Child And Vulnerable Adults Protection Policy

Xtatic is committed to protecting the welfare and rights of children and vulnerable adults, ensuring their safety and well-being while preventing harm, exploitation, or abuse in our programs. This Safeguarding Policy applies to all Xtatic offerings, and all permanent and seasonal staff must understand it.

Our staff are designated mandated reporters, trained to report any sensitive information that may affect student safety to our leadership team. These cases will be addressed on a case-by-case basis, involving local agencies when necessary.

This policy outlines seven (7) key standards established by UNICEF, essential for keeping children and vulnerable adults safe in Xtatic programs. These standards also help staff determine if Xtatic is meeting its commitments.

Standard 1: Establishing and Enforcing Protective Policies
Xtatic is dedicated to creating a culture of safety to reduce the risk of harm to children and vulnerable adults. We will achieve this through safe recruitment practices, staff policies, a code of conduct for students, and careful vetting of activities and projects—especially those involving vulnerable populations—to ensure they are safe, ethical, and responsible before programs begin.

Standard 2: Enforcing Policies During the Program
Every individual's right to dignity and bodily integrity must be respected and protected. Everyone involved in the program is responsible for upholding children's basic rights, as outlined in the Children’s Rights Charter established by the United Nations. This policy is designed to prevent abuse, ensuring that staff and students do not engage in behaviors that could lead to abuse or be misinterpreted as such.

Standard 3: Reporting Procedures
Xtatic prioritizes the safety and well-being of children and vulnerable adults in our programs. No one should face further risk of harm due to delays or inaction. If abuse is suspected or known, all legal and Xtatic procedures must be followed. It is not the responsibility of any staff member, whether paid or unpaid, to determine if abuse has occurred; however, all staff must report any concerns to the appropriate supervisor, who will decide on the next steps.

Standard 4: Ongoing Staff Training
Xtatic recognizes the importance of appropriate child safeguarding training for all staff who work with children or have designated safeguarding roles. Every individual working with children must be informed about safeguarding issues and possess the necessary knowledge and skills. All staff (both permanent and seasonal) will receive training on child safeguarding, including sexual harassment and supervision. We will ensure that qualified trainers are selected and that staff have time to complete this training.

Standard 5: Communicating the Child Safeguarding Policy
Xtatic will ensure that everyone involved in our programs, from admissions to implementation, is aware of this child safeguarding policy. We understand that policies and procedures can only be effective if all parties, including children, know how to apply them.



Standard 6: Providing Support and Advice
Xtatic understands the distress caused by child abuse and is committed to providing support to those in need. Seasonal staff will ensure that students know where to find help and advice if they have concerns, as outlined in the Program Manual. The Sexual Harassment Policy includes a reporting structure to help students and staff receive the necessary support, whether anonymously or in person.

Standard 7: Regular Review of Standards
To ensure our policy is effective, we will conduct annual reporting and data collection to assess our compliance. A post-program review will analyze any issues that arose during the program that violated this policy. This information will be used to:

• Review cases that occurred during the program with feedback from the Operation Teams.
• Learn from experiences and make necessary updates to our policy and implementation.

Xtatic will develop a plan for implementing this Child and Vulnerable Adults Protection Policy and ensuring all stakeholders are informed. We will establish procedures for monitoring the effectiveness of our safeguarding measures, using both formal and informal methods, which may include:

• Briefings, newsletters, all-staff emails, conferences, policy documents, and discussions
• Questionnaires, interviews, focus groups, and formal feedback to assess how well our child safeguarding measures are working.

By following these standards, Xtatic aims to create a safe and supportive environment for all participants.