ESF upholds every child’s right to learn and live in conditions that protect them from harm.
At ESF we prioritise Safeguarding and Child Protection. Through our actions, we promote the optimum development of our students' intellectual, physical, emotional, and social wellbeing. Wherever possible, we aim to prevent harm through our safeguarding actions, and if harm has occurred, we respond through our child protection procedures.
All ESF staff are trained in preventative and protective measures, with each school having at least two dedicated Child Protection Officers on site to lead on this critical aspect of student life.
Our policy and procedures are based on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, Hong Kong law, and additional guidance from international sources such as Keeping Children Safe, and the International Task Force on Child Protection.
Our policy is built on four core tenets:
- We respond: All our actions are proactive and responsive, guided by strong policy to ensure we do all we can to safeguard and protect our students.
- We support: We work in hope, towards a future without child maltreatment, in close collaboration with our students and their families. We understand the specific context they live in, and support them in a culturally sensitive manner.
- We connect: We engage and partner with local and international support services, with our communities, and with each other through the ESF Child Protection Officers Network.
- We develop: The field of Child Protection is always in motion; we constantly strive to improve our approach. We refine and review our actions, with the aim to constantly better ourselves.
ESF West Island School - Child Protection Officers
Helen Devine Costa, Vice Principal (16-18) (helen.devine-costa@wis.edu.hk)
Guy Hewson, Director of Learning Pre16 (guy.hewson@wis.edu.hk)
Sara Ellison, Director of Learning Post 16 (sara.ellison@wis.edu.hk)
Saffron Brown, Mental Health lead (saffron.brown@wis.edu.hk)
Steve Rudall, Director of Learning (Years 10 -11) (steve.rudall@wis.edu.hk)
Mike Williams, Vice Principal (Years 10 -11) (mike.williams@wis.edu.hk)
Helena Murchie, Vice Principal (Years 7 -9) (helena.murchie@wis.edu.hk)
By enrolling their children at ESF, parents agree to work in partnership with us and abide by the ESF Safeguarding and Child Protection policy and procedures.
Download ESF Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy
