Sample only

Department of Education
Region VIII
Name of Division
NAME OF SCHOOL
Address

SCHOOL-BASED CHILD PROTECTION AND ANTI-BULLYING POLICY

Rationale

The welfare of our children in school is of paramount importance. No child can

perform better if he or she is learning in a stressful environment. No amount of teaching
strategies and motivations can effectively effect learning if a child is physically,
emotionally, and socially disturbed.
In compliance to the DepEd’s mission, this child protection and anti-bullying
policy document aims to protect and promote the right of every child to learn in a child-
friendly, gender-sensitive, safe and motivating environment. Thus the school principal,
teachers, staff, parents, community, and even students share a common responsibility
to keep our children safe. This is embodied in R.A. No. 7610 and DepEd Order No.
40, s. 2012 imposing a zero tolerance policy for any act of child abuse, exploitation,
violence, discrimination, bullying, and other forms of abuse in schools.

Objectives:

1. To safeguard the welfare and safety of all students;

2. To involve all stakeholders in ensuring the school as a safe-learning
environment;
3. To uphold the rights and responsibilities of children;
4. To let children be aware of and avoid any act of bullying;
5. To provide a mechanism in mediating bullying cases and incidents; and
6. To establish a child protection community that ensures the protection and
promotion of children’s rights.

The Child Protection and Anti-bullying Committee

Chairperson : (School Principal/Head)

Vice Chairperson : (Guidance Counsellor or Teacher)
Members : (Teacher Representative)
: (Parent Representative)
: (Student Representative)
: (Community/Barangay Representative)

The Child Protection and Anti-Bullying Committee has the following functions:

1. Draft a school child protection policy with a code of conduct and a plan to
ensure child protection and safety, which shall be reviewed every three (3)
years.

2. Initiate information dissemination programs and organize activities for the

protection of children from abuse, exploitation, violence, discrimination and
bullying or peer abuse;
 3. Develop and implement a school-based referral and monitoring system.

4. Establish a system for identifying students who may be suffering from

significant harm based on any physical, emotional or behavioural signs;

5. Identify, refer and, if appropriate, report to the appropriate offices cases

involving child abuse, exploitation, violence, discrimination and bullying;

6. Give assistance to parents or guardians, whenever necessary in securing

expert guidance counselling from the appropriate offices or institutions;

7. Coordinate closely with the Women and Child Protection Desks of the
Philippine National Police (PNP), the Local Social Welfare and
Development Office (LSWDO), other government agencies, and non-
governmental organizations (NGOs), as may be appropriate;

8. Monitor the implementation of positive measures and effective procedures in

providing the necessary support for the child and for those who care for the
child; and

9. Ensure that the children's right to be heard are respected and upheld in all
matters and procedures affecting their welfare.
.

PROHIBITED ACTS

Following are the prohibited acts and their descriptions:

1. “Child Abuse” - refers to the maltreatment of a child, whether habitual or

not, which includes any act by deeds or words which debases, degrades
or demeans the intrinsic worth and dignity of a child as a human being;
failure to immediately give medical treatment to an injured child resulting
in serious impairment of his or her growth and development or in the
child’s permanent incapacity or death.

2. “Child Exploitation” - refers to the use of pupils for someone else’s

advantage which include sending pupils for an errand during class hour
which expose pupils to harm on his or her way , exposure to domestic
violence by keeping pupils outside for longer period of time which
deprive him or her of learning development.

3. “Violence against children committed in schools” - refers to a single act

or a series of acts committed by school administrators, academic and
non-academic personnel against a child which result in or is likely to
result in physical, sexual, psychological harm or suffering, or other
abuses including threats of such acts, battery, assault, coercion,
harassment or arbitrary deprivation of liberty. It includes, but is not
limited to physical violence, sexual violence, psychological violence, and
other acts of violence.

4. “Corporal Punishment” - refers to a kind of punishment or penalty

imposed for an alleged or actual offense, which is carried out or inflicted,
 for the purpose of discipline, training or control, by a teacher, school
administrator, an adult, or any other child who has been given or has
assumed authority or responsibility for punishment or discipline. It
includes physical, humiliating or degrading punishment, including, but
not limited to the following:

a. Blows such as, but not limited to, beating, kicking, hitting, slapping,
or lashing, or any part of a child’s body, with or without the use of an
instrument such as, but not limited to a cane, broom, stick, whip or
belt;
b. Striking of a child’s face or head, such being declared as a “no
contact zone”;
c. Pulling hair, shaking, twisting joints, cutting or piercing skin, dragging,
pushing or throwing of a child;
d. Forcing a child to perform physically painful or damaging acts such
as, but not limited to, holding a weight or weights for an extended
period and kneeling on stones, salt, pebbles or other objects;
e. Deprivation of a child’s physical needs as a form of punishment;
f. Deliberate exposure to fire, ice, water, smoke, sunlight, rain, pepper,
alcohol, or forcing the child to swallow substances, dangerous
chemicals, and other materials that can cause discomfort or threaten
the child’s health, safety and sense of security such as, but not limited
to bleach or insecticides, excrement or urine;
g. Tying up a child;
h. Confinement, imprisonment or depriving the liberty of a child;
i. Verbal abuse or assaults, including intimidation or threat of bodily
harm, swearing or cursing, ridiculing or denigrating the child;
j. Forcing a child to wear a sign, to undress or disrobe, or to put on
anything that will make a child look or feel foolish, which belittles or
humiliates the child in front of others;
k. Permanent confiscation of personal property of pupils, students or
learners, except when such pieces of property pose a danger to the
child or to others; and
l. Other analogous acts.

5. “Bullying or Peer Abuse” – refers to wilful aggressive behavior that is

directed towards a particular victim who may be out-numbered, younger,
weak, with disability, less confident, or otherwise vulnerable, more
particularly bullying and cyber-bullying.

a. Bullying – is committed when a student commits an act or a

series of acts directed towards another student, or a series of single acts
directed towards several students in a school setting or a place of
learning, which results in physical and mental abuse, harassment,
intimidation, or humiliation. Such acts may consist of one or more of the
following:

(1) Threats to inflict a wrong upon a student, honor or property of the

student or on his or her family;
(2) Stalking or constantly following or pursuing a student in his or her
daily activities with unwanted and obsessive attention;
(3) Taking of property;
 (4) Public humiliation, or public and malicious imputation of a crime
or of a vice or defect, whether real or imaginary, or any act,
omission, condition, status, or circumstance tending to cause
dishonor, discredit, or expose a person to contempt.
(5) Deliberate destruction or defacement of, or damage to the child’s
property;
(6) Physical violence committed upon a student, which may or may
not result to harm or injury, with or without the aid of a weapon.
Such violence may be in form of mauling, hitting, punching,
kicking, throwing things at the student, pinching, spanking, or
other similar acts;
(7) Demanding or requiring sexual or monetary favors, or exacting
money or property, from a pupil or student; and
(8) Restraining liberty and freedom from a student.

b. Cyber-bullying – is any conduct defined in the preceding

paragraph, as resulting in harassment, intimidation, or humiliation,
through electronic means or other technology, such as, but not limited to
texting, email, instant messaging, chatting, internet, social networking
websites or other platforms or formats.

6. Other Acts of Violence or Abuse” – refers to other acts of violence or

abuse committed by a student to another student of the school.

PROTECTIVE AND REMEDIAL MEASURES TO ADDRESS BULLYING AND

OTHER ACTS OF ABUSE

In cases of offenses on bullying committed by students, the following process

shall be observed:

1. For minor cases, the bully and victims shall immediately be pacified by
concerned teacher/s and a verbal reprimand and consolation, respectively
shall be done and a promise by the bully to refrain from committing such
acts again.
2. For second offenses of the bully to the same victim/s or to another student/s,
the same shall be referred to the Guidance Counsellor for counselling.
3. For third offenses, the bullying incident shall be reported to the school
principal who in turn shall inform the parents of the student/s concerned and
a meeting shall be held for that purpose.
4. The student (bully) shall be referred to the CPC for counselling and other
interventions.
5. For fourth offenses, the school principal shall, if warranted, impose a three-
day to five-day suspension to offending students in which parents of the
concerned student/s shall be informed of the sanctions.
6. For subsequent offenses, the same shall be referred to the Schools Division
Superintendent for appropriate action.
7. For major cases that require immediate attention, the case shall be referred
to DSWD and PNP for appropriate actions.
8. For offenses committed by teachers and staff, the incident shall be brought
to the School Principal for investigation and appropriate action.
 9. The alleged teacher/employee accused of child abuse or violation of the
Code of Discipline is informed in writing and is given 5 days to respond to
the allegation.
10. Validation is further done by seeking both verbal and written narratives from
witnesses, if possible.
11. If not settled, the same will be elevated to the higher office for appropriate
action.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILTIES

The School Head’s Responsibilities

1. Ensure that all pupils, students or learners, school personnel, parents,

guardians or custodians, and visitors and guests are made aware of child
protection policy.
2. Conduct the capacity building activities for the members of the Child Protection
Committee and Guidance Counselors/Teachers;
3. Conduct disciplinary proceedings in cases of offenses committed by pupils,
students or learners;
4. Ensure that the participatory and other rights of children are respected and
upheld in all matters and procedures affecting their welfare;
5. Maintain a record of all proceedings related to bullying or peer abuse and
submit after each school year to the Division Office the report and a copy of the
intake form.
6. Conduct the appropriate training and capability-building activities on child
protection measures and protocols;
7. Ensure that the school adopts a student Code of Conduct to be followed by
every pupil, student or learner while on school grounds, or when traveling to
and from, or during a school-sponsored activity, and during lunch period,
whether on or off campus;
8. Adopt such conflict resolution mechanisms that respect the rights of indigenous
peoples, provided that they conform to the DepEd Order No. 40, s. 2012 and
they uphold the rights of the child;
9. Coordinate with the appropriate offices and other agency or instrumentality for
appropriate assistance and intervention, as may be required in the performance
of its functions;
10. Coordinate with the Department of Social Welfare and Development or, the
appropriate government agencies or non-governmental organizations on a
Child Protection Hotline for reporting abuse, violence, exploitation,
discrimination, bullying and other similar acts and for counseling.

The Duties and Responsibilities of School Personnel

1. Exercise special parental authority and responsibility over the child while under
the supervision, instruction and custody. Authority and responsibility shall apply
to all authorized activities whether inside or outside the premises of the school,
entity or institution.
2. Keep them in their company and support, educate and instruct them by right
precept and good example;
3. Give them love and affection, advice and counsel, companionship and
understanding;
4. Enhance, protect, preserve and maintain their physical and mental health at all
times;
5. Furnish them with good and wholesome educational materials, supervise their
activities, recreation and association with others, protect them from bad
company and prevent them from acquiring bad habits detrimental to their
health, studies and morals;
6. Represent them in all matters affecting their interest;
7. Inculcate the value of respect and obedience;
8. Practice positive and non-violent discipline, as may be required under the
circumstances; provided, that in no case shall corporal punishment be inflicted
upon them;
9. Perform such other duties as are imposed by law upon them, as substitute
parents or guardians; and
10. School personnel shall also strictly comply with the school’s child protection
policy.

The Students’ Duties and Responsibilities

1. Obey and comply all school rules and regulations at all times as long as they
are in harmony with their best interests. They shall refrain from doing the
following:
a. Engaging in discrimination, or leading a group of pupils or students to
discriminate another, with reference to one’s physical appearance,
weaknesses and status of any sort;
b. Doing any act that is inappropriate or sexually provocative;
c. Participating in behavior of other students that is illegal, unsafe or abusive;
d. Marking or damaging school property, including books, in any way;
e. Engaging in fights or any aggressive behavior;
f. Introducing into the school premises or otherwise possessing prohibited
articles, such as deadly weapons, drugs, alcohol, toxic and noxious
substances, cigarettes and pornographic materials and
g. Performing other similar acts that cause damage or injury to another.
2. Show respect to their teachers, the staff, the school principal, their parents, and
to the elderly as a whole.
3. Respect the rights of their classmates and schoolmates at all times regardless
of sex, age, beliefs, and socio-economic status.
4. Refrain from making trouble inside and outside the school premises.
5. Respect the rights and property of others.
6. Report to teachers any form of bullying committed by students whether towards
himself/herself or that of their fellow students.
7. Observe the Code of Conduct for students.

The Parents and Visitors’ Responsibilities

1. Support their children in all school dealings.

2. Help the school personnel specifically their children’s teachers in imposing
discipline.
3. Provide guidance to their children as to the proper dealing with their peers,
teachers and elderly.
4. Take full responsibility of their children’s action.
5. Ensure that their children do not possess deadly weapons in coming to school.
 6. In case that there is a complaint regarding abuse and bullying experienced by
their child/children, file complaints if needed to the proper authority- the School
Child Protection Committee.
7. Actively participate in upholding the protection of every child.
8. Attend orientations/seminars relative to child protection.
9. Advocate child protection policies, guidelines, instructions, programs and
activities.

PREVENTIVE MEASURES

In order to help prevent the frequency of bullying and child abuse incidents, the
following preventive measures shall be established in the school:

1. Conduct of orientation and reorientation of teachers on DepEd Child-

Protection Policies, Code of Conduct for public servants, and other
pertinent laws, classroom management and discipline strategies;
2. Conduct advocacy campaigns for teachers, students, and parents on child
protection policies, sanctions, and preventive mechanisms.
3. Develop flyers, leaflets, and other information education communication
materials that promote anti-bullying guidelines and practices.
4. Develop a school counselling program for the prevention and mitigation of
bullying cases in school.
5. Set –up a hotline that receives and addresses reports of cases of child
abuses.
6. Conduct parenting orientation and seminars on effective parenting.

Prepared by:

The CHILD PROTECTION POLICY COMMITTEE

___________________________ ________________________
Chairperson Vice Chairperson

___________________________ ________________________
Member Member

___________________________ ________________________
Member Member

(Notes: This is a sample child protection policy only. You may revise it to suit to the
specific needs of your school. Please refer to DepEd Order No. 40, s. 2012 as your
guide. You may also refer to Annex 2B Child Protection Policy implementation
Checklist (School-Based Child Protection/Anti-bullying Policy Implementation
Checklist) for proper implementation of the policy and other requirements.)