French International School of Hong Kong

Health & safety

FIS is fully committed to the protection of children in its care and will ensure that all children in our careare afforded a safe and secure environment in which they are respected and valued and able togrow and develop.

We encourage children to talk openly and to feel confident that they will belistened to. We are alert to the signs of abuse and neglect and follow our procedures to ensurethat children receive effective support, protection and justice. Child protection forms part of theschool’s safeguarding responsibilities. We recognize that where safeguarding and child protectionare concerned – ‘it could happen here.’ FIS strictly adheres to all applicable local statutes withregard to child protection. We will ensure that our children enjoy the right to be protected fromharm and exploitation and to have their welfare safeguarded. The scope of this policy means that FIS will attend to all cases occurring within the 4 campuses as well as cases that are disclosed toschool staff, which might occur off school premises. FIS staff is trained to recognise signs of abuseand is committed to disclosing and acting upon any suspected abuse.

The school is alsocommitted to acting upon what is disclosed and, irrespective of where any abuse might takeplace, will do everything to support the child.This policy is available on the school website and is included in the staff handbook, volunteers’handbook and staff employment manualOur core safeguarding principles are:

• safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility
• the school’s responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of children is of paramountimportance
• cases remain highly confidential
• safer children make more successful learners
• policies will be reviewed at least annually unless an incident or new legislation or guidancesuggests the need for an interim review.