Child safeguarding policy

Our commitments

Every child who comes into contact with the Foundation's work has the right to be safe, to be treated with dignity, and to be heard. We accept that the risk of harm exists in any organisation that works with children, that it is our responsibility to reduce it, and that a concern raised in good faith is always to be welcomed rather than resented. The policy applies to directors, staff, facilitators, volunteers, consultants, partners and visitors alike, on every site and in every online interaction carried out in the Foundation's name.

Recruitment and conduct

Everyone in a child-facing role is police-verified before starting, is inducted in this policy and signs it, and is supervised. No adult is alone with a child out of sight of others except in a documented emergency. Physical punishment, humiliation, favouritism, gifts to individual children, private contact with children on personal phones or social media, and photographing children without a parent's or guardian's written consent are all prohibited. Information about a child is shared only with those who need it to keep the child safe or to deliver the programme.

Reporting a concern

Anyone who sees, hears of or suspects harm to a child must report it the same day to the designated safeguarding officer. Until a dedicated officer is appointed, the designated officer is the Director and Chief Executive Officer, Prem Panchal, reachable at prem.panchal@scapexfoundation.com or +91 99255 22674. Where the concern involves the designated officer, report instead to the second director, Suman Panchal, at suman.panchal@scapexfoundation.com. A concern about a child's immediate safety goes first to the police (100 / 112) or Childline (1098), and then to us.

Sexual offences against children must be reported under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012; the Act makes reporting a legal duty, and the Foundation will report and will co-operate fully with the police and the Child Welfare Committee. We do not investigate criminal allegations ourselves. Every concern, whether or not it turns out to be founded, is recorded, reported to the board, and acted on; the person who raised it is protected from any adverse consequence.

Partners and donors

Corporate volunteers and visitors on programme sites are accompanied and are bound by this policy for the duration of their visit. Partners who fund child-facing programmes may ask for this policy, our verification records and our incident register, and may raise a concern directly with the board. The policy is reviewed by the board annually and after any incident.