Plan International launches kindergartener protection manual
Plan International Hong Kong has compiled Hong Kong’s first “Kindergarten Child Safeguarding Practice Manual”, providing kindergartens and care centres with information on the coping methods and execution of the Child Safeguarding Policy and necessary procedures for reporting and handling suspected child maltreatment.
The toolkit will be delivered to the institutions for free, while Plan International Hong Kong also developed a Child Safeguarding Online Learning Platform to reinforce staff from child-related institutions' awareness of child safeguarding.
The organization said the toolkit was written with reference to the Child Safeguarding Policy framework and the practical operation of Kindergartens.
“This, in essence, is a comprehensive set of guides for all child-related institutions, including how schools should conduct a risk assessment and management of different environments, carry out child safeguarding measures; how schools should establish a ‘child safeguarding’ culture in staff recruitment, training, and continuous development; the mechanism for identifying and reporting suspected child abuse cases with additional situation analysis and a series of document templates to help them develop their CSP,” said Plan International.
The organization expected that with the launch of the manual, child-related institutions could recognise the importance of child safeguarding and implement relevant measures as early as possible.
“These measures could help minimise the harm or maltreatment of children as a result of misconduct or neglect by school staff, and prevent child abuse in the first place,” it added.