Child Protection and Wellbeing at Chapel School

Policy Statement

Since Chapel School believes that children can be vulnerable to different forms of abuse, great care must be taken in ensuring that all our students are protected and advocated for. To guide us in this most important mission we refer to international recommendations from the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, the International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children, as well as Brazilian laws stated in the Estatuto da Criança e do Adolescente. At Chapel School, all adults are responsible for not only protecting all children enrolled, but also working towards their ultimate wellbeing. To do this, we will take all measures necessary.

Foundational Beliefs

For all effects and purposes, the term child refers to any human being under 18 years of age. Our core child protection beliefs are based on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) These beliefs are rooted in the natural rights of the child and include:

• all adults are responsible for preventing abuse

• children cannot consent to abuse

• children have a right to agency and to voice their opinion

The guiding principles of Child Protection and Wellbeing at Chapel School

The duty to protect and advocate for children takes precedence over all other duties. We will spare no efforts in order to keep children safe both at school and elsewhere. This includes working with all children that may be at risk or have been affected, ensuring the continuity of education delivery and providing support services, always taking actions that are truly in the best interest of the child. We will take into account the child’s wishes, whenever possible, in making decisions. We also recognize that the ultimate decision lies with parents and/or guardians and will work with them closely, unless to do so might jeopardize the welfare of a child. When needed we will work across agencies and go beyond institutional boundaries to protect and advocate for the wellbeing of children.