Elyton International School maintains a zero-tolerance approach to any form of abuse, neglect, exploitation, or discrimination. The safety, physical wellbeing, and emotional security of every child entrusted to our care is our paramount institutional duty.
Policy Statement & Core Principles
At Elyton International School (“the School”), we believe that every child, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, ability, nationality, religion, or background, has an inalienable right to grow, learn, and play in a secure, nurturing, and stimulating environment.
Our safeguarding philosophy rests on four non-negotiable pillars:
- Child-first primacy:The welfare of the child is always paramount. Where a conflict of interest arises, the child’s best interest overrides administrative, reputational, or commercial considerations.
- Shared vigilance: Safeguarding is not the duty of a single officer; it is the collective responsibility of every teacher, administrative staff member, facilities team member, coach, and parent.
- Early intervention: We do not wait for harm to manifest; we actively identify vulnerabilities, behavioural changes, and environmental risks early, putting compassionate support plans in place immediately.
- Uncompromising transparency: We maintain clear, unambiguous reporting lines. Concerns are investigated systematically, documented thoroughly, and escalated without hesitation to appropriate statutory authorities.
Legal & Regulatory Framework
This Safeguarding & Child Protection Policy complies with and exceeds statutory requirements set out in the Laws of Kenya, while incorporating international safeguarding standards for British curriculum institutions:
- The Constitution of Kenya (2010): Article 53, guaranteeing every child the right to basic nutrition, shelter, healthcare, education, and protection from abuse, neglect, and all forms of violence.
- The Children Act, 2022 (Act No. 29 of 2022): The primary statutory framework establishing duty of care, mandatory reporting obligations, and child protection rights in Kenya.
- Basic Education Act (2013): Regulations governing pupil discipline, institutional safety standards, and corporal punishment prohibitions.
- International Standards: Guidance aligned with the UK Department for Education framework Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) and British Schools Overseas (BSO) inspection standards.
Roles, Responsibilities & Named Leads
To ensure accountability across our campus on Magadi Road, Karen, safeguarding duties are clearly distributed:
| Role | Responsibility |
|---|---|
| Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) | Senior leadership team member who oversees all child protection concerns, coordinates staff training, maintains secure case files, and liaises directly with statutory child protection officers and healthcare providers. |
| Deputy DSLs (Early Years & Primary) | Trained pastoral leads who handle day-to-day pupil wellbeing, monitor attendance and emotional changes, and provide immediate cover in the absence of the primary DSL. |
| Head of School | Holds institutional responsibility for ensuring safeguarding policies are executed, resources are allocated, and safer recruitment checks are verified without exception. |
| All Teaching & Support Staff | Complete annual mandatory Level 2 safeguarding training, maintain strict professional boundaries, and submit factual incident logs within 24 hours of noticing any concern. |
Safer Recruitment & Background Vetting
Every adult who works at Elyton International School — whether a classroom teacher, teaching assistant, swimming instructor, transport driver, facilities technician, or visiting coach — undergoes rigorous pre-employment vetting before setting foot on campus or interacting with children.
Our safer recruitment vetting protocol requires:
- Identity & Right to Work Verification: Full verification of original passports, national ID cards, and valid Kenyan work permits for expatriates.
- Criminal Record Checks: A mandatory valid Certificate of Good Conduct issued by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Kenya. For international staff who have lived or taught abroad, an International Child Protection Certificate (ICPC) or statutory police clearance from every country of previous residence within the last 10 years.
- Verified Professional References:At least two independent, written professional references, one of which must be from the candidate’s most recent Head of School or direct educational employer. References are verified via direct telephone contact to confirm authenticity.
- Qualifications & Registration: Direct verification of degree certificates, teaching credentials (e.g. PGCE, QTS, B.Ed), and valid registration with the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) where applicable.
- Gaps in Employment: Scrutiny and documented explanation of any career gaps during in-person structured interviews with safeguarding-focused questions.
Recognising Categories of Concern
Staff are systematically trained to recognise behavioral, physical, and emotional indicators across four primary categories of harm:
- Physical Abuse: Non-accidental injuries, unexplained bruising, burns, or physical marks, or disclosures of corporal punishment.
- Emotional Abuse: Persistent rejection, belittling, scapegoating, extreme withdrawal, sudden regression in speech or toilet habits, or severe anxiety around specific adults.
- Neglect: Persistent lack of basic physical care, unwashed uniform, unaddressed dental or medical conditions, chronic hunger, or regular uncollected late pickups without prior communication.
- Child Sexual Exploitation & Abuse: Age-inappropriate sexual language or behavior, self-harm, sudden withdrawal from peer groups, or disclosures of inappropriate contact.
Strict Prohibition of Corporal Punishment: Under Article 29 of the Constitution of Kenya and the Basic Education Act, 2013, corporal punishment in any form is illegal. Elyton strictly prohibits any physical chastisement, verbal degradation, or humiliating sanctions.
Adult Code of Conduct & Professional Boundaries
All members of staff, contractors, and volunteers sign our binding Staff Code of Conduct upon appointment. Key safeguarding boundaries include:
- One-to-one situations: Staff must avoid being alone with a child in an enclosed room with closed blinds or locked doors. Individual mentoring or pastoral meetings take place in visible rooms with sightlines.
- Physical contact:Any physical contact must be appropriate to the child’s age and developmental stage (e.g., comforting a distressed Early Years pupil), open, and never intrusive.
- Digital communications: Staff may never communicate with pupils via personal mobile phones, private social media accounts, or personal messaging apps (e.g. WhatsApp, Instagram, Snapchat). All communication must take place exclusively through official School platforms.
- Transport: Staff members are strictly prohibited from transporting individual pupils in their private vehicles without explicit prior written authorization from the Head of School and parents.
Campus Security & Visitor Protocols
Our purpose-built campus on Magadi Road, Karen, is secured by comprehensive perimeter control, trained security personnel, and active access management:
- Access Control: All visitors (including prospective families attending tours) must report to the Main Security Gate, surrender a valid national ID or passport in exchange for a numbered Visitor Badge, and log arrival and departure times.
- Escort Policy: Visitors must wear badges visibly at all times and remain accompanied by an authorized member of staff throughout their visit. Unaccompanied wandering across learning wings or sports facilities is prohibited.
- Photography & Recording: Unauthorised photographing or video recording of pupils on School premises is strictly prohibited.
- Pickup Authorisation:Pupils are released only to parents, legal guardians, or officially designated drivers registered in writing on the pupil’s admissions file. Any change in collection arrangements requires advance written notification and identity confirmation.
Digital Safety, Devices & Acceptable Use
Technology is integrated thoughtfully into the British National Curriculum to develop digital fluency, research skills, and computational thinking. To protect pupils in the digital space:
- Network Filtering: Our campus high-speed Wi-Fi features enterprise-grade content filtering and monitoring that blocks inappropriate, violent, or harmful content.
- Classroom Supervision: Pupil device usage is always supervised by teaching staff. Personal smartphones are not permitted during instructional hours.
- Anti-Cyberbullying: Bullying, online harassment, or the sharing of denigrating images or messages is treated as a serious disciplinary and safeguarding violation.
How to Report a Concern — Clear Escalation
If you observe, suspect, or receive a disclosure of harm or abuse involving any child at Elyton International School, follow this immediate escalation pathway:
Immediate Safeguarding Reporting Route
Email: info@elytonschools.org
Telephone (Direct line to Head of School): +254 721 122 403 / +254 727 856 146
This channel is monitored seven days a week. All reports are treated with the strictest confidentiality and logged immediately.
If a child is in immediate physical danger:Staff are empowered to contact Kenyan emergency services, the nearest healthcare facility, or the Directorate of Children’s Services immediately without awaiting administrative clearance.
Confidentiality & Information Sharing
Safeguarding records are strictly confidential and stored on a secure, encrypted system accessible only by the DSL and Head of School. They are kept entirely separate from a pupil’s general academic file.
However, staff understand that no adult can promise absolute secrecy to a child disclosing harm. When a child shares information indicating they or another child are at risk, the adult will explain warmly: “Thank you for telling me. I take this very seriously, and I need to speak with our safeguarding lead so we can keep you safe.”
Under section 19 of the Children Act, 2022, information may be shared with law enforcement, the Directorate of Children’s Services, or medical officers where necessary to protect a child from significant harm.
Policy Review & Board Oversight
This Safeguarding & Child Protection Policy is reviewed annually by the School Board of Governors, Head of School, and Designated Safeguarding Lead, or immediately following any significant legislative reform or serious safeguarding incident.
A copy of this policy is provided to all prospective families upon application and is permanently available on our website at elytonschools.org/safeguarding/.