Standards for the protection of minors at Cambridge School of English Sp. z o.o. with its registered office in Warsaw

The Standards are made available on the School’s website and at the School’s premises in a visible place at the School’s premises in a complete and abbreviated version.

Complete version available to download in the link below:

Standards for the protection of minors Complete EN

 

Abbreviated version

1. Basic terms and definitions

This document uses terms and definitions with the meaning of:

  • Director, President – a person representing Cambridge School of English Sp. z o.o.  (School)
  • Employee – a person employed at the School on the basis of an employment contract, contract of mandate or contract for specific work, as well as interns, apprentices and volunteers
  • School – Cambridge School of English Sp. z o.o.  with its registered office in Warsaw – School of Foreign Languages
  • Child, Minor, Student – any person up to the age of 18 attending the School;
  • Guardian of a child – a person authorized to represent a child, in particular its parent, legal guardian or foster parent;
  • Consent of the child’s parent – consent of at least one of the child’s parents, and in the absence of agreement between the child’s parents, the decision of the family court on consent;
  • Child Abuse – committing a prohibited act or a punishable act to the detriment of the Child by any person, including a School Employee, or threatening the Child’s welfare, including by neglecting the Child or failing to perform his/her duties/duty;
  • SPM Coordinator – an employee appointed by the Director, whose task is to supervise the implementation of the provisions of the Standards for the Protection of Minors (SPM). The detailed scope of work and tasks of the SPM Coordinator is specified in Chapter 9 of the SPM;
  • GDPR – Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27.4.2016 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data, and repealing Directive 95/46/EC;
  • Personal data of the Minor – all information enabling the identification of the Minor within the meaning of Article 4(1) of the GDPR
  • Act on the Protection of Minors – Act of 28.7.2023 amending the Act – Family and Guardianship Code and certain other acts (Journal of Laws of 2023, item 1606);
  • Register – Register of Sexual Offenders
  • Basis for placing data in the Register – Act of 13 May 2016 on Counteracting Threats of Sexual Offences and Protection of Minors (i.e. of 21.03.2024, Journal of Laws of 2024, item 560)
  • SPM – this document called the Standards for the Protection of Minors introduced at Cambridge School of English Sp. z o.o.
  • Support plan – a plan prepared and implemented on the basis of the provisions of Chapter 6 of the SPM.

2. Rules ensuring safe relations between the Minor and the School Staff, in particular prohibited behaviour towards minors

2.1. It is the duty of all School employees, regardless of the form of employment, to take care of the safety and comfort of Minors during their stay at the School. It is unacceptable to use violence against Minors in any form. The employees treat each Minor with due respect and attention, support them in overcoming difficulties, taking into account their developmental skills, health condition, abilities resulting from disability and educational needs. The employees treat each Minor equally regardless of gender, sexual orientation, ability/disability, social, ethnic, cultural, religious, origin and worldview. In contact with minors, the School employees promote the principles of “high personal culture” and “good manners”, and make efforts to shape correct attitudes. 

2.2. Employees are obliged to read, accept and support the rules set out in the SPM, which they confirm by submitting a written statement, the template of which is attached as Appendix 3 to the SPM.

2.3. An employee who witnesses any abuse of Minors by adults or other Minors is obliged to inform the responsible person and/or act in accordance with the applicable intervention procedure described in Chapter 5 of the SPM. Employees must be ready to explain specific proceedings or situations in which they have participated, and which give rise to a reasonable suspicion that they violate the rules set out in the SPM. Special care should be taken with Minors who have experienced various forms of abuse and abuse, including sexual, physical or neglect. In the face of disturbing signals, Employees are obliged to intervene sensitively, but firmly, and help the Minor understand the importance of personal boundaries.

3. Communication between Employees and Minors

A School employee communicating with a Minor should build healthy, good relationships, m.in. by: 

  • Staying calm, understanding, patient, and empathetic;
  • Treating the Minor with respect;
  • Listening carefully to the minor and giving an answer appropriate to the situation and age of the minor;
  • Showing understanding for the difficulties and problems of the minor;
  • Each time maintaining a professional relationship with the Minor, using communication and taking actions towards the Minor adapted to the situation and their age;
  • Maintaining the physical integrity of the minor – not using any form of violence;
  • In the course of conflict resolution, taking care of communication that gives the Minor a sense of justice and emotional and psychosocial security;
  • Taking actions that are aimed at the good and interest of the Minor;
  • Undertaking educational activities towards the Minor, aimed at shaping correct attitudes;
  • Not shaming the minor, not disrespecting, humiliating or insulting;
  • Respecting the minor’s right to feel and talk about their emotions;
  • Not raising the voice, unless it results from a situation that threatens the safety of the Minor
  • Not using threats or blackmail in any form against the Minor;
  • Respect for the dignity and self-esteem of the Minor;
  • Not disclosing sensitive information about Minors to unauthorized persons;
  • Respect for the minor’s right to privacy;

If it is necessary to deviate from the principle of confidentiality in connection with the need to protect the Minor, explain the situation and the reasons for the action.

If it is necessary to talk to the Minor in private, the Employee leaves the door to the room where the conversation is conducted ajar or asks the other employee to be present during such a conversation.

4. Prohibited behaviour towards Minors

In communication between Employees and Minors, it is prohibited to:

  • Using a relationship of power or physical advantage against the Minor (e.g. intimidation, coercion, threats);
  • To use any form of physical violence against the Minor, including: hitting, spanking, pushing, poking, pinching, pulling the ears, hitting objects, throwing objects at the Minor, pulling the hair, twisting the arms, restricting the freedom of movement, taking objects, destroying things;
  • Apply any form of psychological violence to the Minor, including: humiliation, humiliation, name-calling, ridicule, ridicule, ridicule, isolation, omission, lowering the status of the Student in the group, his/her self-esteem, stigmatizing the Student due to his/her health, educational achievements, appearance, sexual orientation, worldview or financial situation, directing any insulting remarks or threats towards the Minor
  • Including the dissemination of offensive drawings, photos and films that ridicule the student, the dissemination of any materials that humiliate the student;
  • Use sexually suggestive statements that violate the dignity of a minor, e.g. gender, body, appearance, clothing with sexual overtones;
  • Use discriminatory comments, including gender-based comments;
  • Use vulgar words;
  • Telling inappropriate jokes and jokes;
  • Make sexual or pornographic proposals to the Minor, including sharing such content;
  • Publish private photos or other information about the Minor and his/her family on personal social media, without the consent of the interested party;
  • Disclose any sensitive information about the Minor – about their family, economic, health, custody and legal situation
  • Invade the Minor’s privacy, if the situation does not require it
  • Accepting gifts from the Student and his/her parent/guardian (exceptions are small, occasional gifts related to holidays in the school year, e.g. flowers, chocolate boxes, contribution gifts, etc.);
  • Establish any love, romantic or sexual relationship with the Student, as well as make proposals of an inappropriate or ambiguous nature understood by the Student; this also includes making sexual comments, using jokes, using sexually suggestive gestures, and it is forbidden to provide the Student with erotic and pornographic content regardless of its form;
  • Concealing information about the possibility of relationships that are characterised in particular by the phenomenon of the Employee becoming infatuated with a Student or Employee by a Student. Any such signals should be communicated to the Director in a manner that guarantees respect for the dignity of those involved in the situation.

5. Physical contact with the Minor

  1. Physical contact with the Minor should be limited and adequate to the relationship between the Employee and the Minor
  2. Physical contact with the Minor cannot result from a relationship of authority,  
  3. Physical contact with the student cannot be hidden.
  4. It is forbidden to violate the personal integrity of the student.
  5. The employee behaves in an appropriate and unambiguous manner, i.e. does not touch the student, does not stroke him/her, does not pat him or her in an intimate manner.
  6. The employee is obliged to use his/her professional judgment to listen, observe, note the Minor’s reaction and ask him/her for permission to have physical contact (e.g. touch, hug). The employee is aware that even with good intentions, physical contact may be misinterpreted by the Minor or third parties.
  7. The employee should not engage in games such as: tickling, pretend fights, brutal physical games, etc.
  8. An employee who is aware that a Minor has suffered some harm (e.g. physical abuse or sexual abuse) is obliged to exercise special caution in contacts with the Minor, showing understanding and sensitivity.
  9. During an individual conversation with a Minor, the Employee should take care of the Minor’s comfort by leaving the door ajar or ensuring the presence of another Employee 
  10. In justified cases, with the consent of parents/legal guardians, physical contact of the Employee with a Minor, in particular a disabled person, is allowed. Such contact may include help with hygienic activities, eating meals or moving.

6. Contact between Employees and Students outside working hours

  1. As a rule, contact with the Student should take place during working hours and concern goals within the scope of the Employee’s duties.
  2. If the Employee needs to meet with the Student or his/her parent/legal guardian outside working hours, the Employee informs the principal about it and the Student’s parents/legal guardians must agree to such contact.
  3. It is forbidden to invite the Student to the Employee’s place of residence and to meet with him or her outside working hours. 
  4. The appropriate form of communication with the student outside working hours is: business e-mail, company phone, company communicator, electronic register). 
  5. The Employee should not contact the Student using private communication channels (e.g. private phone, e-mail, instant messaging, social media profiles) 
  6. If employees maintain social or family relations with the Student’s parents/legal guardians, they are obliged to keep confidential all information about other Students and their parents/legal guardians.

7. Principles of safe relations between minors

  1. It is the duty of the minor to observe moral principles and social norms
  2. It is forbidden to use verbal, physical and psychological violence against anyone for any reason 
  3. Aggressive behavior is unacceptable
  4. A Student who witnesses the use of any form of aggression or violence by another Student/Students is obliged to react to it, e.g. notifies Employees or other adults, helps the person experiencing violence, protects him/her.
  5. Pupils are obliged to respect the personal rights and freedoms of their peers, their right to their own opinions, to make mistakes, to their own views, appearance and behaviour – within the framework of socially accepted norms and values.
  6. A student does not violate the rights of other students, recognizes and respects their right to be different on the basis of origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, physical characteristics, disability, ethnic, geographical, national origin, religion, economic status.
  7. A student maintains high culture in contact with other people, including students. He uses polite phrases, is polite, helpful, understanding and tolerant.
  8. The Student does not mock, does not mock the weaknesses of other Students, does not ridicule them, does not criticize them.
  9. The student controls his or her behavior and emotions when expressing judgments and opinions; is kind to other students and employees, does not use vulgarisms, speaks in a calm way that does not offend or hurt anyone.
  10. A student accepts and respects other students. It builds proper relationships by eliminating competition between students in various areas of life, mutual understanding and constructive, non-violent solving of problems and conflicts between each other.
  11. The Student is open to the views and opinions of other Students. 
  12. The student shows understanding for the difficulties and problems of his or her classmates and offers them help.
  13. The student expresses his/her own views, assessments and view of the world in a way that is free from aggression and violence and without causing harm to anyone. 
  14. If a student has become a victim of aggression or violence, he or she may receive help at the School, in accordance with the procedures in force at the School.

8. Rules and procedure for taking action in the event of suspected abuse or information about abuse of a minor

The person responsible for receiving reports intervenes after receiving information about the abuse of a Minor or about a suspicion of abuse of a Minor and calls the parents/guardians of the Minor who has a reasonable suspicion that he or she may have been or is being harmed and informs them of the suspicions.