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Member Schools: American Schools of Tangier, Marrakesh & Ben Guerir

Adopted January 2023

Child abuse and neglect are concerns throughout the world. Child abuse and neglect are violations of a child’s human rights and are obstacles to the child’s education as well as to their physical, emotional, and spiritual development. The American School of Tangier Organization (ASTO) and its member schools endorse the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, of which our host country, Morocco, is a signatory. ASTO hereby adopts this Policy.

Schools fill a special institutional role in society as protectors of children. Schools need to ensure that all children in their care are afforded a safe and secure environment in which to grow and develop, both at school and away. Educators, having the opportunity to observe and interact with children over time, are in a unique position to identify children who are in need of help and protection. As such, educators have a professional and ethical obligation to identify children who are in need of help and protection and to take steps to insure that the child and family avail themselves of the services needed to remedy any situation that constitutes child abuse or neglect.

All staff employed by ASTO member schools must report suspected incidents of child abuse or neglect whenever a staff member has reasonable cause to believe that a child has suffered or is at significant risk of suffering abuse or neglect. Reporting and follow up of all suspected incidents of child abuse or neglect will proceed in accordance with administrative regulations respective to this Policy.

ASTO member schools seek to be a safe haven for students who may be experiencing abuse or neglect in any aspect of their lives. As such, ASTO member schools will distribute this Policy annually to all parents and applicants, will communicate this Policy annually to students, will provide training for all staff, will make every effort to implement hiring practices to ensure the safety of children, and will review the Policy annually for compliance and effectiveness.

If a staff member is reported as an alleged offender, ASTO will conduct a full investigation following a carefully designed course of due process, keeping the safety of the child at the highest priority.