Safeguarding & Child Protection

All members of The British School community are expected to act in the students' best interests at all times by providing a safe and welcoming environment where all children are respected and valued. 

The British School in the Netherlands' Safeguarding Committee oversees the school's adherence to the protocol for child protection and safeguarding. This protocol applies to all staff, parents, volunteers, visitors, governors, and children, both on and off the school premises, while they are the responsibility of the BSN. 
 

Safeguarding Definitions

Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is defined as:

• protecting children from maltreatment
• preventing impairment of children's health or development
• ensuring that children grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care
• taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes.
   

Core Safeguarding Principles

• It is the responsibility of everyone at the BSN to safeguard and promote the welfare of all children.
• All children, regardless of age, gender, ability, culture, race, language, religion or sexual identity, have equal rights to protection.
• The best interests of the child are always considered paramount.
• All BSN staff understand safe, professional practice and adhere to our Safeguarding Policy and procedures.
• Children and staff involved in safeguarding issues will receive appropriate support.
   

At the BSN, we will:

• support every child's development in ways that will foster security, confidence and independence
• provide an environment in which all students feel safe, secure, valued and respected, and feel confident and able to approach adults if they are in difficulty
• raise the awareness of all staff of the need to safeguard all students and of their responsibilities in identifying and reporting possible cases of abuse or neglect
• provide a systematic means to monitor students who are at risk of harm or are in need
• develop effective working relationships and appropriate information sharing with other agencies, including the VeiligThuis, medical professionals and the Police
• emphasise the need for communication between all members of staff in cases of suspected abuse or neglect
• ensure that all adults, including external contractors and volunteers at the BSN who have access to children, have current security checks such as Verklaring Omtrent het Gedrag (VOG) in line with BSN's Safer Recruitment procedures.

Designated Safeguarding Leads

If you have any concerns about a child's wellbeing or safety, please get in touch with the Designated Safeguarding Lead on the campus.