The Foundation of the International School of Geneva subscribes to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, of which the host country Switzerland is a State party and commits to promote and defend the rights of its students to physical and psychological wellbeing.
Download our Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy and our Code of Conduct related to Safeguarding and Child Protection
Application of the Policy and the Code of Conduct
This policy applies to all employees of the Ecole Internationale de Genève (hereinafter Ecolint), including teaching and non-teaching staff, support staff, contract staff, volunteers and any other adults working at and visiting the School.
This policy applies to all children and adults in the school, including when being educated off-site and undertaking educational visits. It also applies to students who are on an exchange and being hosted by the School or Ecolint students who are on trips overseas.
This policy applies to all suspected cases of child abuse, occurring in the school, outside the school and at home, by adults as well as children.
The difference between safeguarding and child protection
Child safeguarding refers to the responsibility of Ecolint to take proactive measures to keep all its pupils and students safe. Child safeguarding encompasses preventing and minimising the risks of physical, sexual and emotional abuse, neglect and maltreatment of children.
Child protection refers to Ecolint’s legal obligation – deriving from the Swiss and cantonal law – to act to protect a pupil/student from a situation that is causing harm or could cause harm.
Child abuse includes all forms of physical and emotional ill-treatment, sexual abuse, neglect or negligent treatment resulting in actual or potential harm to the child’s health, survival, development or dignity
To report a child protection concern
If you are a staff member and have a concern about a pupil or a student experiencing or at risk of experiencing abuse, you have the duty to report it. Students and parents can also report concerns of child abuse concerning pupils and students. This should be done by sending an email to the campus-specific email address, below. Emails sent here are received by the School Designated Child Protection Leads. This procedure serves as a system of accountability for recording, archiving and acting upon the concerns. This is the best way of reporting a Child Protection concern and ensuring it is followed up on appropriately.
safeguarding.lgb@ecolint.ch La Grande Boissière reporting email
safeguarding.cha@ecolint.ch La Châtaigneraie reporting email
safeguarding.nat@ecolint.ch Campus des Nations reporting email
If you are uncertain about reporting your concern, the ideal first point of contact is the pastoral care team in the relevant school division. This team of professionals is trained and available to help you.
Pastoral Care team members in all Ecolint schools are:
- Class, Homeroom or Mentor Teacher
- Head of Year
- School Counsellor
- Nurse
- Psychologist
- Assistant Principal
- Principal
If you are a student and feel uncertain about contacting them directly, a parent or guardian can do this on your behalf.
Support regarding incidents of discrimination
The school takes all Safeguarding concerns seriously including and in particular to any incidents related to discrimination of any kind, for example, in relation to race, religion, ethnicity, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, physical, emotional or intellectual vulnerability (see page 16 of the Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy). Students, staff and parents are encouraged to report any such incidents to the designated Vice Principal in each of the schools. The school will address the concerns and document the incident in a formal, secure and confidential manner.
To report an incident of a discriminatory nature, please write to the following email addresses:
La Grande Boissière
discrimination.pri.lgb@ecolint.ch Primary School reporting email
discrimination.mid.lgb@ecolint.ch Middle School reporting email
discrimination.sec.lgb@ecolint.ch Secondary School reporting email
La Châtaigneraie
discrimination.pri.cha@ecolint.ch Primary School reporting email
discrimination.sec.cha@ecolint.ch Secondary School reporting email
Campus des Nations
discrimination.ey.nat@ecolint.ch Early Years Centre reporting email
discrimination.pri.nat@ecolint.ch Primary School reporting email
discrimination.sec.nat@ecolint.ch Secondary School reporting email
If you are not confident reporting an incident of a discriminatory nature via the routes outlined above, Ecolint has also arranged for an independent organisation to assist you. While reports made to EthicsPoint will be shared with the school, no personally identifiable information will be shared without your consent.
EthicsPoint - Independent 24/7 hotline
This hotline should not be used to report a Child Protection concern, as it makes it much harder for the school to intervene to protect the child who is at risk without being able to speak first hand to those who have information of the incident.