Child Protection Policy
Vision Africa takes child protection very seriously and we are committed to ensuring that all children in our care, or in programmes supported by us, are allowed to grow up as children, protected from harm and abuse and free from exploitation.
All of our staff and volunteers are required to sign and comply with our child protection policy and any volunteers are subject to checking with the UK Criminal Records Bureaux.
We fully support the UN convention on the rights of the child, which states: 'Parties shall protect the child from all forms of physical or mental violence, injury or abuse, neglect, maltreatment or exploitation, including sexual abuse. (UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989), Article 19).
Protecting Children
Child abuse is a global phenomenon. It occurs in all countries and in all societies and can involve the physical, sexual, emotional abuse and neglect of children (or complex combinations of these kinds of abuse). Bullying is a particular form of this abuse and children can be bullied and/or abused by a wide range of individuals including children, siblings, parents, wider family members, carers, teachers and others with professional contact with children, as well as strangers. It is the aim of Vision Africa to prevent all forms of Child abuse to children in our care. Where we suspect or recognize abuse we will deal appropriately with it within the law of the country.
We believe that all children have a right to a happy, healthy and secure childhood and that the abuse of children is an abuse of their rights as set out in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Child abuse is never acceptable under any circumstances.
Safeguarding Children
Vision Africa will safeguard the children that we are seeking to help by the following means:
Awareness: All staff and volunteers will be made aware of the problem of child abuse and the risks this poses to the children.
Prevention: Our actions and programmes are designed to prevent child abuse and, through awareness and good practice, we will minimize the risks to children.
In addition, our key objectives (as stated below) are designed to eliminate, as far as is possible, child abuse and exploitation for those children we seek to help:
Provision: We aim to provide food, clothing, a safe environment, recreation facilities, quality water supplies, toilet and washing facilities.
Protection: We want to ensure secure housing, safety, power for lighting and the like to enable the prevention of physical, emotional and sexual exploitation of children.
Preparation: We provide funds for school fees and materials to allow children to undertake primary, secondary and, where appropriate, tertiary education.
Sponsored Children
We want all our sponsors to enjoy a long and fulfilling relationship with the child they sponsor; however, we also have to ensure the safety of our children. We therefore will limit the amount of information we supply about children and, as a rule, personal contact with the child is not permitted. In some circumstances we may arrange for a sponsor to meet their child, but always accompanied and not in the home environment.
The sponsorship process is dependent upon your agreement that, as sponsor, you will not attempt to contact a sponsored child, their family or community members, in any manner other than that prescribed and permitted by Vision Africa. Telephone calls, email or unplanned visits to the child's residence and community are forbidden without written permission and oversight by Vision Africa. In addition, all postal mail and packages sent must conform to Vision Africa policy and are subject to vetting by us.