At EARJ, we believe that there is nothing more precious than the safety and happiness of our children. Sadly, we live in a world where that is threatened by child abuse and neglect. When such violations occur, they take away a child’s fundamental human rights and create obstacles to a child’s education, as well as to their physical, emotional and social development.
EARJ endorses the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, of which our host country, Brazil, is a signatory. We believe that schools fill a special institutional role in society as protectors of children. We see it as our shared responsibility as a community to ensure that all children in our care are afforded a safe and secure environment in which to grow and develop.
What is Child Abuse?
The World Health Organization defines child abuse as follows:
“All forms of physical and/or emotional ill-treatment, sexual abuse, neglect or negligent treatment or commercial or other exploitation, resulting in actual or potential harm to the child’s health, survival, development or dignity in the context of a relationship of responsibility, trust or power.”
A person may abuse a child by inflicting harm, or by failing to act to prevent harm. Here at EARJ, we believe that all adults are responsible to watch over for the wellbeing and safety of all students. All adults should be vigilant and ready to take action, keeping in mind that children and teenagers exhibit a myriad of signs that are not always clear.
Concerns and Reporting
All EARJ staff are trained to identify and respond to possible signs of abuse. We have a clear policy that states that all adults are mandatory reporters. This means that all staff must report suspected cases of child abuse or neglect, whenever there is reasonable cause. If there is significant evidence, the child protection response team will act following safety and intervention protocols. This policy is also designed to ensure the appropriate confidentiality requirements.
Learning More
The school has designated Child Protection / Safeguarding Leads on each campus. These are trained personnel who monitor the school’s compliance with international school child protection standards and practices. They work with the school and its personnel to ensure that EARJ is informed by the established guidelines of the International Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Please connect with the divisional offices to learn more about who they are and what they do.