as the designated safeguarding lead. Employees should not promise a child that they will not tell anyone about a report of abuse, as this may ultimately not be in the best interests of the child.
REPORTING PROCEDURE AT UST
1. Employees who have reasonable cause to suspect abuse or maltreatment must notify the safeguarding lead or an assistant safeguarding lead as soon as possible and within two hours. The designated person will make a written log of concerns.
2. A case management team will be composed of the safeguarding lead, assistant safeguarding leads, and the principal (if the principal is not one of the leads).
3. Where a child is suffering, or is likely to suffer from harm, it is important that a referral to the Child Guidance Office is made immediately. If the designated person believes that a child’s life or health is in imminent danger, s/he should contact the emergency services (dial 110).
4. If the allegation of abuse involves a UST employee, the employee will immediately be removed from their role and any contact with children. This may be for some or all of the inquiry period.
5. An inquiry will be made. The inquiry will be prompt, professional, confidential and thorough to determine whether reasonable grounds exist to verify whether abuse occurred.
The team may decide a referral is not required, and the school will take relevant action on site. The child’s progress will be monitored at the school and further action may be determined if the child’s situation does not appear to be improving or is getting worse. The case will be documented and stored confidentially and safely.
The school will report any substantiated student abuse to the relevant Japanese authorities, as is required by law pursuant to Article 6 of the Child Abuse Prevention Act, and seek relevant legal advice. If a violation of the law is suspected, the school will cooperate fully with any subsequent external investigation as required by law.
If the situation involves a UST employee, the principal will determine suitable disciplinary action, which could result in termination of employment and any relevant legal action. Even the first offence may lead to disciplinary action, including termination of contract.
UST employees who violate any regulation relating to Student Protection, or infringe the Code of Conduct, will at a minimum be officially reprimanded in writing. This will take place in a meeting involving the principal.
If inappropriate behavior did exist but does not constitute abuse, the perpetrator will be subject to appropriate disciplinary consequences.
Additionally, the Case Management Committee may also consult with other authorities or consular/embassy officials as appropriate.
6. A copy of all documents will be held in a secure location in the office.
2. A case management team will be composed of the safeguarding lead, assistant safeguarding leads, and the principal (if the principal is not one of the leads).
3. Where a child is suffering, or is likely to suffer from harm, it is important that a referral to the Child Guidance Office is made immediately. If the designated person believes that a child’s life or health is in imminent danger, s/he should contact the emergency services (dial 110).
4. If the allegation of abuse involves a UST employee, the employee will immediately be removed from their role and any contact with children. This may be for some or all of the inquiry period.
5. An inquiry will be made. The inquiry will be prompt, professional, confidential and thorough to determine whether reasonable grounds exist to verify whether abuse occurred.
The team may decide a referral is not required, and the school will take relevant action on site. The child’s progress will be monitored at the school and further action may be determined if the child’s situation does not appear to be improving or is getting worse. The case will be documented and stored confidentially and safely.
The school will report any substantiated student abuse to the relevant Japanese authorities, as is required by law pursuant to Article 6 of the Child Abuse Prevention Act, and seek relevant legal advice. If a violation of the law is suspected, the school will cooperate fully with any subsequent external investigation as required by law.
If the situation involves a UST employee, the principal will determine suitable disciplinary action, which could result in termination of employment and any relevant legal action. Even the first offence may lead to disciplinary action, including termination of contract.
UST employees who violate any regulation relating to Student Protection, or infringe the Code of Conduct, will at a minimum be officially reprimanded in writing. This will take place in a meeting involving the principal.
If inappropriate behavior did exist but does not constitute abuse, the perpetrator will be subject to appropriate disciplinary consequences.
Additionally, the Case Management Committee may also consult with other authorities or consular/embassy officials as appropriate.
6. A copy of all documents will be held in a secure location in the office.
