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Child Protection Policy

I.

Introduction
The CWC is the lead inter-agency body for children, mandated to formulate and evaluate
policies, coordinate and monitor the implementation & enforcement of all laws and programs
for children by virtue of P.D. 603. The inter-agency nature of the Council is upheld in RA
8980 where it also acts as the NECCDCC. The NECCDCC shall institutionalize a National
System for Early Childhood Care and Development that is comprehensive, integrative and
sustainable and will involve multi-sectoral and interagency collaboration at the national,
provincial, city/ municipal, and barangay levels.
As the countrys highest policy making agency for children, CWC adopted the framework of
Building a Protective and Caring Environment for Children, as elucidated in the
Comprehensive Program on Child Protection 2006 to 2010.
As stated in the Comprehensive Program on Child Protection, a protective and caring
environment for children must permeate all societal levels and institutional settings (eg.
family, school, etc.). The elements of a protective and caring environment for children,
includes, among others, the government national and local is truly committed to child
protection; and all those who interact with children know how to recognize and respond to
abuse, exploitation and violence.
It is in this context that the CWC developed this Child Protection Policy. This policy and
guidelines will enable all CWC staff to take all reasonable precautions to prevent any harm to
children and will also prepare them to deal with any incident that might occur while they are
working or dealing directly with children.

A. Objectives
The CWC Child Protection Policy aims to guarantee at all times the protection and safety
of children involved in any activity initiated and/or supported by CWC.
Specifically:
1. Increase awareness on child rights, specifically protection from abuse and
exploitation, and how it can be prevented in the CWC context; and
2. Ensure receptiveness in action to support and protect children from abusive acts.

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Coverage of Policy
This policy covers the following:
A. Staff
All employees of the Council, regardless of status of service, are expected to observe the
policy. This covers CWC staff stationed at the Manila Office and all contract of service
staff at the region whose services are paid for by the Council.
B. Structures
National and regional structures of the Council shall observe the child protection
guidelines, whenever they participate in all activities of this Council (inter-agency).
Structures include all national committees and subcommittees, the Technical
Management Group, and all regional committees/sub-committees for the welfare of
children. Ad hoc committees/ groups organized by the Council are also covered by this
policy.
C. etworks
All agencies that the Council would enter into an agreement, including but not limited to,
for research, workshop, and appraisal purposes; and other partners outside the structures,
such as visitors, observers, researchers, etc.

III.

Definition of terms
A. Child
Child refers to a person below eighteen (18) years of age or one over said age and who,
upon evaluation of a qualified physician, psychologist or psychiatrist, is found to be
incapable of taking care of him/herself fully because of a physical or mental disability or
condition or of protecting him/herself from abuse. (IRR, RA 7610)
B. Child abuse
Child Abuse refers to the infliction of physical or psychological injury, cruelty to, or
neglect, sexual abuse or exploitation of the child. (IRR, RA 7610)
It includes the following:
1. Cruelty refers to any act by word or deed which debases, degrades or demeans the
intrinsic worth and dignity of a child as a human being;
2. Physical injury includes but is not limited to lacerations, fractured bones, burns,
internal injuries, severe injury, or serious bodily harm suffered by a child;
3. Psychological injury means harm to a childs psychological or intellectual
functioning which may be exhibited by severe anxiety, depression, withdrawal or

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outward aggressive behavior, or a combination of said behaviors, which may be

demonstrated by a change in behavior, emotional response or cognition;
4.

eglect means failure to provide, for reasons other than poverty, adequate food,
clothing, shelter, basic education or medical care so as to seriously endanger the
physical, mental, social and emotional growth and development of the child;

5. Sexual Abuse includes the employment, use, persuasion, inducement, enticement or

coercion of a child to engage in, or assist another person to engage in, sexual
intercourse or lascivious conduct or the molestation, prostitution, or incest with
children;
6. Lascivious conduct means the intentional touching, either directly or through
clothing, of the genitalia, anus, groin, breast, inner thigh, or buttocks, or the
introduction of any object into the genitalia, anus, or mouth, of any person, whether
of the same or opposite sex, with an intent to abuse, humiliate, harass, degrade or
arouse or gratify the sexual desire of any person, bestiality, masturbation, lascivious
exhibition of the genitals or pubic area of a person;
7. Exploitation means the hiring, employment, persuasion, inducement, or coercion of
a child to perform in obscene exhibitions and indecent shows, whether live or in
video or film, or to pose or act as a model in obscene publications or pornographic
materials, or to sell or distribute said materials.

C. Child-Friendly / Safe place

Child-Friendly Spaces provide a disasters youngest survivors with a safe place to

play, participate in structured activities, and experience healing from any trauma
and loss theyve experienced. They also allow children to return to healthy routines
and experience a sense of normalcy again. (http://www.worldvision.org/)

Safe place means free from danger which provides an open and honest environment
that protects children as well as the people working for children.

Safe Spaces are one of the key programmatic interventions to protect children
during the acute response phase of an emergency or in areas of continuing crisis.
Safe Spaces are initiated through rapid support to communities to provide physical
safety, psychosocial activities and educational assistance for children.
Safe Spaces take many different forms depending upon the emergency. They can
be located under trees, tents, in schools, or any available space. If Safe Spaces are
needed for a longer period of time, more semi-permanent structures are
established. In many cases, Safe Spaces activities eventually transition into formal
schooling, after school recreational activities, early childhood development and
youth programs, and community social events.
The rapid implementation of Safe Spaces provide routines, relationships and an
environment that evidence suggests can mitigate the impact of crisis on children.
Safe Spaces are not psychiatric counseling or group therapy but are focused on
fostering childrens natural resiliency and coping mechanisms that can vary from

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child to child. Save Spaces work with children in constructive ways, drawing on
their own resilience and on the strengths and assets of their communities. Under
the supervision of a caring adult, these Safe Spaces provide children a safe
environment in which they can play, socialize, learn life saving information and
express themselves. By participating in arts and crafts, games, cooperative
learning, team building activities, drama, and structured educational lessons and
sports, children are helped to come to terms with their experiences.
(http://www.savethechildren.org/emergencies/protection/protectioninterventions.html)

D. Child participation
States Parties shall assure to the child who is capable of forming his or her own views the
right to express those views freely in all matters affecting the child, the views of the child
being given due weight in accordance with the age and maturity of the child.
For this purpose, the child shall in particular be provided the opportunity to be heard in
any judicial and administrative proceedings affecting the child, either directly, or through
a representative or an appropriate body, in a manner consistent with the procedural rules
of national law. (U CRC Article 12)
Child Participation, as defined by the children (during the National Childrens Forum, 28
to 30 September 2001), means:
 The right to express ones thoughts, opinions and feelings;
 Adults seriously listening and considering what the children share, especially on
matters that affect children and their immediate environment;
 Children involved in planning, implementation, and evaluation of activities and
programs with adults;
 Children organizing themselves; and
 Holding dialogues with adults on matters that concern children

E. Child protection
States Parties shall take all appropriate measures to ensure that the child is protected
against all forms of discrimination or punishment on the basis of the status, activities,
expressed opinions, or beliefs of the child's parents, legal guardians, or family members.
(U CRC Article 2)
Child Protection, also means, the protection of children from all forms of abuse, neglect,
cruelty, exploitation or discrimination based mainly on the special protection provisions
of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. (Comprehensive Program on Child
Protection)

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F. CWC Child Protection Policy

The CWC Child Protection Policy is a guide for all the CWC staff, structures, and
networks to guarantee at all times the protection of children in attendance/ participation
to Council-initiated and supported activities. This Policy aims to increase awareness on
childrens rights, specifically on child abuse and exploitation, and how it can be
prevented in the CWC context; and ensure receptiveness in action to support and protect
children from abusive acts.

IV.

Child Protection Laws and Frameworks

A. ational Laws on Child Protection

1987 Constitution - Article XV
Section 3 imposes upon the State the obligation to defend the right of children to
assistance, including proper care and nutrition, and special protection from all forms of
neglect, abuse, cruelty, exploitation and other conditions prejudicial to their development.
E.O. 209 (Family Code of the Philippines) deals with the family as an institution and
contains provisions which aim to promote the best interests of the child
RA 8369 (Family Courts Act of 1997) provides for the creation of family courts that are
vested with exclusive jurisdiction over child and family cases.
RA 8371 (Indigenous Peoples Rights Act of 1997) provides for the non-recruitment of
children of indigenous cultural communities/indigenous peoples into the armed forces
RA 9208 (The Anti Trafficking in Persons Act) providing for penalties on the
recruitment, transportation or abduction of children to engage in armed activities
RA 9231 (The Act Prohibiting Employment of Children in Hazardous Areas) recruitment
of children for use in armed conflict is considered one of the worst forms of child
labor
RA 9262 (The Anti-Violence Against Women and their Children Act of 2004) providing
protective measures for women & children victims and prescribing penalties thereof.
RA 9344 (The Juvenile Justice & Welfare Act of 2006) provides protection rights for
children at risk and children in conflict with the law from prevention to rehabilitation &
reintegration

B. ational Framework Plans on Child Protection

The following child protection frameworks support the countrys international
commitments, including but not limited to, the Convention on the Rights of the Child
(CRC), Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), and World Fit for Children (WFC):

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Philippine National Strategic Framework for Plan Development for Children (Child 21)
Child 21 guides stakeholders in planning programs and interventions that promote and
safeguard the rights of Filipino children in the 21st century. The framework weaves child
rights (survival, development, protection and participation) with the child's life cycle.
National Plan of Action for Children (Medium Term Plan: 2005-2010)
NPAC further concretize the vision of Child 21 into clear, actionable, and time-bound
plans within a five-year time frame from 2005-2010.
Framework of Action Against the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (FA CSEC)
2000-2004
The FA-CSEC sets out broad program objectives and strategic actions that will serve as guide
to the various stakeholders in promoting child rights and preventing and/or controlling the
growth of commercial sexual exploitation of children.
National Framework for Childrens Participation
This framework elaborated the child participation component of Child 21. The said
framework acknowledges childrens contribution for the development of their
communities, and to programs, projects and policies affecting them. Child participation
promotes self-development; leads to social awareness and responsible acts; upholds
democratic principles and processes; and strengthens resilience and protective systems.
Comprehensive Programme on Child Protection 2006-2010
CPCP is an elaboration of the NPAC Child Protection Component . It espouses vigorous
advocacy and public consciousness-raising, capacity building, alliances building, family
and community participation and empowerment, civil society mobilization and resource
generation towards a broad-based response for the promotion, protection and fulfillment
of the rights of children particularly those needing special protection.
National Framework to End Violence Against Children (VAC)
The Framework is a guide to the development and implementation of appropriate and
effective legislative, policy and programmatic initiatives towards the elimination of all
forms of violence against children in the Philippines.

V.

Code of Conduct
This section refers to the required decorum from CWC staff, structures and networks to be
observed in the different contexts that children are involved in the Council-initiated and
supported activities, such as when responding to child related issues; managing disclosures;
conduct of conferences, workshops, RTDs and other similar activities; chaperoning;
celebration of awareness week; and development of CWC information materials.
It is expected that all CWC staff, structures and networks will observe the following policies
and procedures in dealing with children involved in CWC initiated and supported activities at
all times:

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A. Conduct of conferences, workshops, meetings, roundtable discussions and other

similar activities (including observance of special celebrations)
Being an agency that promotes child participation, the Council organizes activities
wherein children are invited either as participants, emcees/moderators/facilitators,
resource persons, delegates, etc. To ensure that no harm will come to these children while
participating in these activities, the following procedures should be observed:

a. Pre-activity
i. Write letter to the organization the child is affiliated with. In case of
children in school, the letter should be addressed to the principal if it will
only involve a child or children from the same school; or to the
appropriate Schools Superintendent in case of a group of children
coming from different schools.
The letter should state the objective of the activity, expected participation
of the child/children, duration of the activity and include request for the
child/children to be excused from class.
ii. Secure consent form from their parents or guardians. This can be secured
directly by CWC or coursed through the organization the child is
affiliated with.
iii. Prepare master list of child participants and his/her chaperone (if any),
including contact details (landline and mobile numbers of both child and
chaperone).
iv. If activity would require the child to travel from his/her place to the
venue, always get the following details:
(1.) travel or flight details
(2.) contact details (landline and mobile numbers of both the child and
chaperone)
(3.) food preferences or allergies
(4.) religion (especially if there are children invited from Mindanao)
v. Always inform the child and his/her chaperone of the details of the
activity, e.g. Room and transportation arrangements (i.e. if there is any
vehicle to fetch them from the airport).
vi. In making room reservations, always consider the comfort of the
children. Their assigned room should not be overcrowded (i.e. assigning
5 children in a room good for 3 persons only). There should be separate
room assignments for boys and girls. As much as possible, children
should be together with their chaperone.
vii. Selection of facilitators should be based on previous experiences in
handling children and child-related activity/ies. Depending on the type of
activity and the children being invited, the facilitator must also be
equipped in handling disclosures. Orientation on the Councils child

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protection policy shall be given to the facilitators before the conduct of

the activity.
viii. Ice breakers, activities and games must be carefully chosen to suit the
age and the different backgrounds of the child-participants ; or even with
adult participants only (i.e. religion, ethnic affiliation, etc.). Avoid as
much as possible activities that have sexual connotation or have double
meanings.
ix. Always bring a first-aid kit as part of the supplies and materials.
x. In cases where there is a need for exposure trips, where the children will
be divided into groups, always ensure that the following are observed:
(1.) Inform the place to be visited on details like: number of children,
purpose of the visit, activities to be undertaken, etc.;
(2.) Make sure that the place to be visited is safe;
(3.) Ensure that there are enough vehicles assigned to each group; and
(4.) Ensure that the children would be safely transported back to the
venue at the specified time.

b. During the activity

i. Ensure that the conference room/s to be used is/are comfortable to the
children and is/are conducive for learning, discussion and other
activities. Activities involving children always require a lot of space for
them to move around.
ii. Ensure that all preparatory activities done are observed and followed in
the conduct of the activity. Re-check other administrative concerns like
flight details, schedule of bus, etc.
iii. In cases where there are activities or sessions that would require
separating the adult from the children, always make sure that the needs
of the children are given priority. There should always be CWC staff
assigned in the room where the children are.
iv. Always be aware and observant to the needs and behavior of the
children. In cases where there are disclosures during the activity, always
ensure that confidentiality is upheld. Assure the child/children that
whatever transpired during the discussion will remain in the room and
should not be discussed with anybody after the activity. The
documentation of the proceedings should not, as much as possible,
directly identify a particular disclosure to the specific child.
Inform the child that a separate session will be done together with his/her
chaperone to debrief him/her of the experience during the activity.
However, this should only be done if chaperone is professional or trained
and when possible and/or practical.

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v. For exposure trips:

(1.) There should always be an adult chaperone and CWC staff in each
group;
(2.) Ensure that each group has enough provision for food, water and first
aid; and
(3.) Always have a list of all the children and adults in each group. Each
CWC staff assigned in a group should have this list and make sure to
do headcount before leaving each area.
c. Post activity. Ensure that children are properly sent off. Make sure that ample
time is given for them to catch their flights or trips. Check if they are able to
return home safely.
d. In cases where a child is hurt or injured while attending any CWC activity, it is
the responsibility of the CWC to provide for the medical needs of the child. The
guardian or adult accompanying the child must immediately be notified.
e. Child facilitator/ resource person. If the child is being invited as a facilitator or
resource person, in local and international conferences and workshops, it is the
responsibility of CWC to guide them throughout the conference by:
i. Discussing with the child the objectives of the activity;
ii. Informing his/her parents of the objectives of the activity and the extent
of their childs participation;
iii. As much as possible, children should rarely be allowed to appear in
media. However, in cases where there are members of the media, it is
important for the child to know the consequences of appearing in media,
particularly children in need of special protection, as this may have
implication to their security (e.g. if the child is an abuse victim, child
soldier or Children In Conflict with the Law). Always secure the consent
of the parent or guardian before allowing any media outfit to
cover/feature the child.
iv. Prepare presentation materials and conference papers together with the
child;
v. Ensure that there is always an adult and/or a CWC staff with the child
who will take care of his/her needs (The duties and responsibilities of the
CWC staff as chaperone will be discussed in the next section).

B. Chaperoning and Chaperon guidelines

Chaperones shall be required/ allowed if deemed necessary, i.e. when child is very young
like the Day Care children, on special circumstances like abused children, etc.
When a CWC staff is designated as chaperone in local and international activities, he/she
is expected to be of the same gender as that of the child.

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The following activities should also be observed:

a.

Pre-activity
i. He/she shall ensure that pertinent documents to the trip are completed;
ii. Should have full knowledge of the activity (objectives, etc) and shall ensure
that parents or the legal guardian/s are also informed;
iii. Should conduct a briefing before the activity and de-briefing immediately after
the activity;
iv. Secure consent from the parents and excuse letter or authorization from the
school;
v. Must always ensure that there is mutual trust for the whole duration while in
contact with the child;
vi. Ensure that the childs food preference, medical condition and other personal
information are properly relayed to the organizers so that these will be taken
into consideration;

b.

During the activity

i. NEVER LEAVE THE CHILD! At no instance should the staff let the child be
out of his/her sight. In cases where there will be separate sessions for the child,
he/she should check on the child from time-to-time.
ii. He/she should always know the schedule of the child for the day. If there are
sessions which would require the child to transfer room, he/she should always
know the childs room assignment and make sure to accompany the child in the
assigned room.
iii. For international conferences, the organizers normally include exposure trips to
historical or scenic sites. Always be mindful of the agreed meeting place and
time. Always remind the child to bring his/her passport and ticket with him/her
so that he/she will be prepared in case these documents are asked from him/her.
iv. Ensure that other administrative preparations like confirmation of airplane
reservation, hotel concerns, etc. are properly taken care of.

c.

Post activity
i. Do not leave the child alone in the airport. Wait for the person who will fetch
the child. Ensure that the CWC staff knows who will fetch the child from the
airport.

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ii. If the child has a connecting trip from abroad to any points here in the
Philippines, ensure that the child and whoever has fetched him/her catches their
flight.

C. Responding to child related issues

Following RA 7610, any person who learns of facts or circumstances that give rise to the
belief that a child has suffered abuse may report the same, either orally or in writing.
Confidentiality of Records. All records pertaining to cases of abuse shall be strictly
confidential and no information relating thereto shall be disclosed except in connection
with any court or official proceeding based thereon. The unauthorized disclosure of the
aforementioned records shall be punishable by the prescribed sanction/s of this office.
Consent. It is made sure that the childs participation is supplemented with the parents or
legal guardians consent to that of the child.
Roles and Responsibilities. It is the responsibility of all those covered by this policy that
these guidelines are observed in all contexts it is expected to be applied, including but not
limited to, in the conduct of researches, workshops, consultations, etc.

1. Guide in dealing with reports and referrals on child related cases

All staff are expected to give the needed assistance by being responsive to all childrelated cases received, i.e. phone-callers who are in one way or another reporting,
seeking help and inquiring the basic procedures in dealing with child abuse cases.
Cases received through formal communication or emails go through the regular
procedure where these are noted by the Directors and are forwarded to the concerned
social worker / division for appropriate action.

Any staff referring reports of child-related cases to other offices, organizations,

or institutions concerned, acting in good faith, will not be charged with criminal,
civil, or administrative liability as provided for by Article 167 of PD 603, and
Section 7 of Rules & Regulations on the Reporting & Investigation of Child Abuse
Cases, pursuant to RA 7610.

When answering calls relative to child abuse cases, always ask the basic information
(this shall be entered in the report form for the record) such as:
a. name and relationship of the caller to the child
b. address and contact number of the child/ caller, parents / caregiver of the child; and
c. The name / address/ relationship of the alleged perpetrator.
Assure the caller that the informations he/she will provide are confidential.
tell the caller to call again without giving basic response/s.

ever

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On instances that the caller needs further information and/or immediate action (like
when the abuse is on-going), refer the call to any social worker or any competent
staff of this office (designated for this task). If there is no available social worker or
any competent staff in the office to attend the case at that instance, advise the caller
to immediately seek the intervention of the nearest barangay, police and social
worker who has the area jurisdiction of the case. Assure the caller that the case will
be endorsed to the social worker for further intervention and monitoring.
Travel Clearance. On instances where the caller needs information on the DSWD
travel clearance for unaccompanied minors, refer him/her to the Regional Office
concerned depending on the residence of the child. In this concern, it is the task of
the CWC staff to give the contact details of the respective DSWD-Regional Office. It
is only the said Office that is mandated to issue travel clearance.

2. Referral form
The CWC Child Protection Referral Form (please see Attachment A) shall be filled
up by the CWC staff when receiving calls that needs further intervention. The social
worker will use this as a reference in determining further action to the case. The form
requires the following information:
Date & Time of Call:
ame of Caller:
Relationship of caller to the child:
ame of the child:
ature of Call (what assistance is needed):
Address of the child:
Parents / Caregivers of the child:
Alleged Perpetrator & relationship to the child:
Actions Taken:
Received by:

3. Flowchart
Kindly refer to Attachment B for the CWC Child Protection Referral Flowchart.

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D. Managing disclosures
This policy acknowledges that disclosures of child abuse, neglect, cruelty, exploitation
or discrimination may come in different venues such as during data gathering in the
conduct of research, rapid appraisal, and workshops.
1. Research
In gathering data for a research, the methodology may require direct interviews with a
child respondent, and/or focus group discussions (FGDs) with child participants. In
these venues for data collection, the following guidelines shall be observed:1
a. Safety and Security. No child must be harmed and every child must be
protected in the study. During the data collection, it is important that the
researcher obtains a secure space for answering the research instrument/s.
He/She must make certain that no one who could be a possible threat is around
the vicinity. The researcher should ask them politely to leave the premises.
b. Confidentiality. The researcher assures the participants that the completed
research instrument/s will not be seen by anyone except the research team.
(1) only the child will be allowed to see his/her answered research
instrument/s;
(2) the parent or guardian of the child will only be allowed to see the
completed research instrument/s after it has been reviewed by the research
team;
(3) data collectors shall sign an agreement that they will keep the results of the
research instrument/s confidential.
c. Crisis Detection. When an abusive situation for a child/children is discovered
by data collectors, or when a participant confides that he/she is experiencing
abuse, the data collector shall immediately report to concerned authorities and
arrange for an appropriate intervention on the case.

2. Conduct of appraisals
Developing a rapid and accurate assessment of girls and boys protection concerns
informs subsequent effective advocacy and programming. The approaches used for a
child protection assessment are very similar to those used in non-crisis settings (i.e.
group discussions, observation, individual interviews, mapping).2
Assessors should take into account:
a. discrimination, such as gender, age, ethnicity, disability and social status;
b. the fact that children of different ages and phases in their development are
vulnerable and sometimes resilient in specific ways during emergencies; and

1
2

Philippine Womens University, (2007). Research Protocol for the Baseline Research on Violence Against Children in Public Schools
Council for the Welfare of Children, (2007). SC CAACD Emergency Assessment Briefer and Field Visit Guide Checklist

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c. the fact that children also become vulnerable due to being in specific situations
(e.g. child heads of households), after having lived particular experiences (e.g.
sexual or physical abuse), or as a result of past experiences which are compounded
by current events (e.g. children who have suffered multiple displacements or
conflicts).
Every childs development is a concern in emergencies. The increased stresses on and
changes to families and communities can mean that children are subject to neglect - or
the failure to provide for a childs basic needs.
In high profile emergencies, many groups will be on site with the declared aim of
helping children. They will have a range of skills and resources at their disposal - from
significant budgets and trained staff to minimal resources and well-meaning volunteers.
It is important that there is coordination of all the child protection actors, and
agreement on and adherence to standards.
Do no harm. Maintain any indigenous protective elements in boys and girls lives. No
matter how depleted materially or spiritually, family and community members are the
key actors to protect children. It is incumbent on the assessors to adopt the principle of
do no harm. In seeking to fulfill this, the team must:
a. Share a clear purpose of the assessment which they can share with children and
others to avoid confusion and possible misrepresentation.
b. Have a deep sensitivity to the issues that may be raised and how to interact with
children in distress.
c. Ensure that cultural norms are respected and taken into account, especially in
relation to gender and behavior of assessors.
d. Commit to probing only into issues on which they can bring about or influence
change.
e. Make certain that children are not repeatedly interviewed about their experiences.
f.

When an abusive situation for children is discovered or when a child confides that
he/she is experiencing abuse, the team shall immediately report to concerned
authorities and arrange for an appropriate intervention in the case.

E. Inclusion of children in celebration/ awareness week

Always ensure that children are part of the celebrations pertaining to them like,
Childrens Month, CSAAW, Girl Child Week etc.

F. Development of Information Materials

1. All photos and outputs generated from the said activity are considered CWC
property, when permit has been secured from the child & his/her parents at a CWC
activity.

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2. However, photos, outputs, and other materials generated from these activities, may
only be used as appropriate by CWC as part of advocacy materials. The use of these
materials should not be permitted by CWC management in cases where these might
endanger the security of the child. Ensure that Guide for Media Practitioners on the
Reporting and Coverage of Cases Involving Children (Revised 2008) is observed.

VI.

Implementation of CWC Child Protection Policy

All current CWC Staff, regardless of status, should be oriented on and made to sign the Child
Protection Policy. This would form part of their agreement with the Council which they will
be sworn to follow while employed in CWC. The agreement should also form part of their
Personal Records.
All incoming staff, regardless of status, should also sign the agreement to the CWC Child
Protection Policy, aside from their Appointment.

VII.

Monitoring of CWC Child Protection Policy

A. All CWC staff shall consciously ensure that the Child Protection Policy is observed in all
contexts it is expected to be applied, including but not limited to, in the conduct of
researches, workshops, consultations, etc.
B. Planning for the conduct of all activities where the participation of children is included,
must integrate and observe the guidelines stated in this policy.
C. Monitoring of this policy shall utilize the existing procedures of this Council, especially
in case of failure or lapse to comply with the said policy.

VIII.

Recruitment of Staff
In processing application of newly hired personnel to the Council, the applicants agreement
to the CWC Child Protection Policy should be one of the pre-requisites before finally
accepting him/her to a position. The CWC Child Protection Policy will also be one of the
major concerns to be included in the orientation of the newly hired employees of this
Council.
To ensure that there are competent/trained personnel to deal with complex reports on
child-related issues, the Human Resource Unit of the Council shall ensure that there
should always be at least one technical staff in its roster whose educational background /
profession is on Social Work.

Council for the Welfare of Children

IX.

Page 16 of 18

Awareness Raising and Education

All staff shall be oriented on the CWC Child Protection Policy. Supervisors shall always
ensure that their staff shall follow the policy at all times. Those found not following the
policy shall be given correspondingly penalized based on the assessment of the CWC
management.
The CWC Child Protection Policy shall form part of the CWC Manual of Operations and
shall be accessible at the CWC Website.

This Child Protection Policy of the Council for the Welfare of Children is hereby adopted as one
of the legal and binding documents of this Office. Adopted on 31 July 2008.

Signed:

MA.ELEA S. CARABALLO
Deputy Executive Director, CWC Concerns

Conforme:
_______________________________________
Signature over Printed Name of CWC Personnel
Date Signed: ____________________________

Council for the Welfare of Children

Page 17 of 18

Attachment A. CWC Child Protection Referral Form

CWC Child Protection

Referral Form
umber____________
Date & Time of Call:

_________________________________________________

Name of Caller:

_________________________________________________

Relationship of caller to the child:

_________________________________________________

Name of the child:

_________________________________________________

Nature of Call (what assistance is needed):

_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________

Address of the child:

_________________________________________________

Parents / Caregivers of the child:

_________________________________________________

Alleged Perpetrator & relationship to the child: _________________________________________

Actions Taken:

_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________

Received by (name & signature):

_________________________________________________

Date:

_________________________________________________

This Form shall be submitted to the Child Protection Referral logbook.

Council for the Welfare of Children

Page 18 of 18

Attachment B. CWC Child Protection Referral Flowchart

Caller reports case
of child abuse

Staff asks basic

information about the
child and caller

No

Staff
determines if
case needs
further
assessment

Give response/advice.
Enter the information about
the case in the Referral form

Yes
Refer the call to any social worker
or any competent staff of this
office (designated for this task)

What
type of
response
is needed
for this
case?

Advice the caller to seek the assistance of

the nearest city/ municipal social welfare
development office, located in the
respective city/ municipal hall

Or

Refer the case to the

concerned agency
(if needed)

Enter the data in the Referral form

Case Monitoring
- Follow-up with the agency
- provide feedback to the caller