1. Introduction<\/b><\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Worldwide Orphans Bulgaria (Foundation for Children at Risk Around the World) is a non-governmental organization founded in 2009 as part of the Worldwide Orphans Foundation.<\/p>\n
WWO Bulgaria transforms the lives of children, families, and communities in need through its evidence-based and knowledge-based trauma management programs aimed at supporting vulnerable children. They increase children’s confidence, self-esteem, and sense of belonging, develop skills, and empower young people and adults to conduct a structured game. <\/span><\/p>\n Our goals are to support children at risk by encouraging their social integration and personal realization; improving the living conditions of children at risk; training health professionals and the public on issues related to children at risk; providing support and cooperation with public institutions and other organizations with which we share common goals. <\/span><\/p>\n In recent years, the organization has developed activities and programs in the field of early childhood development, which it implements in partnership with other organizations in kindergartens, social services for children, community centers, children’s wards, residential services, and centers for special educational support. We are a supporting organization that does not provide direct social services or direct work with children and families. However, members of our team have direct contact with children when conducting training programs or when supporting partners, through the work of volunteers, or in the implementation of specific projects.<\/p>\n WWO Bulgaria designs and addresses its programs to a special group of children and young people. They are particularly vulnerable due to the specifics of their age and level of maturity. Often their vulnerability is due to living conditions in marginalized communities, low social status, poverty, physical and\/or cognitive deficits, and others. When children are in contact with members of our team or members of our partner’s team in joint projects, we require the encounter to be clearly regulated, completely safe, free of any forms of violence and\/or discrimination. In this regard, the current internal child protection policy has been developed. What makes it useful is that it introduces basic standards for working with children, which comply with children’s needs and rights, Bulgarian and international law, advocates clear response procedures to ensure the child’s protection when establishing contact with it. <\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n 2. Principles<\/b><\/p>\n This internal (organizational) child protection policy is based on the child protection standards of Keeping Children Safe; The 1989 UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) (as well as its protocols); The UN statement regarding Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse of Children and all other child protection related UN conventions, the national legislation of the Republic of Bulgaria and international good practices. <\/span><\/p>\n WWO Bulgaria considers that any form of abuse, violence, and exploitation of children is unacceptable. We declare that our organization will take steps to ensure the prevention of the adverse event where an employee, donor, or partner of our organization abuses, acts violently or exploits children or their families. <\/span><\/p>\n We take child protection as a personal and team responsibility. Employees’ awareness will be raised about the need to integrate child protection into all our activities. Everyone directly or indirectly working with children will be included. We will terminate the contact with anyone found to be engaging in a relationship where a child is abused to exploit.<\/p>\n We adhere to the following principles in our internal child protection policy:<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n 3. Definitions and terms <\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The intra-organizational child protection policy<\/strong> is the responsibility that an organization has to ensure that its employees, activities, and programs do not harm children, do not expose them to risk of abuse, and that all organizations’ concerns regarding child safety in communities where the organization is involved are reported to the relevant services. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n “I do not harm”<\/strong> refers to the responsibility of the organization to “do no harm” or to reduce the harm that may be caused unintentionally as a result of inappropriate design and implementation of projects\/programs. <\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Definitions of \u201charm\u201d and \u201cabuse\u201d<\/strong> <\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Physical abuse:<\/strong> Actual or potential physical abuse caused by another child or adult. It may include hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning, drowning, suffocation, or any other physical injury to a child, including falsification of symptoms or intentional deterioration of the child’s health. <\/span><\/p>\n Sexual Abuse:<\/strong> Includes persuading or seducing a child to engage in sexual activity, whether or not the child is aware of what is happening. These actions may include physical contact, including penetrating or non-penetrating actions. They may also involve children interfering in the viewing or production of pornographic material, or encouraging them to engage in inappropriate behavior. <\/span><\/p>\n Sexual exploitation of children:<\/strong> A form of sexual abuse where children are involved in sexual activities in exchange for money, gifts, food, shelter, attachment, status quo, or anything else that they or their families need. This form of abuse can be related to harmful practices of manipulating children, simulating a friendship relationship, gaining their trust, and providing access to alcohol and drugs. This type of abusive relationship is based on an imbalance of power between the perpetrator and the victim, where the victim’s resources are being severely limited. That practice could be misunderstood by children and adults as a relationship based on mutual consent. Sexual exploitation of children manifests itself in different ways. It may involve an older perpetrator exercising financial, emotional, or physical control over a minor or an underage. It may also include peers who manipulate or incite the victim to engage in sexual activity, sometimes within a gang or neighborhood. This form can also be manifested through an organized network of perpetrators who receive financial benefits from child trafficking in a sexual context where a large number of people are involved. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Neglect:<\/strong> Depending on the context, resources, and circumstances, neglect can be defined as a persistent failure to meet the child’s basic physical\/psychological needs, which can escalate into serious impairment of the child’s health and development. It may involve failure to provide enough food, shelter, clothes, or an indifferent attitude and irresponsibility towards the basic emotional needs of the child. Neglect may consist of the mother’s lack of concern during pregnancy, consuming alcohol, and using drugs, as well as inadequate care for a child with special needs. <\/span><\/p>\n Emotional abuse:<\/strong> Constant cause of emotional harm that affects a child’s emotional development. Actions related to emotional abuse may include a prohibition of free movement, humiliation, indulgence, harassment (including cyberbullying), threatening, frightening, discrimination, ridicule, and other forms of attitude based on rejection or hostility. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n 4. Scope of this Policy<\/strong><\/p>\n This policy concerns all employees and partners of the organization. <\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n “Employees” are defined as the pool of people consisting:<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n “Partners” are defined as the pool of people consisting: <\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n 5. Prevention<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n Worldwide Orphans Bulgaria Foundation states that the prevention of child abuse and the protection of children’s rights will be guaranteed through the following steps: \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n 5.1 Risk assessment\/risk mitigation<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The Foundation will perform a risk assessment of all operations, activities, programs, and projects it works on. This includes: <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n 5.2 Staff recruitment<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Worldwide Orphans Bulgaria Foundation states that staff, counselors, and volunteers will be recruited under precise terms and conditions, which include descriptions of the position and the responsibilities related to it. This will ensure that the requirements of the organizational internal child protection policy are met. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n 5.2.1 All prospective staff members, volunteers, and members of the governing bodies will be informed in a timely manner of the organization’s internal child protection policy. As part of the job application procedure, they will be required to sign a self-declaration, stating a lack of committed criminal offenses. <\/span><\/p>\n 5.2.<\/span>2 A Criminal Record Certificate will be required for all applicants.<\/p>\n 5.2.<\/span>3 Reliable recommendations\/characteristics will be required for all applicants, with special attention to all areas concerning child protection. During the interview procedure, candidates will have to answer questions about their previous work with children.<\/p>\n 5.2.<\/span>4 As part of the selection procedure, all candidates for positions abroad or for a position requiring travel abroad will also be interviewed by a child protection officer.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Worldwide Orphans Bulgaria Foundation sets out clear conduct requirements for its employees, which are regulated in written form and provided against a signature:<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Code of conduct \/ behavioral etiquette in working with children<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n I, [name, father’s name, and the surname of the person], declare that I have read and understood the organization’s internal child protection policy of [the organization] and that I agree that during my work in [the organization], I must:<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u041a\u043e\u0433\u0430\u0442\u043e \u043e\u0441\u044a\u0449\u0435\u0441\u0442\u0432\u044f\u0432\u0430\u043c \u0432\u0438\u0434\u0435\u043e \u0438\u043b\u0438 \u0444\u043e\u0442\u043e \u0437\u0430\u0441\u043d\u0435\u043c\u0430\u043d\u0435 \u043d\u0430 \u0434\u0435\u0446\u0430 , \u043a\u0430\u043a\u0442\u043e \u0438 \u043a\u043e\u0433\u0430\u0442\u043e \u0438\u0437\u043f\u043e\u043b\u0437\u0432\u0430\u043c \u0438\u0437\u043e\u0431\u0440\u0430\u0436\u0435\u043d\u0438\u044f \u043d\u0430 \u0434\u0435\u0446\u0430 \u0437\u0430 \u0446\u0435\u043b\u0438 \u043d\u0430 \u043c\u043e\u044f\u0442\u0430 \u0440\u0430\u0431\u043e\u0442\u0430 \u0430\u0437 \u0442\u0440\u044f\u0431\u0432\u0430 \u0434\u0430:\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u041f\u0440\u0438\u0435\u043c\u0430\u043c, \u0447\u0435 \u043d\u043e\u0441\u044f \u043e\u0442\u0433\u043e\u0432\u043e\u0440\u043d\u043e\u0441\u0442 \u043f\u043e \u0438\u0437\u043b\u043e\u0436\u0435\u043d\u0438\u0442\u0435 \u043f\u043e-\u0433\u043e\u0440\u0435 \u0430\u0441\u043f\u0435\u043a\u0442\u0438 \u0438 \u0441\u0435 \u0437\u0430\u0434\u044a\u043b\u0436\u0430\u0432\u0430\u043c \u0434\u0430 \u0441\u043f\u0430\u0437\u0432\u0430\u043c \u043e\u0440\u0433\u0430\u043d\u0438\u0437\u0430\u0446\u0438\u043e\u043d\u043d\u0430\u0442\u0430 \u043f\u043e\u043b\u0438\u0442\u0438\u043a\u0430 \u0437\u0430 \u0432\u044a\u0442\u0440\u0435\u0448\u043d\u0430 \u0437\u0430\u043a\u0440\u0438\u043b\u0430 \u043d\u0430 \u0434\u0435\u0442\u0435\u0442\u043e,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u043a\u0430\u043a\u0442\u043e \u0438 \u0434\u0430 \u0438\u0437\u0431\u044f\u0433\u0432\u0430\u043c \u043f\u043e\u0432\u0435\u0434\u0435\u043d\u0438\u0435, \u043a\u043e\u0435\u0442\u043e \u043c\u043e\u0436\u0435 \u0434\u0430 \u0431\u044a\u0434\u0435 \u043e\u043a\u0430\u0447\u0435\u0441\u0442\u0432\u0435\u043d\u043e \u043a\u0430\u0442\u043e \u0437\u043b\u043e\u0443\u043f\u043e\u0442\u0440\u0435\u0431\u0430 \u0438\u043b\u0438 \u0435\u043a\u0441\u043f\u043b\u043e\u0430\u0442\u0430\u0446\u0438\u044f \u043d\u0430 \u0434\u0435\u0446\u0430.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u041f\u043e\u0434\u043f\u0438\u0441<\/span>:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u0414\u0430\u0442\u0430<\/span>:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u041e\u0440\u0433\u0430\u043d\u0438\u0437\u0430\u0446\u0438\u044f\u0442\u0430\u00a0<\/span>\u0449\u0435\u00a0<\/span>\u043f\u0440\u0435\u0434\u043e\u0441\u0442\u0430\u0432<\/span>\u0438<\/span>\u00a0\u0438\u043d\u0444\u043e\u0440\u043c\u0430\u0446\u0438\u044f \u0437\u0430 \u0432\u044a\u0442\u0440\u0435\u0448\u043d\u0430\u0442\u0430 \u0441\u0438 \u043f\u043e\u043b\u0438\u0442\u0438\u043a\u0430 \u0437\u0430 \u0437\u0430\u043a\u0440\u0438\u043b\u0430 \u043d\u0430 \u0434\u0435\u0442\u0435\u0442\u043e \u043d\u0430 \u0432\u0441\u0438\u0447\u043a\u0438 \u0447\u043b\u0435\u043d\u043e\u0432\u0435 \u043d\u0430 \u0435\u043a\u0438\u043f\u0430, \u043f\u0430\u0440\u0442\u043d\u044c\u043e\u0440\u0438\u0442\u0435, \u0441\u0435\u043c\u0435\u0439\u0441\u0442\u0432\u0430\u0442\u0430 \u0438 \u0434\u0435\u0446\u0430\u0442\u0430. \u041e\u0441\u0432\u0435\u043d \u0442\u043e\u0432\u0430:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u0412\u0441\u0438\u0447\u043a\u0438 \u0441\u043b\u0443\u0436\u0438\u0442\u0435\u043b\u0438, \u0434\u043e\u0431\u0440\u043e\u0432\u043e\u043b\u0446\u0438 \u0438 \u0447\u043b\u0435\u043d\u043e\u0432\u0435 \u043d\u0430 \u0443\u043f\u0440\u0430\u0432\u0438\u0442\u0435\u043b\u043d\u0438 \u043e\u0440\u0433\u0430\u043d\u0438 \u0449\u0435 \u0431\u044a\u0434\u0430\u0442 \u043e\u0431\u0443\u0447\u0435\u043d\u0438 \u043e\u0442\u043d\u043e\u0441\u043d\u043e \u043f\u043e\u043b\u0438\u0442\u0438\u043a\u0430\u0442\u0430 \u043d\u0430 \u043e\u0440\u0433\u0430\u043d\u0438\u0437\u0430\u0446\u0438\u044f\u0442\u0430 \u0437\u0430 \u0437\u0430\u043a\u0440\u0438\u043b\u0430 \u043d\u0430 \u0434\u0435\u0442\u0435\u0442\u043e. \u0422\u0435 \u0449\u0435 \u043f\u043e\u043b\u0443\u0447\u0430\u0442 \u0435\u043a\u0437\u0435\u043c\u043f\u043b\u044f\u0440 \u043e\u0442 \u043f\u043e\u043b\u0438\u0442\u0438\u043a\u0430\u0442\u0430 \u0438 \u0449\u0435 \u0442\u0440\u044f\u0431\u0432\u0430 \u0434\u0430 \u043f\u043e\u0434\u043f\u0438\u0448\u0430\u0442 \u0434\u0435\u043a\u043b\u0430\u0440\u0430\u0446\u0438\u044f, \u0441 \u043a\u043e\u044f\u0442\u043e \u0443\u0434\u043e\u0441\u0442\u043e\u0432\u0435\u0440\u044f\u0432\u0430\u0442, \u0447\u0435 \u0441\u0430 \u044f \u043f\u043e\u043b\u0443\u0447\u0438\u043b\u0438, \u043f\u0440\u043e\u0447\u0435\u043b\u0438 \u0438 \u0440\u0430\u0437\u0431\u0440\u0430\u043b\u0438.<\/span><\/i>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u041b\u0438\u0446\u0430\u0442\u0430, \u043d\u0430\u0435\u0442\u0438 \u043a\u0430\u0442\u043e \u043d\u0435\u0437\u0430\u0432\u0438\u0441\u0438\u043c\u0438 \u0438\u0437\u043f\u044a\u043b\u043d\u0438\u0442\u0435\u043b\u0438 \u043f\u043e \u0434\u043e\u0433\u043e\u0432\u043e\u0440\u0438, \u0449\u0435 \u043f\u043e\u043b\u0443\u0447\u0430\u0442 \u0435\u043a\u0437\u0435\u043c\u043f\u043b\u044f\u0440 \u043e\u0442 \u043f\u043e\u043b\u0438\u0442\u0438\u043a\u0430\u0442\u0430 \u043d\u0430 \u043e\u0440\u0433\u0430\u043d\u0438\u0437\u0430\u0446\u0438\u044f\u0442\u0430 \u0437\u0430 \u0437\u0430\u043a\u0440\u0438\u043b\u0430 \u043d\u0430 \u0434\u0435\u0442\u0435\u0442\u043e \u0438 \u0449\u0435 \u0442\u0440\u044f\u0431\u0432\u0430 \u0434\u0430 \u043f\u043e\u0434\u043f\u0438\u0448\u0430\u0442 \u0434\u0435\u043a\u043b\u0430\u0440\u0430\u0446\u0438\u044f, \u0441 \u043a\u043e\u044f\u0442\u043e \u0443\u0434\u043e\u0441\u0442\u043e\u0432\u0435\u0440\u044f\u0432\u0430\u0442, \u0447\u0435 \u0441\u0430 \u044f \u043f\u043e\u043b\u0443\u0447\u0438\u043b\u0438, \u043f\u0440\u043e\u0447\u0435\u043b\u0438 \u0438 \u0440\u0430\u0437\u0431\u0440\u0430\u043b\u0438.<\/span><\/i>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u0414\u043e\u0431\u0440\u043e\u0432\u043e\u043b\u0446\u0438\u0442\u0435 \u0432 \u043e\u0440\u0433\u0430\u043d\u0438\u0437\u0430\u0446\u0438\u044f\u0442\u0430 \u0449\u0435 \u0431\u044a\u0434\u0430\u0442 \u043d\u0430\u0431\u043b\u044e\u0434\u0430\u0432\u0430\u043d\u0438 \u043e\u0442 \u0440\u044a\u043a\u043e\u0432\u043e\u0434\u0438\u0442\u0435\u043b\u0438\u0442\u0435 \u043d\u0430 \u0435\u043a\u0438\u043f\u0438, \u043d\u0430 \u0447\u0438\u0435\u0442\u043e \u043f\u043e\u0434\u0447\u0438\u043d\u0435\u043d\u0438\u0435 \u0441\u0430 \u043d\u0430\u0437\u043d\u0430\u0447\u0435\u043d\u0438, \u0437\u0430 \u0434\u0430 \u0441\u0435 \u0433\u0430\u0440\u0430\u043d\u0442\u0438\u0440\u0430, \u0447\u0435 \u043d\u0435 \u0437\u043b\u043e\u0443\u043f\u043e\u0442\u0440\u0435\u0431\u044f\u0432\u0430\u0442 \u0441 \u043f<\/span><\/i>\u043e\u0432\u0435\u0440\u0438\u0442\u0435\u043b\u043d\u0430\u0442\u0430 \u0438\u043d\u0444\u043e\u0440\u043c\u0430\u0446\u0438\u044f, \u043a\u043e\u044f\u0442\u043e \u043a\u0430\u0441\u0430\u0435<\/span><\/i>\u00a0\u0434\u0435\u0446\u0430\u0442\u0430. \u041f\u0440\u0438 \u0432\u044a\u0437\u043d\u0438\u043a\u0432\u0430\u043d\u0435 \u043d\u0430 \u043e\u043f\u0430\u0441\u0435\u043d\u0438\u044f, \u043c\u0435\u043d\u0438\u0434\u0436\u044a\u0440\u0438\u0442\u0435<\/span><\/i>\/\u00a0<\/span><\/i>\u0441\u0443\u043f\u0435\u0440\u0432\u0430\u0439\u0437\u043e\u0440\u0430<\/span><\/i>\u00a0\u0441\u043b\u0435\u0434\u0432\u0430 \u0434\u0430 \u0438\u043d\u0444\u043e\u0440\u043c\u0438\u0440\u0430\u0442 \u0434\u0438\u0440\u0435\u043a\u0442\u043e\u0440\u0430\u00a0 \u043a\u043e\u0439\u0442\u043e \u043e\u0442 \u0441\u0432\u043e\u044f \u0441\u0442\u0440\u0430\u043d\u0430 \u0449\u0435 \u043f\u0440\u0435\u0434\u043f\u0440\u0438\u0435\u043c\u0435 \u043f\u043e-\u043d\u0430\u0442\u0430\u0442\u044a\u0448\u043d\u043e \u0440\u0430\u0437\u0441\u043b\u0435\u0434\u0432\u0430\u043d\u0435.<\/span><\/i>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n
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