Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Child Protection Policy OF Pasay Sped Center
Child Protection Policy OF Pasay Sped Center
NCR
Division of Pasay
West District
Cluster 5
PASAY SPED CENTER
Policy Statement
It is the policy of PASAY SPED CENTER to create, promote, and maintain a respectful, safe,
motivating, and supportive learning environment in order to optimize pupil learning, safety, and
effectiveness.
PASAY SPED CENTER upholds that discipline begins at home with parents who are the first
and primary educators and models of values formation for their children. Hence, partnership by
the school with parents in the support of the pupils’ social, emotional, and academic growth is
very much part of the school’s program.
The school also maintains that the best interest of the child shall be the utmost concern of
all the endeavors the school and its stakeholder may undertake.
Finally, the PASAY SPED CENTER strongly adheres to the Department of Education’s objective
of promoting a zero-tolerance policy for any act of child abuse, exploitation, violence,
discrimination, bullying, and other forms of abuse.
I. Preliminary Provisions
Section 1. Legal Basis. This Policy is adopted in compliance with Dep Ed Order No.40, s. 2012.
“Policy and Guidelines on Protecting Children in School from Abuse, Violence, exploitation,
Discrimination, Bullying, and Other Forms of Abuse”, otherwise known as the “DepEd Child
Protection Policy”.
Section 2. Scope and Coverage. This Policy applies to the PASAY SPED programs at PASAY
SPED CENTER hereafter referred to as the “School”.
Section 3. The School adheres to the definition of the following terms, as provided in the DepEd
Child Protection Policy.
1. Child – refers to any person below eighteen (18) years of age or those over but are unable
to fully take care of themselves or protect themselves from abuse, neglect, cruelty,
exploitation or discrimination because of a physical or mental disability or condition; (RA
7610). For purposes of this Department Order, the term also includes pupils or pupils who
may be eighteen (18) years of age or older but are in school.
2. Children in school – refers to bona fide pupils or learners who are enrolled in the basic
education system, whether regular, irregular, transferee or repeater, including those who
have been temporarily out of school, who are in the school or learning centers premises
or participating in school-sanctioned activities.
3. Pupil, pupil or learner – means a child who regularly attends classes in any level of the
basic education system, under the supervision and tutelage of a teacher or facilitator.
b. Other school officials – include other school officers, including teachers, who are
occupying supervisory positions or positions of responsibility, and are involved in
policy formulation or implementation in a school.
c. Academic personnel – includes all school personnel who are formally engaged in
actual teaching service or research assignments, either on a full-time or part-time
basis, as well as those who possess certain prescribed academic functions directly
supportive of teaching, such as registrars, librarians, guidance counselors, researchers,
and other similar persons. They may include school officials who are responsible for
academic matters, and other school officials.
5. Child Protection – refers to programs, services, procedures and structures that are
intended to prevent and respond to abuse, neglect, exploitation, discrimination, and
violence.
6. Parents – refers to biological parents, step-parents, adoptive parents, and the common-
law spouse or partner of the parent.
7. Guardians or custodians – refers to legal guardians, foster parents, and other persons,
including relatives or even non-relatives, who have physical custody of the child.
8. School visitor or guest – refers to any person who visits the school and has official
business with the school, and any person who does not have any official business but is
found within the premises of the school. This may include those who are within the
school premises for certain reasons e.g. pupil teachers, catechists, service providers,
suppliers, bidders, parents and guardians of other children.
9. Child abuse – refers to the maltreatment of a child, whether habitual or not, which
includes the following:
11. Child exploitation– refers to the use of children for someone else’s advantage,
gratification or profit often resulting in an unjust, cruel, and harmful treatment of the
child. These activities disrupt the child’s normal physical and mental health, education,
moral or social emotional development. It covers situations of manipulation, misuse,
abuse, victimization, oppression, or ill-treatment.
There are two (2) main forms of child exploitation that are recognized:
b. Economic exploitation – refers to the use of a child in work or other activities for
the benefit of others. Economic exploitation involves a certain gain or profit
through the production, distribution, and consumption of good and services. This
includes, but is not limited to illegal child labor as defined in RA 9231.
12. Violence against children committed in school – refers to a single act or a series of acts
committed by school administrators, academic and non-academic personnel against a
child, which result in or is likely to result in physical, sexual, psychological harm or
suffering, or other abuses including threats of such acts, battery, assault, coercion,
harassment or arbitrary deprivation of liberty. It includes, but is not limited to, the
following acts:
a. Physical violence refers to acts that inflict bodily or physical harm. It includes
assigning children to perform tasks which are hazardous to their physical
wellbeing;
b. Sexual violence refers to acts that are sexual in nature. It includes, but is not
limited to,
13. Bullying or Peer Abuse – refers to willful aggressive behavior that is directed towards a
particular victim who may be outnumbered, younger, weak, with disability, less
confident, or otherwise vulnerable. More particularly:
(1) Threats to inflict a wrong upon a person, honor or property of the person
or on his or her family;
(2) Stalking or constantly following or pursuing a person in his or her daily
activities with unwanted and obsessive attention;
(3) Taking of property;
(4) Public humiliation, or public and malicious imputation of a crime or of a
vice or defect, whether real or imaginary, or any act, omission, condition,
status, or circumstance tending to cause dishonor, discredit, or expose a
person to contempt.
(5) Deliberate destruction or defacement of, or damage to the child’s property;
(6) Physical violence committed upon a pupil, which may or may not result to
harm or injury, with or without the aid of a weapon. Such violence may be
in form of mauling, hitting, punching, kicking, throwing things at the
pupil, pinching, spanking, or other similar acts;
(7) Demanding or requiring sexual or monetary favors, or exacting money or
property, from a pupil or pupil; and
(8) Restraining liberty and freedom from a pupil or pupil.
14. Other acts of abuse by a pupil, pupil or learner – refers to other serious acts of abuse
committed by a pupil, pupil or learner upon another pupil, pupil or learner of the same
school, not falling under the definition of “bullying” in the preceding provisions,
including, but not limited to, acts of physical, sexual or psychological nature.
15. Corporal punishment – refers to a kind of punishment or penalty imposed for an alleged
or actual offense, which is carried out or inflicted for the purpose of discipline, training or
control, by a teacher, school administrator, an adult, or any other child who has been
given or has assumed authority or responsibility for punishment or discipline. It includes
physical, humiliating or degrading punishment, including, but not limited to the
following:
a. Blows such as, but not limited to, beating, kicking, hitting, slapping, or lashing, or any
part of a child’s body, with or without the use of an instrument such as, but not limited
to a cane, broom, stick, whip or belt;
b. Striking of a child’s face or head, such being declared as a “no contact zone”;
c. Pulling hair, shaking, twisting joints, cutting or piercing skin, dragging, pushing or
throwing of a child;
d. Forcing a child to perform physically painful or damaging acts such as, but not
limited to, holding a weight or weights for an extended period and kneeling on stones,
salt, pebbles or other objects;
e. Deprivation of a child’s physical needs as a form of punishment;
f. Deliberate exposure to fire, ice, water, smoke, sunlight, rain, pepper, alcohol, or
forcing the child to swallow substances, dangerous chemicals, and other materials that
can cause discomfort or threaten the child’s health, safety and sense of security such
as, but not limited to bleach or insecticides, excrement or urine;
g. Tying up a child;
h. Confinement, imprisonment or depriving the liberty of a child;
i. Verbal abuse or assaults, including intimidation or threat of bodily harm, swearing or
cursing, ridiculing or denigrating the child;
j. Forcing a child to wear a sign, to undress or disrobe, or to put on anything that will
make a child look or feel foolish, which belittles or humiliates the child in front of
others;
k. Permanent confiscation of personal property of pupils, pupils or learners, except when
such pieces of property pose a danger to the child or to others; and
l. Other analogous acts.
16. Positive and Non-violent Discipline of children – is a way of thinking and a holistic,
constructive, and pro-active approach to teaching that helps children develop appropriate
thinking and behavior in the short and long-term and fosters self-discipline. It is based on
the fundamental principle that children are full human beings with basic human rights.
Positive discipline begins with setting the long –term goals or impacts that teachers want
to have on their pupils’ adult lives, and using everyday situations and challenges as
opportunities to teach long-life skills and values to pupils.
Section 4. Forms of Intervention. Interventions may include programs such as counseling, life
skills training, education, and other activities that will enhance the psychological, emotional and
psycho-social well-being of a child.
Section 5. Capacity Building. The school shall conduct Capacity Building for School
Officials, Personnel, Parents and Pupils.
Section 6. Reporting acts of child abuse, exploitation, violence, discrimination, bullying, other
acts of abuse, or any violation of the School Discipline of the Pupil Handbook
NOTE: When any report/complaint is raised (provided the person complained of is not a
member of school personnel), the complainant is immediately attended to. Assessment is
made if the complainant is fully aware of the circumstances that warrant validation of
his/her accusation. He/she is informed of the requirements of a formal complaint and the
consequences of such.
3. Report of teacher who witnessed an act of child abuse (among pupils) or violation of the
School Discipline of the Pupil Handbook
If the teacher witnessed or has validated an act of child abuse or violation of the
School Discipline of the Pupil Handbook, she is to accomplish an Incident Report for
submission to the Guidance Coordinator.
4. Report and referral of a pupil allegedly involved in any form of altercation and/or
physical dispute outside the school involving persons who are not members of the school
community.
When any member of the school, whether pupil or school personnel is reported to
have been involved in a dispute outside the school with persons who are not members of
the school community, an incident report may be filed and submitted to the school
administrator under whose jurisdiction the involved pupil or personnel belongs.
5. Report and referral of a pupil allegedly being physically hurt, abused by his/her own
parents.
When physical injury imposed upon any of our pupils by their own parents is
validated through narratives or statements, all pertinent documents are presented to the
School Head.
6. Reporting Anonymously
Anonymous reports of any form of child abuse or violation of the School
Discipline of the Pupil Handbook are entertained but even if the perpetrator is found
guilty, (technically) no disciplinary/administrative action can be taken.
1. Responding to reports when both the offender and victim are pupils
a. The pupils involved in the reported case are met separately for a dialogue
with the Guidance Coordinator. They are requested to narrate the incident
orally and in writing, if willing (in the presence of a teacher/adviser). The
Guidance Coordinator listens, takes down pertinent notes, assesses the
information particularly if there is need for any of the involved parties to
be protected; and then, explains the procedure that is to follow. The
Guidance Coordinator restores the sense of safety for the victim as well as
for the alleged offender.
b. Investigation/gathering of sufficient documentation of supporting evidence
commences. After this, involved parties are asked to face each other to
further validate statements or gathered information; but only if they are
willing to do so.
c. If the incident is deemed as a petty conflict, or misunderstanding,
unintentional and not a deliberate act of abuse, the pupils are met by the
Guidance Coordinator separately or together for a dialogue (depending on
the willingness of both parties). The objective of the dialogue is explained
to the pupils and they are made to realize what had transpired and what
changes in behavior are expected. They are reminded that if a similar
incident occurs, they will be dealt with accordingly. An Incident Report is
accomplished by the Guidance Coordinator. It should contain the
resolutions during the dialogues and recommendations, if any.
d. For bullying cases, an intake sheet is accomplished by the Guidance
Coordinator in lieu of any other adult reporting the incident; initial
narrative reports written by the pupils in the presence of his/her teacher-
adviser during the investigation, if any, are attached.
e. The Principal is informed immediately about any and all incidents.
f. Parents of both pupils are informed immediately after the incident. They
are called for a special conference by the Guidance Coordinator on
separate time schedules for formal relaying of the incident, what has been
done, and to explain the process that is to follow. The parents are called
back to school as soon as sufficient and validated information is collected.
g. Depending on the appraisal of the Guidance Coordinator, the Disciplinary
Board is gathered to deliberate and decide on the case. The result of
deliberations is recommendatory in nature, for the approval of the
Principal.
h. As soon as the sanction or course of action is approved, the parents of both
parties are formally informed. They are asked to sign a document
certifying that they were properly informed and that due process was
undertaken. It also certifies that they accept the decision of the
Disciplinary Board and that they will cooperate with the measures to be
taken for intervention, prevention, and restorative justice.
It is the responsibility of the school authority assigned to each case to ensure the
safety of all these parties.
1. All individuals involved in the case are given stern warning that while
investigation is ongoing, there is not to be any form of retaliation or any form
of negative reaction from anyone. If deemed necessary, they are asked to stay
away from one another.
3. While in school, the class advisers of the pupils of the parties involved assume
responsibility over the pupil under their care against possible retaliation.
These class advisers, along with the Guidance Coordinator monitor the day-to-
day activities and behavior of the pupils involved in the case.
5. The School may, upon evaluation, refer the victim and the offender to trained
professionals outside the school, such as social workers, guidance counselors,
psychologists, or child protection specialists, for further assessment and
appropriate intervention measures, as may be necessary. The School also
undertakes to notify the Women and Children’s Protection Desk (WPCD) of
the local Philippine National Police, in appropriate cases involving the
offending pupil.
The Guidance Coordinator keeps a record of all cases and records of their
guidance and/or rehabilitation meetings. These are held in strict confidence.