What is Child Safeguarding?
A Culture of Care and Accountability
Child safeguarding is a core principle that guides every aspect of our work. It means taking proactive steps to protect children from all forms of abuse, neglect, exploitation, and harm—especially within the programs and services meant to support them.
At Child Guardians, safeguarding is more than compliance. It’s about building trust, ensuring safety, and upholding dignity in every setting where children interact with our teams, volunteers, and partners.
Our Four Pillars of Safeguarding
Prevention
We integrate robust safeguarding measures into every operation, from recruitment to program implementation. Safe practices are embedded across all activities.
Awareness
We provide comprehensive safeguarding training for all staff, volunteers, and partners. Our child-friendly materials ensure everyone understands their protection role.
Reporting
We maintain accessible, child-friendly complaint mechanisms that encourage safe reporting. All concerns are handled with confidentiality and care.
Response
We investigate all safeguarding concerns thoroughly and promptly, following survivor-centered approaches that prioritize the child’s best interests.
Our Approach
Our Safeguarding Standards
- Safe Recruitment Every staff member and volunteer undergoes comprehensive background checks and mandatory safeguarding training before beginning work.
- Safe Programming All programs are designed with child protection at their core, ensuring safe environments across schools, child-friendly spaces, and community programs.
- Safe Partnerships All suppliers, service providers, and partners sign our Code of Conduct and receive orientation on maintaining safe operations.
- Continuous Monitoring We conduct regular audits, refresher training, and system improvements to maintain the highest standards of child protection.
Local Impact
Recognition & Leadership
- Active Regional Role: Member of the PSEAH Network and part of the Independent Investigations Group handling safeguarding cases in Northwest Syria.
- Technical Leadership Spearheading safeguarding initiatives adopted by education authorities and humanitarian partners.
- Locally Driven Solutions Developing innovative, context-specific tools that elevate protection standards across sectors.
Our milestones
Safeguarding Highlights from 2024
In 2024, we elevated our safeguarding work to reach across systems and sectors. Here’s how:
- Leading Local Solutions We developed inclusive, child-friendly tools for schools and helped shape safeguarding frameworks now adopted by local authorities.
- Strengthening Partnerships Through technical leadership and capacity-building, we supported local organizations in embedding safeguarding into their core operations.
- Championing Accountability As active members of regional safeguarding networks, we contributed to investigations and upheld strong, survivor-centered response systems.
