The present document is annexed to CSI’s Code of Conduct. The document represents CSI’s policy, principles, and procedures for safeguarding children and protecting measures taken by staff members of CSI in their professional roles.
CSI strongly believes in the rights of all children, including their right to protection from all forms of violence, abuse, neglect, and exploitation. Children should be able to reach their full potential and be healthy and happy. This belief is in line with the 1989 United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and the Council of Europe Convention on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse (Lanzarote Convention, 2007).
Children who interact with CSI staff, volunteers, interns, external collaborators, and associates will have their rights upheld as outlined in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). CSI’s work aligns with the EU Strategy for the Rights of the Child. It promotes actions that support children’s participation in political and democratic life and economic and social inclusion. Additionally, CSI advocates for children’s rights to health and education, ensuring equal opportunities for all children. The organization works to prevent violence against children and to protect them from harm. It also aims to promote a justice system that addresses children’s needs, fosters safe digital experiences for all children and supports children globally.
CSI is deeply committed to preventing child abuse. We recognize that child abuse and inappropriate contact with children are significant issues worldwide that require proactive management. This policy demonstrates our dedication to taking proactive measures to safeguard and protect children in CSI’s programs, facilities, and networks.
CSI is committed to making decisions and taking actions guided by the principle of the ‘best interest of the child’.
The document contains six distinct sections that cover the following topics:
CSI’s Child Protection Policy is produced by the Child Protection Officer and approved by the Board of Directors. The document is evaluated against EU standards and practical experience and updated at least once a year.
For the purposes of the present policy, the following definitions apply:
Best Interest of the Child (BIC)
The concept of a child’s best interests is threefold: it encompasses a right, a principle, and a procedural rule. This concept is based on assessing all elements concerning a child’s or children’s interests in a specific situation, whether in the public or private sphere. It must be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, considering their personal context, situation, and needs. As a result, the concept of the child’s best interests is flexible and adaptable. Its primary aim is to ensure the full and effective enjoyment of all the rights recognised in the 1989 UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and to support the child’s holistic development. Successfully applying the concept of a child’s best interests necessitates a rights-based approach that engages all stakeholders. This approach is essential for safeguarding the child’s physical, psychological, moral, and spiritual integrity and promoting human dignity.
Child
Every individual under eighteen years of age is considered a child. In this policy, the terms ‘child/children’ and ‘minors’ are used interchangeably.
Child Protection
Preventing and responding to violence, exploitation, and abuse of children in all contexts.
Child Participation
Child participation means that children, both individually and in groups, have the right, resources, space, and opportunity to freely express their views, be heard, and contribute to decision-making on matters that affect them. Their opinions should be taken seriously, considering their age and maturity. To ensure meaningful and genuine participation, children and young people should be provided with relevant information and adequate support for self-advocacy that is appropriate for their age and circumstances.
Child Safeguarding
Child safeguarding is specifically focused on preventative actions to protect all children from deliberate or unintentional acts that lead to the risk of or actual harm.
Staff Members
The term refers to paid staff, volunteers, interns, and external collaborators. CSI is committed to protecting children from all forms of maltreatment and inappropriate behaviour. Child maltreatment encompasses the abuse and neglect of children under 18 years of age. This includes various types of physical and emotional ill-treatment, sexual abuse, neglect, negligence, and exploitation, all of which can result in actual or potential harm to a child’s health, survival, development, or dignity. Such maltreatment often occurs within relationships characterized by responsibility, trust, or power, whether in person or through information technology.
Types of abuse and maltreatment include:
Injury deliberately inflicted upon a child by any person. This includes broken bones, burns, bruises, and other intentionally inflicted physical harm.
Occurs when a child is repeatedly made to feel worthless, unloved, alone, or afraid. Examples include ignoring or rejecting a child, isolating them, threats, criticism, unrealistic expectations, constant blame, and humiliation.
The involvement of a child in sexual activity that they do not fully understand or cannot legally or developmentally consent to or that violates social norms. It may involve adults or other children in positions of power.
Any visual material depicting a child engaged in real or simulated sexually explicit conduct or any depiction of a child’s sexual organs for primarily sexual purposes.
When someone builds emotional trust with a child to exploit or abuse them, this can happen online or face-to-face and may involve strangers or trusted individuals.
Unwanted, aggressive behaviour among children involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behaviour is repeated or has the potential to be repeated over time.
The failure to meet a child’s physical and psychological needs, provide medical care or services or protect them from harm despite having the means and knowledge to do so.
Includes use of children in domestic work, armed conflict, criminal activities (e.g. drug trafficking), sexual exploitation, pornography, or any hazardous work.
Use of digital technologies to facilitate, cause, or threaten violence against children that results in, or risks, physical, psychological, or emotional harm. Includes exploitation based on vulnerability or identity.
CSI is committed to the following values and principles, which must be respected and promoted by all its staff members, volunteers, interns, and collaborators:
CSI establishes and sustains appropriate hiring and selection practices to ensure the safety and protection of children. These practices include completed applications, reference checks, criminal background checks, and documented personnel files, and incorporate explicit reference to child protection in the organisation’s Code of Conduct.
3.1. Applications
3.2. Reference Checks
CSI reserves the right to perform the following reference check procedures for any applicant:
3.3. Interviews
The following principles apply to CSI staff, interns, volunteers, and collaborators when coming into contact or working with children:
4.1. Compliance with CSI’s Code of Conduct & Child Protection Policy
4.2. Data Protection Mechanisms
CSI adheres to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) (EU 2016/679) in its handling of children’s personal data:
4.3. Training on Child Protection
Child safeguarding is integrated into CSI’s internal learning procedures. All staff and collaborators working directly or indirectly with children must participate in regular training that includes:
Training sessions draw on CSI’s own materials as well as modules developed through its relevant European projects. Participation in training is mandatory at onboarding and repeated throughout the employment period.
All CSI staff members, interns, volunteers, and external collaborators must report any concerns, suspicions, or knowledge of child abuse or policy breaches. This includes abuse committed by individuals within CSI or from external parties.
Training provided by CSI includes clear instruction on the protocols to follow when there is concern about child safety or welfare.
Referral to Cypriot legal authorities when appropriate
When coming into contact with external entities such as organisations, networks and/or agencies, CSI will proceed as follows:
Policy Approval
This policy has been developed by the designated Child Protection Officer of CSI and approved by the Board of Directors. It is reviewed annually, or sooner if required by law or following an incident. It is binding for all CSI operations and personnel.
Signed on behalf of the Center for Social Innovation (CSI)
Mr. Demetris Hadjisofocli
Managing Director & Child Protection Officer
Nicosia, Cyprus
Date: April 2025
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