Child Protection

in
Solomon Islands

Children Staying Safe

WHAT IS CHILD PROTECTION?

 REFERS to preventing and responding to violence, exploitation, neglect and

abuse of children – including, but not limited to:
 Emotional Abuse (Repeatedly telling a child she/he is stupid or
worthless)
 Physical Abuse, incl. severe beatings
 Sexual Abuse, incl. sexual exploitation
 Child labour
 Child marriage
 Neglect
 Separation from family/caregiver during emergencies
**Please note Child Protection IS NOT the protection of children’s rights**

Child Protection – is the protection of children from danger and the

places/situations where the danger happens
 Child Protection = Child Rights

Participation Violence
(prevention &
response)
SW Support to
Survival parents &
families

CHILD CHILD
Protection Alternative
RIGHTS PROTECTION Care

Adoption

Development Child Justice

 CHILD PROTECTION ISSUES IN
SOLOMON ISLANDS
 Peer Violence & Bullying at school
 Severe physical punishment e.g. Corporal punishment
 Sexual abuse & Sexual Harassment
 Children exposed to Domestic Violence/Family Violence
 Pornography
 Emotional Abuse e.g. Belittling child’s views, wishes & feelings
 Transactional sex (sex for money & gifts)
 Child Marriage
 Hazardous or exploitive labour
 Caregivers refusing to feed child when there is food
 Caregivers leaving child at home on her/his own
 Causes/Drivers
 1. Immediate Causes
 Direct influences, activating or triggering the situation and putting the child at risk
 E.g. Family breakdown: separation or death of parents, 2nd marriage, Family
economic crisis, Separation from family, alcohol & substance abuse
 2. Underlying Causes
 Services, access, practices
 E.g. Lack of knowledge about child and adolescent development due to lack of
access for children, families and communities
 3. Root Causes
 Basic/structural causes - society, policies, resources
 E.g. Social practices and norms regarding childhood/adolescence, gender inequality,
and violence, Economic: Poverty, unemployment
 E.g. Resources: Lack of human and financial resources for the provision of child
protection services and basic social services (contributing to prevention of
protection risks)
 Consequences: impact on the
developing brain
 Neglect / lack of bonding
and positive interaction with
a caregiver can significantly
impair the normal
development of a young
child’s brain.
 Consequences
 Harsh corporal punishment, Typical health
verbal abuse, and witnessing brain
domestic violence may cause development

visible abnormalities in brain

development
 Toxic stress linked to persistent
Weakened
fear and anxiety in the early years architecture
can alter brain architecture linked to toxic
 Damage can manifest in stress
adolescence through problems in
executive function and self
regulation
 DEFINITION OF CORPORAL
PUNISHMENT

 Corporal punishment is ‘any punishment in which physical force

is used and intended to cause some degree of pain or
discomfort, however light. Most involves hitting (‘smacking’,
‘slapping’, ‘spanking’) children, with the hand or with an
implement – whip, stick, belt, shoe, wooden spoon, etc. But it
can also involve, for example, kicking, shaking or throwing
children, scratching, pinching, burning, scalding or forced
ingestion’ (UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, 2006: 4).
 Discipline vs Abuse
 Discipline
 be appropriate to the age and
maturity of the student;
 be non-violent and safe;
 not deliberately harm the student
physically, emotionally or mentally;
 be clearly explained to the student;
 help the student learn how to
behave better; and
 not interfere with the student’s
learning.
 proportional and appropriate to the
offence;
 Abuse
 Child is physically injured, including
bruising, broken skin, swelling or a
situation that requires medical
attention
 Punishment is meant to instill fear
rather than to educate the child
 Action is inappropriate for the child’s
age
 Action results from a caretaker’s
unreasonable demands or
expectations for the child
 Caretaker, whether a parent,
guardian or school official, loses
control
 Why we should not Hit & Shout at
children
 Sets a bad example of how to handle strong emotions
 Encourages children to shout at, hit and bully others in school
or in the family
 Encourages children to tell lies and hide their feelings to avoid
further hitting and shouting.
 Its is scary for children and makes them feel insecure and sad

Hitting & Shouting at Children will make them learn:

 That violence is acceptable
 The strong and big may hit or shout at the weak and small
 Adults can resolve & assert authority through violence
Role of Education in Child
Protection
  Ensure physical environment of
schools/dorms is safe and does not put
children at risk.
 Promote positive classroom management
Response and discipline practices.
 CP Code of Conduct that prohibits all forms
of violence and outlines expected standards
of behaviour.
Early
 Promote safe and violence-free culture in
Intervention
schools
 Programs for students on respectful
relationships, anti-bullying, reproductive
health, and online protection.
Prevention  Educate children on how to protect
themselves, and how to seek help.
  Introduce restorative justice or
other conflict resolution
mechanisms to resolve conflicts
between students.
 Create an open environment
Response where children feel confident to
discuss their problems.
 Identify and support children
Early starting to show signs of
Intervention behaviour problems or parental
neglect.
 School-based counselling
services.
Prevention
 Engage at-risk children in school
clubs and activities.
  Accessible and child-friendly
complaints mechanism.
 Clear procedures for disciplining
staff who abuse children or violate
Response the Code of Conduct.
 Identification and referral of
children experiencing violence,
abuse or neglect off school
Early Intervention
grounds.
 Participate in child protection case
conferences and advise on
education / training support
Prevention
available for the child.
 Facilitate school re-entry, tutoring
or other support as needed.
 Strengthening the role of education in
child protection
Services
Guidelines Capacity Building
Policy/Planning • CP issues
• Guidelines/ manual for • Training on CP
• CP identified as incorporated into
teachers on behaviour incorporated into
a priority issue the curriculum
management pre-service training
in the • School-based
• Guidelines on CP, and for teachers
education counselling
identification and • In-service training
strategy / plan services
referral of children in and supervision
• Comprehensive • Anti-bullying and
need of protection
CP Policy and conflict resolution
Code of programmes
Conduct
Info Management
• Improved data
collection on CP
cases
• Integrate CP into
MIS
 ANY QUESTIONS?

&

THANK YOU!