Child Safeguarding

Safeguarding Statement

Mahindra International School is committed to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child of which India is a signatory, as well as the recommendations of the International Task Force on Child Protection (ITFCP) that has set the standards for safeguarding in schools worldwide. We expect all individuals and groups affiliated with the school community, including staff, service and activity partners, volunteers, associated agencies, contractors, guests, parents and visitors, to act with integrity and to take responsibility for keeping students safe.

Schools fill a special institutional role in society as protectors of children and need to ensure that all children in their care are afforded a safe and secure environment in which to grow and develop, both at school and, to the extent possible, at other locations. Educators, having the opportunity to observe and interact with children over time, are in a unique position to identify children who are in need of help and protection. As such, educators have a professional and ethical obligation to identify children who are at risk, and to take steps to ensure that the child and family avail themselves of the services needed to remedy any situation that constitutes child abuse or neglect.

The health, safety and well-being of all our children is of paramount importance. Our children have the right to protection, regardless of race, colour, national origin, nationality, age, disability, neuro-diversity, sex, gender identity, religion, caste, political beliefs, socio-economic status, marital status or sexual orientation. Reporting any act committed by a parent, guardian or any other person on or off campus, to a child enrolled in the school which results in neglect, physical or emotional injury or sexual harm is of paramount importance.

In alignment with the school’s vision to create ‘an empowered, innovative and agile community of learners who achieve and contribute positively within and beyond the school’, MIS has developed safeguarding policies to guide our community in prevention, education and response to any child protection issues.

In coordination with the recommendations of the ITFCP, we hold ourselves to a high standard of effective recruiting practices with specific attention to child protection. Applicants must be willing to undergo a thorough background check including a police clearance report every two years as well as previous employer reference checks. Outside providers who will have direct and unsupervised contact with students (for example, outdoors education providers, coaches, special programme providers) must also provide the school with police clearance documents in advance.

Adult Visitor Guidelines and Code of Conduct

MIS supports a culture of mutual respect; all communications should be positive, respectful and inclusive.
Visitors must display the visitor’s pass prominently at all times.
Permission from the school must be granted before taking any photos or videos; no images of students may be shared in any social media or online forum; any images of students must be deleted after the permitted purpose is complete.
Visitors may use toilets designated for adults only; no use of student toilets is permitted.
Visitors must not take personal information from any student nor give personal information to any student including contact details and social media profiles unless permission is granted.
Visitors must never be alone with any student nor touch any student nor invade any student’s personal space.
Visitors must not respond to physical contact from any student; if contact occurs, visitors must report it immediately to the Child Protection Officer.
Visitors must report any suspicious or unacceptable behaviour including physical or verbal abuse by and/or between any student or adult.

Reporting a Concern

If you have any concerns about the safety or wellbeing of a student at MIS, please do not hesitate to speak with the Director, Principals, Counselors, or send an email to: secondarycounselor@misp.org

Human systems and economic activities	The study of how and why people construct organizations and systems; the ways in which people connect locally and globally; the distribution of power and authority.
Social organization and culture	The study of people, communities, cultures and societies in the ways in which individuals, groups and societies interact with each other.
Continuity and change through time	The study of the relationships between people and events through time; the past, its influences on the present and its implications for the future; people who have shaped the future through their actions.
Human and natural environments	The study of the distinctive features that give a place its identity; how people adapt to and alter their environment; how people experience and represent place; the impact of natural disasters on people and the built environment.
Resources and the environment	The interaction between people and the environment; the study of how humans allocate and manage resources; the positive and negative effects of this management; the impact of scientific and technological developments on the environment.

Living things	The study of the characteristics, systems and behaviours of humans and other animals, and of plants; the interactions and relationships between and among them, and with their environment.
Earth and space	The study of planet Earth and its position in the universe, particularly its relationship with the sun; the natural phenomena and systems that shape the planet and the distinctive features that identify it; the infinite and finite resources of the planet.
Materials and matter	The study of the properties, behaviours and uses of materials, both natural and human-made; the origins of human-made materials and how they are manipulated to suit a purpose.
Forces and energy	The study of energy, its origins, storage and transfer, and the work it can do; the study of forces; the application of scientific understanding through inventions and machines. (IBO, 2009)