1. Introduction
This Child Protection Policy applies to projects, activities, services and initiatives of the European Union of the Deaf (EUD). The EUD is the only supranational organisation representing Deaf people at European level and its membership is composed of national deaf associations (NADs) from all the of 27 EU Member States, in addition to Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, and the United KingdomEUD aims to establish and maintain EU-level dialogue with its relative institutions and officials, in consultation and co-operation with its members NADs. EUD is a full member of the European Disability Forum (EDF) and its work is funded by the CERV programme (2022-2025).
EUD is committed to promoting and safeguarding the rights and well-being of all children, particularly deaf children, in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) as well as their respective optional protocols. The EUD is committed to ensure a safe environment for any child and to prevent children from risks of abuse and harm.
2. Definitions
Child: anyone under the age of 18, in line with Article 1 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989).
Child abuse: any form of physical or emotional maltreatment, sexual abuse and exploitation, neglect and negligent treatment, violence, psychological and emotional ill treatment, commercial or other exploitation of a child. It includes any act or failure to act, whether intentional or unintentional, by an individual, an organisation or as a result of a process, which results in actual or potential harm to a child’s well-being and dignity or which impairs the child’s prospects for safe and healthy development.
Harm: the result of the exploitation, violence, abuse and neglect of children which can take many forms, including impacts on children’s physical, emotional and behavioural development, their general health, their family and social relationships, their self-esteem, their educational attainment and their aspirations.
3. Scope of the Policy
This policy applies to all EUD staff members, board members, volunteers, trainees, consultants, sign language interpreters hired by the EUD, and partners who engage in activities involving children. It serves as a framework for ensuring a safe environment for all children, preventing abuse and harm, ensuring child-friendly engagement, and providing mechanisms for reporting and responding to concerns.
4. Guiding Principles
- • Best Interests of the Child: The welfare of the child is the paramount consideration in all EUD activities where the EUD ensures a safe, nurturing and empowering environment for them.
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- • Non-Discrimination: Every child, regardless of their background, gender, ethnicity, disability, language, or communication needs, has equal rights to protection from abuse and harm (Article 19 CRC).
- • Participation: Children, including deaf children, have the right to express their views in matters affecting them and to be involved in decision-making processes in accordance with their age and maturity (Article 12 and 13 CRC).
- Responsibility: Everybody has a responsibility to support the protection of children. • Accountability: EUD maintains clear procedures for reporting, responding to, and resolving child protection concerns in a timely and effective manner.
4. Staff:
Upon approval and publication of this Policy, the current EUD staff, board members, volunteers, trainees, consultants and/or sign language interpreters are informed on its content and be provided child protection training including information on how to address prevention measures and to undertake reporting procedures.
5. Recruitment/assignment procedures:
When the EUD hires or assigns new staff, Board members, volunteers, trainees, consultants and/or sign language interpreters, the EUD must proceed to a background check (vetting) for those who will engage in activities involving children. During the hiring/assignment process, the candidates are carefully selected and upon selection, they are informed on the EUD’s Child Protection Policy in addition to the EUD Safeguarding Policy and the EUD Code of Conduct. They are provided child protection training upon take-up of their role and informed on how to address prevention measures and to undertake reporting procedures.
5. Zero tolerance policy:
The EUD does not tolerate any child abuse and harm, including discrimination, among its staff, Board members, volunteers, trainees, consultants, sign language interpreters, EUD events’ participants and partners. It does also not tolerate any action that increases the risk of child abuse and harm and/or affects the safe environment of children. The EUD commits to take seriously all allegations or suspicions of harm and to investigate promptly. If a staff member, a Board member, a trainee, a consultant or a sign language interpreter has been under investigation by EUD or by official law enforcement authorities for any area of harm, exploitation or abuse as defined under this policy, they will be subject to EUD disciplinary procedures. Under these procedures, they may be temporarily suspended during the investigation. If they are dismissed for proven harm, exploitation or abuse, EUD informs the relevant authorities, ends their contract and/or excludes them from any EUD activity and/or ends the partnership, where applicable.
6. Contractors and partners:
When the EUD selects contractors and/or cooperation partners, the EUD takes particular care with regards to the implementation of the EUD Child Protection Policy and ensures they meet the minimum requirements on child protection. Upon conclusion of a partnership with external organisations and/or institutions in projects that involve children, the EUD will require those partners to adhere to the EUD All the publications from 2022 – 2026 are co-funded by and produced under the European Commission’s Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) Programme.
A European Non-Governmental Organisation in official liaison with European Parliament, European Commission and the Council of Europe
Child Protection Policy and will ensure they are provided child protection training.
7. Implementation of the policy in project activities involving children:
Prior to any collaboration with children, the EUD carries out a comprehensive risk analysis (including risk minimisation measures) in relation to the planned project activities. The EUD adapts the programme and/or activities accordingly to ensure they are safer for children. If necessary, the EUD includes additional safety strategies during the implementation phase of the project activities. The EUD provides tailor-made training to its staff, Board members, volunteers, consultants, trainees and/or sign language interpreters on child protection and, if relevant, additional measures foreseen prior to any activity involving children.
Any cooperation with children must be voluntary. The EUD obtains the child’s legal representatives’ consent for any child’s participation in its activities. The information and consent rights of children or legal representatives are respected by the EUD in accordance with legal requirements, including data protection.
EUD commits to render all communication with children accessible, including through sign language and visual materials. EUD obtains the child’s legal representatives’ consent to take the image and/or video recording of the child and use its information. EUD ensures that images of children are appropriate for publication (according to the EUD Code of Conduct) and prevents the child to be traced to their private life environment (home, community, school).
8. Implementation and Monitoring
The Human Resource Committee – comprised of the EUD President, an EUD Board Member and the EUD Executive Director – has overall responsibility for the Child Protection Policy. The Human Resource Committee is responsible for overseeing the implementation of the policy, ensuring compliance, managing any report and subsequent investigation, and guaranteeing regular training is provided. The day-to-day management of the policy is delegated to the Executive Director, Frankie Picron, who is the lead Child Protection Officer.
When the EUD plans an activity involving children, the Executive Director identifies an ad hoc Child Protection Officer who will be participating in the activity on behalf of the EUD. The ad hoc Child Protection Officer is informed on the Child Protection Policy procedures and trained on how to address any issue related to the policy during the activity. EUD ensures that children are made aware of and have access to the ad hoc Child Protection Officer as a person of trust in the event of a suspected case.
9. Reporting and response procedures:
EUD ensures that reporting and incident management procedures to handle child abuse and harm concerns are in place and effectively used to enable an appropriate and swift investigation of any given case. When an EUD staff member, Board member, trainee, consultant, sign language interpreter or partner has a concern or suspicion regarding child abuse and harm, s/he must report to the EUD Human Resources Committee through the submission of the Incident Reporting Procedure (Annex 4 of the EUD Safeguarding Policy).
The EUD Human Resources Committee deals with any reports and infringements to the present All the publications from 2022 – 2026 are co-funded by and produced under the European Commission’s Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) Programme.
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policy. If the report concerns one of the members of the Human Resource Committee, that person will have to step down from the Committee for the duration of the investigation to guarantee a fair and impartial procedure.
All reports and the information herein will be handled with the strictest confidentiality to protect the identity of the person concerned, the informer and the suspect, both appropriately and in accordance with relevant national legislation.
When necessary, the EUD liaises with relevant child protection authorities in the country where the infringement has occured.
9. Public Availability
This Child Protection Policy is available online on the EUD website to ensure transparency and accessibility to everyone who comes in contact with the organisation. The EUD website can be found at this address: https://www.eud.eu.
10. Contact Information
For any child protection policy concerns, please contact the EUD Director, Frankie Picron, at [email protected]
