POLICY AND GUIDELINES ON PROTECTING CHILDREN IN

SCHOOL FROM ABUSE, VIOLENCE, EXPLOITATION,

DISCRIMINATION AND OTHER FORMS OF ABUSE
R O M N I C K M . TA D U R A N
Presenter
 LEGAL
ARTICLE 218. BASIS
The school, its administrators and
teachers, or the individual, entity or institution engaged in
childcare shall have special parental authority and
responsibility over the minor child while under their
supervision, instruction or custody.

Authority and responsibility shall apply to all

authorized activities whether inside or outside the
premises of the school, entity or institution. (349a)
(Family Code of the Philippines)
Article 219. Those given the authority and
responsibility under the preceding Article shall be
principally and solidarily liable for damages caused
by the acts or omissions of the unemancipated minor.
The parents, judicial guardians or the persons
exercising substitute parental authority over said
minor shall be subsidiarily liable. xxx

(Family Code of the Philippines)

DepEd Order No. 40, s. 2012, entitled “DepEd Child
Protection Policy."

The order mandates concerned individuals the policy and

guidelines on the protection of school children against
abuse, violence, exploitation, discrimination, bullying,
and other forms of abuse.
LET US TRY TO WORK ON THIS.

PROVIDE SITUATION/S THAT MAY FALL ON THE

FOLLOWING PROHIBITED ACTS ENUMERATED BELOW.

PROHIBITED ACTS EXAMPLE/S

ABUSE

VIOLENCE

EXPLOITATION

DISCRIMINATION
 ABUSE

VIOLENCE EXPLOITATION DISCRIMINATION

 is an action that intentionally causes harm or injures
ABUSE another person.

VIOLENC the intentional use of physical force or power, threatened

E or actual, against oneself, another person.

EXPLOITATI involves the use of force, fraud, or coercion to obtain some

ON type of labor or commercial sex act. Online Exploitation.
Involves the use of technology or the internet to facilitate the
abuse or exploitation of a child.

DISCRIMINATI is when a person is treated unfavorably or when a person's

ON dignity is violated.
Forms of Abuse
1. psychological or physical abuse, neglect, cruelty, sexual abuse and
emotional maltreatment;

2. any act by deeds or words which debases, degrades or demeans the

intrinsic worth and dignity of a child as a human being;

3. unreasonable deprivation of the child's basic needs for survival, such as

food and shelter; or

4. failure to immediately give medical treatment to an injured child

resulting in serious impairment of his or her growth and development or in the
child's permanent incapacity or death (Sec. 3 [b], RA 7610) 9Sec. 3 (i) of the
Policy.
DISCIPLINE OR ABUSE?
Corporal Punishment
An act or acts which involve PHYSICAL FORCE and HUMILIATING
OR DEGRADING ACTS imposed upon a child as punishment for an
alleged or actual offense inflicted by an adult or another child, who has
been given or has assumed AUTHORITY or RESPONSIBILITY for
punishment or discipline
Positive Discipline
Non-violent, solution-focused, respectful and based on child development
principles approach to enabling children learn or develop appropriate
thinking and behavior
LET US WORK ON
THIS
LIST DOWN INSTANCES THAT MAY CONSIDER ACT
AS AN ABUSE
1.
2.
3.

ACT AS POSITIVE DISCIPLINE

1.
2.
3.
 FORMS OF
EXPLOITATION
SEXUAL EXPLOITATION
- Offering money, gifts or access to services in
exchange for sex acts.
ECONOMIC EXPLOITATION
-Form of child labor or even child slavery.
FORMS OF DISCRIMINATION

1. Being a child in conflict with the law

2. A child with disability or other status or condition

3. sexual orientation or other status and the like

FORMS OF VIOLENCE
1. Physical violence – is when an individual or a group attacks or threatens to
attack someone physically. This may or not involve the use of a weapon.
Examples of physical violence include: scratching, kicking, shoving, or
physical restraints.

2. Sexual Violence – is any harmful or unwanted sexual act or attempt to

obtain a sexual act by violence or coercion, act to traffic a person,
regardless of the relationship to the victim. This includes forced
engagement in sexual act, attempted or completed acts and occurs without
the consent of the victim

3. Psychological violence – Any intentional conduct that seriously impairs

another person’s pshychologcal integrity through coercion or threats. For
example coercion, defamation, verbal insult and harassment.
SCHOOL IMPACT
Developmental disabilities
Lack of success in school
School absenteeism and dropouts
Enumerate the instances to do in the given scenario.
1. Violet, age 11, is having a hard time walking. When she sits down, she acts like it hurts. You ask
her what is wrong. She just looks down and says, “Nothing.” A few days later, she is playing
soccer with the other children. She rolls up her pant legs and stretches on the ground when
she gets warm. You notice dark purple bruises on her inner thighs. She seems to remember
the bruises are there and rolls the pant legs back down below her knees. (KINDER, Grade 1-2)
2. Emile’s mother has a history of drug and alcohol abuse, but she has been clean since she
became pregnant with Emile’s oldest sister. Lately, she has seemed different when she picked
Emile up: she is distant, has a hard time making eye contact, slurs her words, and seems rough
with Emile. You have seen enough of a pattern now to suspect that she is using again. She has
several children across the child and youth programs, and the youngest is only an infant. Emile
says he takes care of the baby a lot. (Grade 3-4)

3. It is 6:30pm. Keila’s mom has not yet arrived to pick her up, and Keila is not registered for any
sort of evening care. You have tried calling all the numbers you have for Keila’s authorized pick-
ups, but no one answers. This is the third time this has happened this month. You cannot reach
anyone, and the program is supposed to be closed for the evening. (Grade 5-6)
REPORTING
HISTORY TAKING
•follows the sequence of events as they happened
•obtained in a developmentally appropriate, non-leading and non-
suggestive manner
•confidennot a forensic interview
formulate a diagnosis as to the physical and mental health of the
child
look for possible evidence of abuse
•observe confidentiality at all times
THE MANDATORY
REPORTERS
•The following are mandated to make a report, either orally or in
writing, to DSWD/ within forty-eight (48) hours, the examination
and/or treatment of a child who appears to have suffered from
abuse:
 Head of any public or private hospital, medical clinic and similar
institutions, and
 Attending physician and nurse
•Failure to report a child abuse case shall be punishable with a fine
of not more than two thousand pesos (P2,000.00) or as may be
determined in the future by a court with jurisdiction
OTHERS WHO MAY
REPORT
The following government workers have the duty
to report all incidents of possible child abuse:
 Teachers and administrators in public schools
 Law enforcement officers
 Barangay officials
 Other government officials and employees whose
work involves dealing with children
 Any person who, acting in good faith, reports a child abuse case shall be
FREE from any civil or administrative liability

 As much as possible, the persons who report should give their

names and contact details for further contacts, if necessary
 Their protection and anonymity shall be assured
The person who reports need not be the complainant but has knowledge
of the incident.
This prohibits retaliation against a person who makes a good faith
report of suspected child abuse or child sexual abuse or participating in an
investigation of suspected child abuse or child sexual abuse.
 The child victim may or may not be with the person
reporting the incident.
Any person who reports MUST provide basic information
on the child victim (name, age, address or whereabouts of child,
the reasons that child may be at risk or in an abusive or
exploitative situation) and the alleged perpetrator.

 any relevant information to suspect that a child is being abused

or exploited shall suffice to initiate any action and investigation.
 FALSE ACCUSATIONS

•It is a criminal offense for a person to knowingly and

maliciously report, or cause, encourage, aid, counsel, or procure
another to report, a false accusation of child abuse or child sexual
abuse.
WHERE TO REPORT
Department of Social Welfare Other law enforcement agencies
and Development (DSWD) Punong barangay or tribal leader
Commission on Human Rights Barangay kagawad
Local Social Welfare and Any member of the Barangay
Development Office (LSWDO) Council for the Protection of
of the municipality, city, or Children (BCPC)
province
Barangay help desk person or
Philippine National Police Violence Against Women (VAW)
National Bureau of Investigation help desk officer
WHO CAN BE THE
COMPLAINANT
 Offended party  Officer, social worker, or
representative of a licensed
 Parent or legal guardian childcaring institution
 Ascendant or collateral relative of  Punong barangay
the child within the third degree of
consanguinity  At least three (3) concerned
responsible citizens of the
 Duly authorized officer or social community where the abuse took
worker of the DSWD or LSWDO place who have personal knowledge
of the offense committed
BEYOND REPORTING: HOW TO
RESPOND
• Reporting is just one element of proper response to child abuse.
Your reaction is very important; it is often difficult for a child to
talk about abuse.

When a child tells you he/she has been abused:

• Choose your words carefully—don’t be judgmental about the
child or the alleged abuser
• Do not interrogate the child
• Listen and let the child tell his/her own story
• Be calm—your reactions can confuse or scare the child
• Assure the child that you believe what he/she says
LET’S WORK ON THIS
TASK
PROBLEM 1
Nanay Flora had a grandson named Mac-mac. He was a son of a respected
general, Ricardo Dalisay. Nanay Flora was very strict. She wanted Mac-mac to
become a soldier and follow the steps of his dad. However, Mac-mac wanted to
pursue hairdressing.
With Nanay Flora’s frustrations, she called Mac-mac “salot”. Even when
talking with her grandson’s teachers or friends, she referred Mac-mac as “salot”.
Mac-mac then committed suicide.
1. What was the type of abuse present?
2. Can the school intervene to the abuse committed by Nany Flora? Why?
PROBLEM 2
Connor, grade 2 student, was very talkative in class. One day, he was laughing
very hard while playing a joke to his seatmate. Miss Lupita, his teacher, hit his
mouth with a stick. Connor cried hard.
Connor’s mother filed a complaint to school. However, Miss Lupita said that
she was only disciplining the loud student.
1. Was there an abuse present?
2. If yes, what was the type of abuse?
3. What are the possible actions to be done
by the school to prevent such form of abuse?
PROBLEM 3
Camila, 11-year old Grade 6 pupil, was brought by her mother to the school guidance
counselor. The guidance counselor noticed that the pupil was anxious. On probing, Camila
disclosed that her twin brother Camilo was touching her breast and genital area when they
were left alone in their house. Camila also said that, according to her brother, it was to show
their love as twins.

1. What is the type of abuse present?

2. What procedures may be done in the above scenario ?
 PREVENTIVE MEASURES TO ADDRESS CHILD ABUSE,
EXPLOITATION, VIOLENCE AND BULLYING and OTHER ACTS OF
ABUSE:

In Sec. 11 of the Policy, the Schools may adopt the following

strategy:
1. Conducting sessions, trainings and seminars on positive
peer relationships and enhancement of social and emotional
competence;

2. Using training modules which include positive and non-

violent discipline in classroom management, anger and stress
management and gender sensitivity;

3. Employing of means which enhance the skills and

THANK
YOU!