This policy is structured around the four Keeping Children Safe International Child Safeguarding Standards: Policy, People, Procedures and Accountability.

It reflects Parents International’s role as a parent-led international organisation engaged primarily in research, advocacy, training, capacity building and international cooperation. The policy applies to the organisation’s activities worldwide and is supported by three operational annexes.

1. Commitment and principles

Parents International is committed to ensuring that all children who participate in, come into contact with, or may be affected by its activities are protected from abuse, violence, exploitation, neglect, discrimination and other forms of harm, both offline and online.

Our safeguarding approach is grounded in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), particularly Articles 3, 5, 12, 18 and 19, and the following principles:

• Children’s rights and best interests: Every child is a rights holder. Their best interests must be a primary consideration in decisions affecting them, while respecting their rights to participation, privacy, information, education and family life.
• Parents as primary educators and protectors: Parents and legal guardians have primary responsibilities for children’s upbringing, guidance and protection. They should be recognised and supported as safeguarding partners, consistent with children’s rights and evolving capacities.
• Children’s participation and agency: Children have the right to be heard, to receive age-appropriate information and to participate voluntarily in activities affecting them. Their views must be given due weight.
• Non-discrimination and inclusion: All children are entitled to equal protection, regardless of their personal characteristics, family circumstances or background.
• Do no harm: Activities must be designed to prevent foreseeable harm. Safeguarding measures must be proportionate, evidence-informed and respectful of children’s rights, rather than relying unnecessarily on prohibitions or restrictions.
• Shared responsibility: Everyone acting on behalf of Parents International is responsible for preventing harm, maintaining appropriate conduct and reporting concerns.

Safeguarding applies to harm caused by any person, including adults in positions of authority, peers, family members or organisational representatives. Parental responsibilities do not justify abuse or override a child’s right to protection.

2. Scope and responsibilities

This policy applies to all Management Board members, employees, researchers, consultants, trainers, volunteers, interns, Scientific Advisory Board members and other persons acting on behalf of Parents International. It also applies to contractors and implementing partners undertaking activities under the organisation’s responsibility.

A child is any person under the age of 18.

The policy covers in-person and online activities, including research, consultations, training, workshops, conferences, educational programmes, communications and project implementation.

Organisational responsibilities

The Management Board has ultimate oversight responsibility. It approves the policy, ensures appropriate resources, appoints safeguarding contacts, reviews implementation and ensures independent oversight of concerns involving senior management.

The Director is responsible for integrating safeguarding into organisational operations, projects, recruitment, partnerships and contracts.

The Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) coordinates safeguarding risk assessments, receives and assesses concerns, maintains confidential records, advises personnel and coordinates referrals to competent authorities when necessary.

An independent alternative safeguarding contact, designated by the Management Board, receives concerns involving the DSL, Director or other senior personnel, or where a conflict of interest may arise.

All personnel and associates must comply with this policy and the Code of Conduct, participate in relevant safeguarding training, identify and mitigate risks, and report concerns promptly.

Safeguarding contacts and secure reporting channels shall be communicated to personnel, partners and participants.

3. Prevention and safe conduct

Parents International shall maintain appropriate preventive measures, proportionate to the nature and risks of its activities.

These include:

• Safeguarding expectations in recruitment, contracts and role descriptions, with appropriate identity, reference and legally permissible background checks for roles involving children.
• Safeguarding induction and relevant role-specific training, with refresher training at least every two years.
• Documented safeguarding risk assessments before activities involving direct contact with children or identifiable child-related information.
• Appropriate supervision, professional boundaries and accessible reporting arrangements.
• Safe and transparent communication with children, including through digital platforms.
• Secure handling of personal and sensitive information.
• Safeguarding requirements in relevant agreements with implementing partners.

All persons representing Parents International must treat children with dignity, respect their privacy and participation rights, and maintain appropriate professional relationships.

Physical, emotional or sexual abuse, exploitation, harassment, intimidation, humiliation, discriminatory treatment, inappropriate relationships, coercion and retaliation against persons raising concerns are strictly prohibited.

Parents International does not take, commission, publish or use photographs or videos containing recognisable individuals, whether children or adults. Illustrations, graphics and other non-identifying materials shall be used instead. This rule also applies to materials provided by partners or contractors for Parents International communications.

Detailed behavioural requirements are set out in Annex 1.

4. Research and activities involving children

Parents International conducts research and educational activities involving children and families. These activities must meet appropriate ethical and safeguarding requirements.

Research ethics

Research involving children shall follow recognised ethical principles, including the ERIC (Ethical Research Involving Children) framework, and applicable national, institutional and funder requirements.

Before research begins, the responsible research lead shall ensure that:

• A proportionate ethical and safeguarding risk assessment has been completed.
• Appropriate ethical review and approval have been obtained where required.
• Children receive accessible, age-appropriate information.
• Parental or guardian consent is obtained where legally or ethically required, alongside the child’s own informed consent.
• Participation is voluntary, and children may decline or withdraw without disadvantage, subject to clearly explained limits concerning data already irreversibly anonymised.
• Confidentiality, data protection and appropriate responses to disclosures are addressed in the research protocol.

Children must never be pressured to disclose personal experiences or participate in potentially distressing activities. Research findings shall be anonymised and communicated without unnecessarily exposing or stigmatising children or families.

Workshops, consultations and online activities

Activities involving children must be organised with appropriate safeguards, including clear responsibilities, suitable supervision, accessibility, privacy protection and procedures for responding to concerns.

Digital safeguarding shall focus on risk mitigation, resilience and informed participation, respecting children’s rights to access information, learn and communicate.

Online platforms and AI-supported tools must be assessed for relevant safeguarding and privacy risks before use with children. Private communications between personnel and children must follow authorised, transparent arrangements.

Parents International shall not create video recordings containing recognisable participants. Where documentation is necessary, non-identifying notes, anonymised transcripts or appropriately authorised audio recordings may be used.

All personal data shall be processed in accordance with applicable data protection legislation, including the GDPR where applicable.

5. Reporting and responding to safeguarding concerns

Anyone acting on behalf of Parents International who becomes aware of a safeguarding concern must report it promptly, even where there is no conclusive evidence.

Concerns may involve suspected abuse, exploitation, neglect, bullying, harassment, unsafe practices or inappropriate conduct by any adult or child.

Reporting procedure

1. Immediate danger: Contact the competent local emergency or child protection services immediately. Do not delay emergency action while seeking internal approval.
2. Other concerns: Report the concern to the Designated Safeguarding Lead as soon as possible, normally within 24 hours.
3. Conflicts of interest: If the concern involves the DSL, Director or another person with authority over the reporting process, use the independent alternative safeguarding contact.
4. Assessment and action: The DSL or independent contact shall promptly assess the concern, arrange necessary protective measures and coordinate referrals to competent authorities in accordance with applicable law.
5. Documentation and follow-up: Concerns, decisions, referrals and actions shall be documented securely and reviewed appropriately.

Children, parents, partners and other stakeholders must have access to understandable and accessible reporting information.

Responding to disclosures

Anyone receiving a disclosure from a child must listen calmly, take the concern seriously, avoid leading questions, explain the limits of confidentiality and report the concern through the designated procedure.

Personnel must not conduct their own investigation, confront alleged perpetrators or promise absolute secrecy.

Safeguarding information shall be shared only where necessary and lawful. Parents and guardians should ordinarily be involved, unless doing so could expose the child to harm or compromise an appropriate protection process.

Parents International prohibits retaliation against anyone reporting a concern in good faith.

Allegations involving personnel shall be handled fairly and confidentially, with proportionate interim protective measures where necessary and referral to competent authorities where required.

Annex 2 sets out the operational reporting procedure.

6. Partnerships, monitoring and accountability

Partnerships

Parents International requires partners implementing activities involving children under its responsibility to comply with this policy or demonstrate equivalent safeguarding arrangements.

Relevant agreements must establish responsibilities for risk assessment, personnel conduct, reporting, local referral procedures, ethical research and data protection.

Where safeguarding gaps are identified, Parents International shall require appropriate corrective measures. Activities posing unacceptable risks shall be modified, suspended or discontinued.

Monitoring and review

The Designated Safeguarding Lead shall maintain appropriate confidential safeguarding records and monitor the implementation of this policy.

The Management Board shall receive an anonymised safeguarding implementation report at least annually, covering training, risk assessments, concerns, responses, partner compliance and identified improvements.

Children’s and parents’ feedback shall inform the evaluation of safeguarding arrangements where appropriate.

This policy shall be reviewed annually and whenever significant organisational, legal or operational changes require it.

An independent external safeguarding evaluation shall be undertaken at least every three years, in line with the Keeping Children Safe Standards.

The policy and accessible information about reporting concerns shall be publicly available.

Annex 1. Safeguarding Code of Conduct

All persons acting on behalf of Parents International must:

1. Treat children with dignity, respect, fairness and without discrimination.
2. Respect children’s views, privacy, boundaries and evolving capacities.
3. Maintain appropriate professional relationships and transparent communications.
4. Obtain appropriate consents and respect children’s voluntary participation.
5. Protect confidential information and use approved communication and data management systems.
6. Follow the prohibition on identifiable photographs and videos.
7. Report safeguarding concerns promptly through the designated channels.
8. Cooperate with appropriate safeguarding procedures and investigations.

Personnel must never engage in abuse, exploitation, sexual or romantic conduct with children, harassment, intimidation, humiliation, coercion, inappropriate private communications, misuse of personal data or retaliation against reporting persons.

All relevant personnel and associates must acknowledge this Code before undertaking activities involving children.

Annex 2. Safeguarding Reporting and Response Procedure

Safeguarding reporting pathway

Safeguarding concern identified or disclosed

Immediate danger

Contact local emergency or child protection services immediately

Other concern

Report promptly to the DSL or independent alternative contact

Assessment, protective measures and appropriate referrals

Confidential documentation, follow-up and closure

Required reporting information

The reporting person shall document, as far as safely possible:

• Date, time, place and activity concerned.
• Identity or appropriate identifier of the child concerned.
• Factual description of the concern, including the child’s own words where relevant.
• Immediate risks and actions already taken.
• Names of persons informed and any referrals made.

Records must be stored securely with access limited to authorised persons. They must not be circulated through ordinary project communications.

The DSL shall maintain a confidential case record of assessment, decisions, actions and follow-up. External reporting shall follow applicable local legal requirements.

Organisational contacts (to be completed before adoption)

Role	Contact
Designated Safeguarding Lead	Luca László [email protected]
Independent Alternative Contact	Emilia Arsenova [email protected]

Annex 3. Safeguarding Risk Assessment Checklist

This checklist must be completed before activities involving children or identifiable child-related information.

Pre-activity safeguarding check

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• The activity and safeguarding responsibilities are clearly defined.
• Potential physical, psychological, social and digital risks have been assessed.
• Children’s age, evolving capacities and accessibility needs are considered.
• Appropriate parental and children’s consent are arranged where required.
• Research ethics review and ERIC principles are addressed where relevant.
• Professional boundaries and appropriate supervision are established.
• No recognisable people will be photographed or filmed.
• Privacy, confidentiality and data protection measures are established.
• Children and participants have accessible reporting information.
• Local emergency and child protection referral arrangements are identified.
• Partners and external providers meet safeguarding requirements.
• Remaining risks are acceptable and mitigation measures are documented.

The responsible activity lead must document any identified risks, mitigation measures, remaining risks and approval to proceed. Activities presenting unacceptable risks must be modified, postponed or cancelled.

Approval and implementation

Organisation	Stichting International Parents Alliance Snip 41, 2171KT Sassenheim, the Netherlands
Policy owner	Management Board
Operational responsibility	Director and Designated Safeguarding Lead
Date of last review	3 January 2026